ARP - Address Resolution Protocol

Address Resolution Protocol implementation and cache management. More...

Classes
struct	ARP
	Address Resolution Protocol packet structure. More...

Typedefs
typedef ARP *	PARP
	Pointer to ARP packet structure.

Functions
void	ShowArp ()
	Display the current ARP cache contents to the standard output.
void	fShowArp (FILE *fp)
	Display the current ARP cache contents to a specified file stream.
BOOL	GetArpMacFromIp (IPADDR4 ip, MACADR &ma)
	Check if an IP address is in the ARP cache and retrieve its MAC address.
void	sendGratuitousArp (int interfaceNumber, IPADDR4 ip)
	Send a Gratuitous ARP to announce interface presence and IP address.
BOOL	IsMyAddressUsedArpDetect (uint16_t timeout, int interface=0)
	Detect if the interface's IP address is already in use on the network.
int	GetProperInterface4 (IPADDR4 dst)
	Get the appropriate network interface for routing to a destination IP.
void	processArp (PoolPtr p, PEFRAME pF)
	Process incoming ARP packets (internal use only).
void	AddCheckArp (MACADR *ma, IPADDR4 ip, int ifnum)
	Add or update ARP cache entry (internal use only).
void	DeleteArpFromIp (IPADDR4 ip)
	Delete ARP cache entry by IP address (internal use only).
void	RouteOut (PEFRAME pf, IPADDR4 ip, PoolPtr p)
	Route packet to destination (internal use only).
void	RouteOutVia (PEFRAME pf, IPADDR4 ipfrom, IPADDR4 ipto, PoolPtr p, int intf)
	Route packet via specific interface (internal use only).
void	AgeArp ()
	Age out old ARP cache entries (internal use only).
void	AddStaticArp (MACADR *ma, IPADDR4 ip, int ifnum)
	Add static ARP entry (internal use only).
void	InitializeArp ()
	Initialize ARP subsystem (internal use only).

Variables
beuint16_t	ARP::hard_Type
	Hardware type (1 for Ethernet).
beuint16_t	ARP::prot_Type
	Protocol type (0x0800 for IPv4).
uint8_t	ARP::hard_size
	Hardware address length (6 for MAC).
uint8_t	ARP::prot_size
	Protocol address length (4 for IPv4).
beuint16_t	ARP::op_code
	Operation: 1=Request, 2=Reply.
MACADR	ARP::sender_phy
	Sender MAC address.
IPADDR4	ARP::sender_Ip
	Sender IP address.
MACADR	ARP::target_phy
	Target MAC address.
IPADDR4	ARP::target_Ip
	Target IP address.

Detailed Description

Address Resolution Protocol implementation and cache management.

#include< arp.h>

The Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) is a fundamental network protocol that maps Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to physical Media Access Control (MAC) addresses on local Ethernet networks. ARP enables devices to discover the hardware address of another device on the same network segment when only the IP address is known.

How ARP Works

When a device needs to communicate with another device on the local network:

1. Cache Check: First checks local ARP cache for existing IP-to-MAC mapping
2. ARP Request: If not found, broadcasts an ARP request to all devices
3. ARP Reply: Target device responds with its MAC address
4. Cache Update: Mapping is stored in local ARP cache for future use
5. Communication: Original packet is sent using the resolved MAC address

ARP Cache Management

NetBurner maintains an ARP cache that stores recently resolved IP-to-MAC address mappings. This cache:

• Reduces network traffic by avoiding repeated ARP requests
• Ages out entries after a timeout period
• Can be queried programmatically
• Supports static entries for critical devices

Function Categories

Function	Purpose	Use Case
ShowArp()	Display cache	Debugging, diagnostics
GetArpMacFromIp()	Query cache	Check if address is resolved
sendGratuitousArp()	Announce presence	After IP change or boot
IsMyAddressUsedArpDetect()	Detect conflicts	IP conflict detection

