Date: Sun, 19 Apr 2026 19:57:28 +0000 From: bugzilla-noreply@freebsd.org To: bugs@FreeBSD.org Subject: [Bug 294648] ipfw(8): "inner protocol" term undefined and undocumented (Manpage/Docs bug) Message-ID: <bug-294648-227@https.bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/>
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https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=294648 Bug ID: 294648 Summary: ipfw(8): "inner protocol" term undefined and undocumented (Manpage/Docs bug) Product: Base System Version: 14.3-RELEASE Hardware: Any OS: Any Status: New Severity: Affects Only Me Priority: --- Component: misc Assignee: bugs@FreeBSD.org Reporter: freebsd@gushi.org In the RULE BODY section, under the "protocol" field definition, the manpage contains the following note: "The ipv6 in proto option will be treated as inner protocol. And, the ipv4 is not available in proto option." This is the only occurrence of the word "inner" in the entire manpage. The term is not defined, not cross-referenced, and the behavioral implications are not explained. Specifically, the following is unclear: 1) What does "inner protocol" mean in this context? Is this referring to tunneled traffic (e.g., 6in4 on gif(4) interfaces), and if so, which tunnel types does this apply to? 2) Does specifying "ipv6" as the proto match differently on tunnel interfaces vs. plain IPv6 traffic? Is it a no-op for non-tunneled IPv6? 3) What is the practical consequence for a user writing rules matching IPv6 TCP traffic on a non-tunnel interface -- does the "inner protocol" treatment affect their rule semantics? 4) Why is "ipv4" unavailable in the proto option? Is this related to the tunnel distinction, and if so, how? A reader attempting to write correct IPv6 ipfw rules cannot determine from the current text whether this note is relevant to their situation or safely ignorable. Suggested fix: Define "inner protocol" explicitly, with a cross-reference to relevant tunnel interface types (gif(4), gre(4), etc.) and a brief explanation of when this distinction matters vs. when it can be ignored. -- You are receiving this mail because: You are the assignee for the bug.home | help
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