为什么 Internet 主机 “不需要” 接收大于 576 字节的 IPv4 数据报？

注：机翻，未校对。

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Why are Internet hosts “not required” to receive an IPv4 datagram larger than 576 bytes?

asked Apr 20, 2018 at 2:47

I’m currently studying Internet protocols and had a question regarding the IP datagram.
我目前正在研究 Internet 协议，并对 IP 数据报有疑问。

Within the IP header I am aware there is a field called “total length” which specifies the total length of the particular fragmented datagram in bits. However, while reading the textbook (“TCP/IP Illustrated Vol. 1”) I read that “a host is not required to be able to receive an IPv4 datagram larger than 576 bytes.”
在 IP 报头中，我知道有一个名为 “总长度” 的字段，它指定特定分段数据报的总长度（以位为单位）。但是，在阅读教科书（“TCP/IP 图解第 1 卷”）时，我读到 “主机不需要能够接收大于 576 字节的 IPv4 数据报”。

If it says that it’s “not required,” then doesn’t it mean that it technically would be able to transport it? Why is there such a limit in terms of the IP MTU?
如果它说它 “不需要”，那么这是否意味着它在技术上能够运输它？为什么在 IP MTU 方面有这样的限制？

One thing that I came across while studying TCP reminded me of this question I asked previously.
我在学习 TCP 时遇到的一件事让我想起了我之前问过的这个问题。

TCP is a transport