Example Usage

Querying the ARP Cache

#include <arp.h>
 
void checkDevicePresence(IPADDR4 deviceIP) {
    MACADR mac;
    
    if (GetArpMacFromIp(deviceIP, mac)) {
        iprintf("Device found: ");
        iprintf("%02X:%02X:%02X:%02X:%02X:%02X\n",
                mac.ma[0], mac.ma[1], mac.ma[2],
                mac.ma[3], mac.ma[4], mac.ma[5]);
    } else {
        iprintf("Device not in ARP cache\n");
        // Optionally send a ping to trigger ARP resolution
    }
}

Displaying ARP Cache Contents

#include <arp.h>
 
void displayNetworkStatus() {
    iprintf("=== Current ARP Cache ===\n");
    ShowArp();  // Outputs to stdio serial port
    iprintf("========================\n");
}
 
void logArpToFile() {
    FILE *fp = fopen("arp.log", "a");
    if (fp != NULL) {
        fShowArp(fp);  // Write to file
        fclose(fp);
    }
}

Sending Gratuitous ARP

#include <arp.h>
#include <netinterface.h>
 
void announceNewIPAddress(int interface, IPADDR4 newIP) {
    // Update interface IP address
    InterfaceBlock *ib = GetInterfaceBlock(interface);
    ib->ip4.cur_addr = newIP;
    
    // Announce new address to network
    sendGratuitousArp(interface, newIP);
    
    iprintf("Gratuitous ARP sent for new IP\n");
}
 
void UserMain(void *pd) {
    init();
    
    // Send gratuitous ARP after initialization
    IPADDR4 myIP = AsciiToIp4("192.168.1.100");
    sendGratuitousArp(GetFirstInterface(), myIP);
    
    // Rest of application...
}

IP Address Conflict Detection

#include <arp.h>
 
void checkIPConflict(int interface) {
    // Check if our IP is already in use (2 second timeout)
    if (IsMyAddressUsedArpDetect(2, interface)) {
        iprintf("ERROR: IP address conflict detected!\n");
        iprintf("Another device is using this IP address.\n");
        // Handle conflict (change IP, alert user, etc.)
    } else {
        iprintf("No IP conflict detected - address is available\n");
    }
}
 
void UserMain(void *pd) {
    init();
    WaitForActiveNetwork(TICKS_PER_SECOND * 5);
    
    // Check for IP conflicts after network initialization
    checkIPConflict(GetFirstInterface());
    
    // Continue with application...
}

Network Device Monitoring

#include <arp.h>
#include <icmp.h>
 
bool isDeviceReachable(IPADDR4 deviceIP) {
    MACADR mac;
    
    // First check ARP cache
    if (GetArpMacFromIp(deviceIP, mac)) {
        return true;  // Recently communicated with device
    }
    
    // Not in cache - send ping to trigger ARP
    Ping4(deviceIP, 1, 1);  // 1 packet, 1 second timeout
    OSTimeDly(TICKS_PER_SECOND / 2);  // Wait for ARP response
    
    // Check cache again
    return GetArpMacFromIp(deviceIP, mac);
}
 
void monitorCriticalDevices() {
    IPADDR4 plc = AsciiToIp4("192.168.1.50");
    IPADDR4 gateway = AsciiToIp4("192.168.1.1");
    
    if (!isDeviceReachable(plc)) {
        iprintf("WARNING: PLC not reachable!\n");
    }
    
    if (!isDeviceReachable(gateway)) {
        iprintf("WARNING: Gateway not reachable!\n");
    }
}

Best Practices

1. Cache Checking: Always check GetArpMacFromIp() return value
2. Gratuitous ARP: Send after IP changes to update network caches
3. Conflict Detection: Use IsMyAddressUsedArpDetect() during startup
4. Triggering Resolution: Send ping to force ARP resolution if needed
5. Cache Monitoring: Use ShowArp() for debugging network issues

Troubleshooting

Device Not in Cache:

• Device may be offline or unreachable
• No recent communication with device
• Send ping or UDP packet to trigger ARP resolution

IP Address Conflict:

• Use IsMyAddressUsedArpDetect() to verify
• Check for DHCP server issues
• Verify static IP configurations

Stale Cache Entries:

• Entries age out automatically
• Power cycle or reset may be needed for recovery
• Use gratuitous ARP to update remote caches

Important Notes

Note

GetArpMacFromIp() only checks the cache - it does not send ARP requests. To force ARP resolution, send a ping or packet to the target first.

