MTU

Definitions

1. Maximum Transmission Unit — the largest packet size (in bytes) that a network interface can transmit without fragmentation. Ethernet's standard MTU is 1500 bytes. Jumbo frames (9000 bytes) improve throughput for bulk data transfers. MTU mismatches cause mysterious connectivity issues, especially with VPNs and tunnels.

   In plain English: The maximum size of a data packet that can be sent over a network connection without breaking it into pieces.

   Example: "The VPN tunnel was dropping large packets — the MTU was 1500 but the encapsulation overhead needed 1400. Classic MTU issue."

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