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Groups > comp.os.linux.misc > #69556

Re: Spurious ARP entries...

From vallor <vallor@cultnix.org>
Newsgroups comp.os.linux.misc
Subject Re: Spurious ARP entries...
Date 2025-07-13 22:14 +0000
Message-ID <mdipddFh8mkU5@mid.individual.net> (permalink)
References <104tdg2$22i42$14@dont-email.me> <87bjpo81lq.fsf@atr2.ath.cx> <10515v7$2u46l$17@dont-email.me>

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On Sun, 13 Jul 2025 21:46:30 +0100, The Natural Philosopher
<tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote in <10515v7$2u46l$17@dont-email.me>:

> On 13/07/2025 18:03, jayjwa wrote:
>> The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> writes:
>> 
>>> For unrelated reasons I took a look at my desktop ARP cache just now..
>>>
>>> $arp -a ? (192.168.0.248) at <incomplete> on eno1
>> Something is handing out ip4 addresses in the block 192.168.0.* and
>> those entries are hanging around. You don't see what is being handed
>> out unless you keep a close eye on your DHCP server.
>> 
>> Here's one example from mine:
>> 
>> ? (192.168.20.12) at <incomplete> on br0 ? (192.168.20.52) at
>> aa:00:04:00:14:04 [ether] on br0 ? (192.168.20.61) at aa:00:04:00:10:04
>> [ether] on br0 ? (192.168.20.56) at 5c:84:3c:f1:23:2f [ether] on br0 ?
>> (192.168.20.10) at 3e:04:51:7a:a5:d8 [ether] on br0
>> 
>> What is .20.12? According to the lease it is:
>> lease 192.168.20.12 {
>>    starts 0 2024/10/13 21:13:07;
>>    ends 0 2024/10/13 23:13:07;
>>    tstp 0 2024/10/13 23:13:07;
>>    cltt 0 2024/10/13 21:13:07;
>>    binding state free;
>>    hardware ethernet 14:1f:78:85:66:72;
>>    uid "\001\024\037x\205fr";
>>    set vendor-class-identifier = "android-dhcp-7.1.1";
>> }
>> 
>> Which according to /etc/ethers #14:1f:78:85:66:72	SAMSUNG-SM-J320
>> 
>> is a Samsung smartphone I've not had powered on in some time. It's in
>> the ARP cache because something (likley dhcpd) is still referencing it.
>> It can't respond back because it is powered off as I don't use it
>> anymore but for a rare test.

(responding to jayjwa):
Something is trying to ping or otherwise contact your phone address,
which could even be dhcpd itself.

>> 
>> 
> Yes. clearing the ARP cache clears that though I have some spuriosities
> (sic?) that are definitely transient devices that have come and gone,
> but my DHCP range stops short of most of the rest.
> 
> But having cleared the cache, the only one that has returned is the long
> gone laserjet ...
> 
> which I cant seem to erase out of windows.

To summarize your discoveries:  if your host tries to contact an
address that isn't there, you'll end up with incomplete arp
entries, which are harmless[*].

Here's an example using 192.168.23.3, which doesn't exist on my network:

$ ping -c 1 192.168.23.3
PING 192.168.23.3 (192.168.23.3) 56(84) bytes of data.
From 192.168.23.254 icmp_seq=1 Destination Host Unreachable

--- 192.168.23.3 ping statistics ---
1 packets transmitted, 0 received, +1 errors, 100% packet loss, time 0ms

$ arp -a 192.168.23.3
? (192.168.23.3) at <incomplete> on enp68s0f0

[*] Incomplete arp entries are harmless, but could indicate
a problem -- there used to be a problem known as an "arp storm"
that could happen before network stacks got a little more...robust.

You can used tcpdump to make sure your network is healthy:

# tcpdump -s1500 -pn -v -v arp
tcpdump: listening on enp68s0f0, link-type EN10MB (Ethernet), snapshot 
length 1500 bytes
15:05:23.283910 ARP, Ethernet (len 6), IPv4 (len 4), Request who-has 
192.168.23.254 tell 192.168.23.1, length 46
15:05:23.283926 ARP, Ethernet (len 6), IPv4 (len 4), Reply 192.168.23.254 
is-at xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx, length 28

 ...where "xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx" is the MAC address of the machine
at 192.168.23.254.  This tcpdump command should be fairly quiet,
unless there is a problem.

(I just got a 10G fiber connection(!!! woohoo!), and so I've been
scrutinizing my network as we switch over from the old network.  No
arp- or broadcast-storms so far...)