Gratuitous ARP should be sent whenever an interface IP address changes or during system initialization to ensure network-wide cache consistency.

ARP only works on the local network segment. Devices on different subnets require routing through a gateway.

Warning

IP address conflicts can cause serious network communication issues. Always use IsMyAddressUsedArpDetect() when configuring static IPs.

The ARP cache has limited size. Entries are aged out over time to make room for new entries.

Protocol Specifications

• RFC 826: Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) specification
• RFC 5227: IPv4 Address Conflict Detection (ACD)
• RFC 3927: Dynamic Configuration of IPv4 Link-Local Addresses

See also

groupICMP For ICMP/Ping functionality

groupNetInterface For network interface management

groupIPv4 For IPv4 address handling

Typedef Documentation

PARP

typedef ARP* PARP

#include <arp.h>

Pointer to ARP packet structure.

Convenience typedef for pointer to ARP structure. Used throughout the NetBurner stack for packet processing.

Function Documentation

fShowArp()

void fShowArp

(

FILE *

fp

)

#include <arp.h>

Display the current ARP cache contents to a specified file stream.

Similar to ShowArp() but outputs to a specified FILE pointer instead of the standard output. This allows ARP cache contents to be written to:

• Log files on SD card or file system
• Network sockets
• Serial ports via fdopen()
• Any other FILE stream destination

Parameters

fp	Pointer to FILE stream for output. Must be a valid, open FILE pointer (from fopen(), fdopen(), etc.)

Precondition

fp must be a valid, open FILE pointer with write access

Postcondition

ARP cache contents are written to the specified FILE stream

Note

The FILE pointer must remain valid for the duration of the call

Does not close the FILE pointer - caller is responsible for fclose()

Output format is identical to ShowArp()

Example: Logging to SD Card

#include <arp.h>
 
void logArpCache() {
    FILE *fp = fopen("SD:/arp_cache.log", "a");
    if (fp != NULL) {
        fprintf(fp, "\n=== ARP Cache at %lu seconds ===\n", Secs);
        fShowArp(fp);
        fprintf(fp, "================================\n");
        fclose(fp);
    } else {
        iprintf("ERROR: Could not open log file\n");
    }
}

Example: Sending via Network Socket

void sendArpCacheToClient(int clientFd) {
    FILE *fp = fdopen(clientFd, "w");
    if (fp != NULL) {
        fprintf(fp, "Current ARP Cache:\r\n");
        fprintf(fp, "==================\r\n");
        fShowArp(fp);
        fflush(fp);
        // Note: Don't fclose(fp) as it would close the socket
    }
}

Example: Multiple Output Destinations

void reportArpCache() {
    // Output to serial
    ShowArp();
    
    // Also log to file
    FILE *fp = fopen("SD:/network.log", "a");
    if (fp) {
        fShowArp(fp);
        fclose(fp);
    }
    
    // Also send to remote server
    int serverFd = connect4(serverIP, serverPort, 0);
    if (serverFd > 0) {
        FILE *netfp = fdopen(serverFd, "w");
        fShowArp(netfp);
        fflush(netfp);
        close(serverFd);
    }
}

Example: Custom Formatting Wrapper

void formattedArpReport(FILE *fp) {
    time_t now = time(NULL);
    fprintf(fp, "\n");
    fprintf(fp, "╔════════════════════════════════════╗\n");
    fprintf(fp, "║     ARP CACHE REPORT              ║\n");
    fprintf(fp, "║     %s", ctime(&now));
    fprintf(fp, "╠════════════════════════════════════╣\n");
    fShowArp(fp);
    fprintf(fp, "╚════════════════════════════════════╝\n");
}

See also

ShowArp() For output to standard stdio

GetArpMacFromIp() To query specific ARP entries

GetArpMacFromIp()

BOOL GetArpMacFromIp	(	IPADDR4	ip,
		MACADR &	ma )

#include <arp.h>

Check if an IP address is in the ARP cache and retrieve its MAC address.

