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📦 MTU / MSS Calculator

MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) is the largest packet your network can carry. MSS (Maximum Segment Size) is the largest TCP payload that fits. They differ by header overhead. Get this wrong and you get fragmentation, timeouts, or that classic "works for small files, hangs on big ones" symptom. This calculator does the subtraction for you given the protocols you stack on top.

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Examples

Standard Ethernet
InputMTU 1500, IPv4/TCP
OutputMSS = 1500 - 20 (IPv4) - 20 (TCP) = 1460 bytes
PPPoE
InputMTU 1492 (PPPoE), IPv4/TCP
OutputMSS = 1452 bytes
IPsec tunnel
InputMTU 1500, IPv4/TCP + IPsec
OutputMSS varies 1340-1400 depending on cipher and mode

Frequently asked questions

Default Ethernet MTU?

1500 bytes. Jumbo frames extend to 9000+ but only on networks that support it end-to-end.

When does PMTU discovery fail?

When ICMP "Fragmentation Needed" gets filtered (common on misconfigured firewalls). Result: packets larger than the smallest hop's MTU get dropped silently, causing hangs.

About this calculator

MTU / MSS Calculator runs entirely in your browser using standard formulas. No data is sent to any server. We don't share your inputs with lenders, brokers, or anyone else — there's no funnel and no follow-up email.

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Why this tool

vs typical free network-tools sites

NetToolsetTypical free site
PriceFreeFree
Signup requiredNoOften (for advanced features)
Ads inside the toolNoYes (banner + interstitial)
Logs your IP / queriesNoYes (often resold)
Data sent to a serverMath runs in browser; lookups hit Cloudflare DoH directlyYes (all goes through their server)
Open sourceYesNo
Bookmarkable URL per toolYesMixed
MultilingualEN / ES / PT / FR / DEUsually EN only
Loads in under 1sYes (static)Often slow (ad tracking)