BTW, tcpdump always reports "EN10MB" for Ethernet -- you can see
actual link speed with ethtool(8):

# ethtool enp68s0f0
Settings for enp68s0f0:
	Supported ports: [ TP ]
	Supported link modes:   100baseT/Full
	                        1000baseT/Full
	                        10000baseT/Full
	                        2500baseT/Full
	                        5000baseT/Full
	Supported pause frame use: Symmetric
	Supports auto-negotiation: Yes
	Supported FEC modes: Not reported
	Advertised link modes:  100baseT/Full
	                        1000baseT/Full
	                        10000baseT/Full
	Advertised pause frame use: Symmetric
	Advertised auto-negotiation: Yes
	Advertised FEC modes: Not reported
	Speed: 10000Mb/s
	Duplex: Full
	Auto-negotiation: on
	Port: Twisted Pair
	PHYAD: 0
	Transceiver: internal
	MDI-X: Unknown
	Supports Wake-on: umbg
	Wake-on: g
        Current message level: 0x00000007 (7)
                               drv probe link

Happy networking!

-- 
-v System76 Thelio Mega v1.1 x86_64 NVIDIA RTX 3090Ti 24G
   OS: Linux 6.15.6 D: Mint 22.1 DE: Xfce 4.18 
   NVIDIA: 575.64.03 Mem: 258G
   "NETWORK: What fishermen do when not fishing."

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Thread

Spurious ARP entries... The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-12 11:30 +0100
  Re: Spurious ARP entries... Robert Heller <heller@deepsoft.com> - 2025-07-12 10:36 +0000
    Re: Spurious ARP entries... The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-12 11:52 +0100
  Re: Spurious ARP entries... Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2025-07-12 11:41 +0100
    Re: Spurious ARP entries... The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-12 11:54 +0100
      Re: Spurious ARP entries... Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2025-07-12 12:14 +0100
        Re: Spurious ARP entries... The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-12 13:06 +0100
          Re: Spurious ARP entries... Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-07-13 01:20 +0000
            Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-13 00:16 -0400
              Re: Spurious ARP entries... The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-13 12:01 +0100
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-07-13 22:10 +0000
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2025-07-14 10:19 +0200
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-14 14:54 +0100
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2025-07-15 11:58 +0200
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-15 15:20 +0100
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2025-07-16 11:21 +0200
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-16 16:46 +0100
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-15 22:10 -0400
  Re: Spurious ARP entries... Richard Kettlewell <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-12 11:43 +0100
    Re: Spurious ARP entries... The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-12 12:02 +0100
  Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-12 19:33 -0400
    Re: Spurious ARP entries... The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-13 11:52 +0100
      Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-14 00:08 -0400
  Re: Spurious ARP entries... Shadow <Sh@dow.br> - 2025-07-12 21:29 -0300
    Re: Spurious ARP entries... Robert Heller <heller@deepsoft.com> - 2025-07-13 00:55 +0000
      Re: Spurious ARP entries... Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2025-07-13 06:35 +0100
        Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-13 02:30 -0400
          Re: Spurious ARP entries... John Ames <commodorejohn@gmail.com> - 2025-07-14 08:06 -0700
            Re: Spurious ARP entries... Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-07-14 22:05 +0000
              Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-15 22:21 -0400
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2025-07-16 15:53 +0000
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-16 19:19 +0100
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-17 03:13 -0400
              Re: Spurious ARP entries... John Ames <commodorejohn@gmail.com> - 2025-07-16 08:05 -0700
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-16 16:47 +0100
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... John Ames <commodorejohn@gmail.com> - 2025-07-16 09:02 -0700
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-16 19:17 +0100
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-17 03:10 -0400
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-17 03:08 -0400
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... Richard Kettlewell <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-16 19:18 +0100
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-16 19:21 +0100
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... Pancho <Pancho.Jones@protonmail.com> - 2025-07-16 19:41 +0100
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-07-17 02:15 +0000
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-17 03:38 -0400
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... Pancho <Pancho.Jones@protonmail.com> - 2025-07-17 09:29 +0100
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-17 09:46 +0100
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... Pancho <Pancho.Jones@protonmail.com> - 2025-07-17 10:39 +0100
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-17 22:53 -0400
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-07-18 05:50 +0000
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-18 02:11 -0400
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-17 22:42 -0400
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-18 11:05 +0100
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-07-18 23:19 +0000
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-18 23:06 -0400
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... Pancho <Pancho.Jones@protonmail.com> - 2025-07-19 10:50 +0100
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-17 03:15 -0400
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-17 09:50 +0100
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-17 22:48 -0400
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... John Ames <commodorejohn@gmail.com> - 2025-07-18 09:02 -0700
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-07-18 05:48 +0000
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-17 03:41 -0400
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... Richard Kettlewell <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-17 11:19 +0100
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-17 22:58 -0400
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-07-17 02:14 +0000
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... John Ames <commodorejohn@gmail.com> - 2025-07-17 07:52 -0700
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-17 19:59 +0100
                Re: Spurious ARP entries... Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-07-18 05:47 +0000
            Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-15 22:20 -0400
  Re: Spurious ARP entries... jayjwa <jayjwa@atr2.ath.cx.invalid> - 2025-07-13 13:03 -0400
    Re: Spurious ARP entries... The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2025-07-13 21:46 +0100
      Re: Spurious ARP entries... vallor <vallor@cultnix.org> - 2025-07-13 22:14 +0000
      Re: Spurious ARP entries... c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2025-07-14 00:10 -0400

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