Queries the local ARP cache to determine if a mapping exists for the specified IP address. If found, the corresponding MAC address is returned via the reference parameter.

This function ONLY checks the cache - it does not send ARP requests over the network. If the entry is not in the cache, you may need to send a packet (such as a ping) to the target IP to trigger ARP resolution first.

Parameters

	ip	IP address to look up in the ARP cache
[out]	ma	Reference to MACADR structure that will receive the MAC address if found. Only modified if the function returns TRUE.

Returns

TRUE if the IP address was found in the cache and MAC address retrieved

FALSE if the IP address is not in the cache

Precondition

ip must be a valid IPv4 address

Postcondition

If TRUE is returned, ma contains the resolved MAC address

If FALSE is returned, ma is unmodified

Note

This function does NOT send ARP requests - it only checks the cache

To force ARP resolution, send a ping or packet to the target first

Cache entries age out over time - a FALSE result doesn't mean the device is offline, just that it's not in the current cache

Example: Basic Cache Query

#include <arp.h>
 
void checkDevice(IPADDR4 deviceIP) {
    MACADR mac;
    
    if (GetArpMacFromIp(deviceIP, mac)) {
        iprintf("Device MAC: %02X:%02X:%02X:%02X:%02X:%02X\n",
                mac.ma[0], mac.ma[1], mac.ma[2],
                mac.ma[3], mac.ma[4], mac.ma[5]);
    } else {
        iprintf("Device not in ARP cache\n");
    }
}

Example: Forcing ARP Resolution

#include <arp.h>
#include <icmp.h>
 
bool getDeviceMAC(IPADDR4 ip, MACADR &mac) {
    // First check if already in cache
    if (GetArpMacFromIp(ip, mac)) {
        return true;
    }
    
    // Not in cache - send ping to trigger ARP
    iprintf("Resolving MAC for ");
    ShowIP(ip);
    iprintf("...\n");
    
    Ping4(ip, 1, 2);  // 1 ping, 2 second timeout
    
    // Wait briefly for ARP resolution
    OSTimeDly(TICKS_PER_SECOND / 2);
    
    // Check cache again
    if (GetArpMacFromIp(ip, mac)) {
        iprintf("MAC resolved successfully\n");
        return true;
    }
    
    iprintf("Failed to resolve MAC - device may be offline\n");
    return false;
}

Example: Device Presence Detection

bool isDevicePresent(IPADDR4 ip) {
    MACADR mac;
    return GetArpMacFromIp(ip, mac);  // True if recently active
}
 
void monitorDevices() {
    IPADDR4 plc = AsciiToIp4("192.168.1.50");
    IPADDR4 hmi = AsciiToIp4("192.168.1.51");
    
    while (1) {
        if (!isDevicePresent(plc)) {
            iprintf("WARNING: PLC not responding\n");
        }
        if (!isDevicePresent(hmi)) {
            iprintf("WARNING: HMI not responding\n");
        }
        OSTimeDly(TICKS_PER_SECOND * 10);
    }
}

