Unsolicited ARP replies from router

From my firewall log I can see that my router sometimes sends unsolicited
ARP replies to my PC. The packets always occur in pairs (both at the
exact same time). My firewall has a feature to block unsolicited ARP
replies, and I have it enabled. Anyone know why the router is sending me
those packets, and is it OK to block them, or should I allow them? Thanks!


delerious

delerious wrote:

> From my firewall log I can see that my router sometimes sends unsolicited
> ARP replies to my PC. The packets always occur in pairs (both at the
> exact same time). My firewall has a feature to block unsolicited ARP
> replies, and I have it enabled. Anyone know why the router is sending me
> those packets,

the first one: keep-alive check
the second one: because you didn't answer the first one, assuming packet
loss

> and is it OK to block them, or should I allow them?

Eh, why exactly should you mistrust your router?


And damn, please set a Follow-Up next time1

Sebastian Gottschalk wrote:

>delerious wrote:
>
>>From my firewall log I can see that my router sometimes sends unsolicited
>>ARP replies to my PC. The packets always occur in pairs (both at the
>>exact same time). My firewall has a feature to block unsolicited ARP
>>replies, and I have it enabled. Anyone know why the router is sending me
>>those packets,
>
>the first one: keep-alive check

This is sent as an ARP REPLY?


>the second one: because you didn't answer the first one, assuming packet
>loss

Wouldn't the second one be sent at least a few seconds later than the
first one? But the second one is sent at the exact same time (the same
second) as the first one.


>
>>and is it OK to block them, or should I allow them?
>
>Eh, why exactly should you mistrust your router?

Unsolicited ARP replies can be used for attacks, right? I think that's
why my firewall has the option to block them. If I can block the ones
being sent by my router without any problems, then I think I will continue
to do that. So it is OK to block them?