Example: MAC Address Filtering

bool isAuthorizedMAC(const MACADR &mac) {
    // List of authorized MAC addresses
    static const MACADR authorized[] = {
        {{0x00, 0x11, 0x22, 0x33, 0x44, 0x55}},
        {{0xAA, 0xBB, 0xCC, 0xDD, 0xEE, 0xFF}}
    };
    
    for (size_t i = 0; i < sizeof(authorized)/sizeof(authorized[0]); i++) {
        if (memcmp(&mac, &authorized[i], sizeof(MACADR)) == 0) {
            return true;
        }
    }
    return false;
}
 
bool allowConnection(IPADDR4 clientIP) {
    MACADR mac;
    
    if (GetArpMacFromIp(clientIP, mac)) {
        return isAuthorizedMAC(mac);
    }
    
    return false;  // Not in cache - deny
}

See also

ShowArp() To display all cached entries

sendGratuitousArp() To announce device presence

Ping4() To trigger ARP resolution

GetProperInterface4()

int GetProperInterface4

(

IPADDR4

dst

)

#include <arp.h>

Get the appropriate network interface for routing to a destination IP.

Determines which network interface should be used to reach a specific IPv4 destination address based on routing table and interface configuration.

Parameters

dst	Destination IPv4 address to route to

Returns

Interface number to use for routing to dst, or -1 if no route available

Note

This is primarily for internal stack use

Consider using GetInterfaceBlock() for interface queries

IsMyAddressUsedArpDetect()

BOOL IsMyAddressUsedArpDetect	(	uint16_t	timeout,
		int	interface = 0 )

#include <arp.h>

Detect if the interface's IP address is already in use on the network.

Performs ARP-based IP address conflict detection by sending ARP probes and listening for replies. This is used to detect if another device on the network is already using the interface's configured IP address.

This function is critical for:

• Validating static IP configurations
• Detecting duplicate IPs during startup
• Implementing IPv4 Link-Local addressing (169.254.x.x)
• Preventing IP conflicts in dynamic reconfiguration

Parameters

timeout	Maximum time to wait for replies, in seconds. Typical values are 1-5 seconds. Longer timeouts provide more reliable detection but delay startup.
interface	Network interface number to check (default = 0 for primary interface). Use GetFirstInterface() for the default interface.

Returns

TRUE if another device is already using this IP address (conflict detected)

FALSE if the IP address is available (no conflict)

Precondition

The interface must be initialized with a valid IP address

The network interface must be physically active (link up)

Postcondition

Function blocks for up to timeout seconds while probing

Note

This function blocks for the specified timeout period

Multiple ARP probes may be sent during the detection period

FALSE does not guarantee the IP is permanently available - conflicts can occur after this check completes

Warning

This function can take several seconds to complete. Do not call from time-critical code or ISRs.

A return value of FALSE does not prevent future conflicts. Another device may start using the IP after this check.

Example: Startup IP Conflict Check

#include <arp.h>
 
void UserMain(void *pd) {
    init();
    
    // Wait for network link
    WaitForActiveNetwork(TICKS_PER_SECOND * 5);
    
    // Check for IP conflict (2 second timeout)
    iprintf("Checking for IP address conflicts...\n");
    
    if (IsMyAddressUsedArpDetect(2, GetFirstInterface())) {
        iprintf("ERROR: IP address conflict detected!\n");
        iprintf("Another device is using this IP address.\n");
        iprintf("Please reconfigure the IP address.\n");
        
        // Optionally change to different IP or halt
        while (1) {
            OSTimeDly(TICKS_PER_SECOND);
        }
    } else {
        iprintf("No IP conflict - address is available\n");
    }
    
    // Continue with application...
}

Example: Auto-Recovery from Conflict

bool findAvailableIP(int interface, IPADDR4 baseIP) {
    // Try up to 10 different IP addresses
    for (int offset = 0; offset < 10; offset++) {
        IPADDR4 testIP = baseIP + offset;
        
        // Temporarily configure this IP
        InterfaceBlock *ib = GetInterfaceBlock(interface);
        IPADDR4 oldIP = ib->ip4.cur_addr;
        ib->ip4.cur_addr = testIP;
        
        iprintf("Testing ");
        ShowIP(testIP);
        iprintf("...\n");
        
        // Check if available (1 second timeout for speed)
        if (!IsMyAddressUsedArpDetect(1, interface)) {
            iprintf("Available IP found: ");
            ShowIP(testIP);
            iprintf("\n");
            sendGratuitousArp(interface, testIP);
            return true;
        }
        
        // Restore old IP for next test
        ib->ip4.cur_addr = oldIP;
    }
    
    return false;  // No available IP found
}

Example: Link-Local IP Assignment

#include <arp.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
 
IPADDR4 assignLinkLocalIP(int interface) {
    // Link-local range: 169.254.1.0 - 169.254.254.255
    IPADDR4 baseIP = AsciiToIp4("169.254.1.0");
    
    // Generate random host portion
    srand(Secs);
    
    for (int attempts = 0; attempts < 100; attempts++) {
        // Random address in link-local range
        int hostBits = (rand() % 254) + 1;  // 1-254
        IPADDR4 testIP = baseIP + hostBits;
        
        // Configure interface
        InterfaceBlock *ib = GetInterfaceBlock(interface);
        ib->ip4.cur_addr = testIP;
        ib->ip4.cur_mask = AsciiToIp4("255.255.0.0");
        
        // Test for conflicts (2 second timeout)
        if (!IsMyAddressUsedArpDetect(2, interface)) {
            // No conflict - announce and return
            sendGratuitousArp(interface, testIP);
            return testIP;
        }
        
        // Conflict detected - try another address
        iprintf("Conflict on ");
        ShowIP(testIP);
        iprintf(" - trying another...\n");
    }
    
    return 0;  // Failed to find available address
}

Example: Configuration Validation

bool validateStaticIPConfig(const char *ipStr) {
    IPADDR4 newIP = AsciiToIp4(ipStr);
    int iface = GetFirstInterface();
    
    // Temporarily set the new IP
    InterfaceBlock *ib = GetInterfaceBlock(iface);
    IPADDR4 oldIP = ib->ip4.cur_addr;
    ib->ip4.cur_addr = newIP;
    
    iprintf("Validating IP configuration: %s\n", ipStr);
    
    // Check for conflicts
    bool conflict = IsMyAddressUsedArpDetect(3, iface);
    
    if (conflict) {
        iprintf("ERROR: IP %s is already in use!\n", ipStr);
        // Restore old IP
        ib->ip4.cur_addr = oldIP;
        return false;
    } else {
        iprintf("IP %s is available\n", ipStr);
        // Keep new IP and announce it
        sendGratuitousArp(iface, newIP);
        return true;
    }
}

See also

sendGratuitousArp() To announce IP after successful check

GetArpMacFromIp() To identify conflicting device's MAC

InterfaceIP4() To get interface IP address

sendGratuitousArp()

void sendGratuitousArp	(	int	interfaceNumber,
		IPADDR4	ip )

#include <arp.h>

Send a Gratuitous ARP to announce interface presence and IP address.

Sends a gratuitous ARP request/reply to inform all devices on the local network about this interface's IP-to-MAC address mapping. This updates the ARP caches of all devices on the network segment.

Gratuitous ARP should be sent whenever:

• The system boots up or an interface is initialized
• An IP address is changed or reconfigured
• Taking over an IP from another device (failover)
• After detecting and resolving an IP address conflict

Parameters

interfaceNumber	Network interface number (0 for primary interface, use GetFirstInterface() for the default interface)
ip	IP address to announce. Should be the interface's currently configured IP address. Must be a valid, non-zero IP address.

Precondition

The interface must be initialized and have a valid IP address

interfaceNumber must be a valid interface number

Postcondition

Gratuitous ARP is broadcast on the specified interface

Other devices on the network will update their ARP caches

Note

This is a broadcast - all devices on the network segment will receive and process the announcement

It may take a few milliseconds for other devices to update their caches after receiving the gratuitous ARP

Warning

Do not send gratuitous ARP before the interface has a valid IP address - this will send an invalid announcement

Excessive gratuitous ARP sending can cause unnecessary network traffic. Only send when needed, not continuously.

Example: Startup Announcement

#include <arp.h>
#include <netinterface.h>
 
void UserMain(void *pd) {
    init();
    
    // Wait for network to be active
    WaitForActiveNetwork(TICKS_PER_SECOND * 5);
    
    // Announce our presence to the network
    int iface = GetFirstInterface();
    IPADDR4 myIP = InterfaceIP4(iface);
    sendGratuitousArp(iface, myIP);
    
    iprintf("Sent gratuitous ARP for ");
    ShowIP(myIP);
    iprintf("\n");
    
    // Continue with application...
}

Example: IP Address Change

#include <arp.h>
#include <netinterface.h>
 
void changeIPAddress(IPADDR4 newIP) {
    int iface = GetFirstInterface();
    
    // Update the interface IP
    InterfaceBlock *ib = GetInterfaceBlock(iface);
    ib->ip4.cur_addr = newIP;
    ib->ip4.cur_mask = AsciiToIp4("255.255.255.0");
    
    iprintf("IP address changed to ");
    ShowIP(newIP);
    iprintf("\n");
    
    // Announce new IP to network
    sendGratuitousArp(iface, newIP);
    
    iprintf("Gratuitous ARP sent - network caches updated\n");
}

Example: Failover Scenario

void takeOverBackupIP(IPADDR4 backupIP) {
    int iface = GetFirstInterface();
    
    iprintf("Taking over backup IP ");
    ShowIP(backupIP);
    iprintf("...\n");
    
    // Configure our interface with the backup IP
    InterfaceBlock *ib = GetInterfaceBlock(iface);
    ib->ip4.cur_addr = backupIP;
    
    // Immediately announce ownership of this IP
    sendGratuitousArp(iface, backupIP);
    
    // Send multiple times for reliability
    for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
        OSTimeDly(TICKS_PER_SECOND / 10);
        sendGratuitousArp(iface, backupIP);
    }
    
    iprintf("Failover complete - now responding on backup IP\n");
}

Example: Post-Conflict Resolution

void resolveIPConflict() {
    int iface = GetFirstInterface();
    IPADDR4 currentIP = InterfaceIP4(iface);
    
    // Detected conflict - change to different IP
    IPADDR4 newIP = AsciiToIp4("192.168.1.101");
    
    InterfaceBlock *ib = GetInterfaceBlock(iface);
    ib->ip4.cur_addr = newIP;
    
    iprintf("IP conflict resolved - changed to ");
    ShowIP(newIP);
    iprintf("\n");
    
    // Announce new IP to network
    sendGratuitousArp(iface, newIP);
}

Example: Multi-Interface System

void announceAllInterfaces() {
    int numInterfaces = GetNumInterfaces();
    
    for (int i = 0; i < numInterfaces; i++) {
        IPADDR4 ifaceIP = InterfaceIP4(i);
        if (ifaceIP != 0) {  // Valid IP configured
            sendGratuitousArp(i, ifaceIP);
            iprintf("Interface %d announced\n", i);
        }
    }
}

See also

IsMyAddressUsedArpDetect() To detect IP conflicts

GetArpMacFromIp() To query ARP cache

InterfaceIP4() To get interface IP address

ShowArp()

void ShowArp

(

)

#include <arp.h>

Display the current ARP cache contents to the standard output.

Displays all entries in the ARP cache to the stdio serial port (typically the debug serial port). Each entry shows the IP address, MAC address, interface number, and entry status.

This function is useful for debugging network connectivity issues, verifying ARP resolution, and monitoring which devices are in the cache.

Postcondition

ARP cache contents are written to stdio serial port

Note

Output format includes IP address, MAC address, interface, and flags

Output goes to the default stdio serial port (cannot be redirected)

For file or socket output, use fShowArp() instead

Output Format Example:

IP Address       MAC Address         Iface  Flags
============================================
192.168.1.1      00:11:22:33:44:55   0      P
192.168.1.100    AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF   0      
192.168.1.50     12:34:56:78:9A:BC   0      S

Where flags may be:

• P: Permanent entry
• S: Static entry
• (blank): Dynamic entry

Example: Basic Debugging

void displayNetworkInfo() {
    iprintf("\n=== Network ARP Cache ===\n");
    ShowArp();
    iprintf("=========================\n\n");
}

Example: Periodic Cache Display

void monitorArpCache(void *pd) {
    while (1) {
        OSTimeDly(TICKS_PER_SECOND * 30);  // Every 30 seconds
        iprintf("\n--- ARP Cache Update ---\n");
        ShowArp();
    }
}
 
void UserMain(void *pd) {
    init();
    OSSimpleTaskCreatewName(monitorArpCache, MAIN_PRIO - 1, "ArpMonitor");
    // ...
}

Example: Troubleshooting Connectivity

void troubleshootConnection(IPADDR4 targetIP) {
    iprintf("Checking connection to ");
    ShowIP(targetIP);
    iprintf("\n");
    
    // Display current ARP cache
    ShowArp();
    
    // Try to ping device
    iprintf("\nSending ping...\n");
    Ping4(targetIP, 3, 2);
    
    // Display updated cache
    iprintf("\nUpdated ARP cache:\n");
    ShowArp();
}

See also

fShowArp() For output to FILE pointer

GetArpMacFromIp() To query specific ARP entries

Variable Documentation

hard_size

uint8_t ARP::hard_size

Hardware address length (6 for MAC).

Hardware address length (HLEN). For Ethernet (MAC) this is 6 bytes.

hard_Type

beuint16_t ARP::hard_Type

Hardware type (1 for Ethernet).

Hardware type (HTYPE). For Ethernet this is 1. Network byte order (big-endian).

op_code

beuint16_t ARP::op_code

Operation: 1=Request, 2=Reply.

Operation code. Network byte order (big-endian).

• 1 = ARP Request
• 2 = ARP Reply
• 3 = RARP Request
• 4 = RARP Reply

prot_size

uint8_t ARP::prot_size

Protocol address length (4 for IPv4).

Protocol address length (PLEN). For IPv4 this is 4 bytes.

prot_Type

beuint16_t ARP::prot_Type

Protocol type (0x0800 for IPv4).

Protocol type (PTYPE). For IPv4 this is 0x0800. Network byte order (big-endian).

sender_Ip

IPADDR4 ARP::sender_Ip

Sender IP address.

Sender protocol (IP) address. The IPv4 address of the device sending this ARP packet.

sender_phy

MACADR ARP::sender_phy

Sender MAC address.

Sender hardware (MAC) address. The MAC address of the device sending this ARP packet.

target_Ip

IPADDR4 ARP::target_Ip

Target IP address.

Target protocol (IP) address. The IPv4 address being queried (in requests) or resolved (in replies).

Note

This structure is packed to match exact network packet format

All multi-byte fields use network byte order (big-endian)

Do not change structure without careful consideration of network compatibility

Warning

Structure changes will break network protocol compatibility

Always add new fields at the end to maintain compatibility

Typical ARP Request Packet:

ARP request;
request.hard_Type = htons(1);      // Ethernet
request.prot_Type = htons(0x0800); // IPv4
request.hard_size = 6;             // MAC address length
request.prot_size = 4;             // IPv4 address length
request.op_code = htons(1);        // ARP Request
// sender_phy = our MAC
// sender_Ip = our IP
// target_phy = 00:00:00:00:00:00 (unknown)
// target_Ip = IP we're looking for

See also

RFC 826 - Address Resolution Protocol specification

target_phy

MACADR ARP::target_phy

Target MAC address.

Target hardware (MAC) address. In ARP requests this is typically all zeros. In replies, this contains the requested MAC address.