Which statement about jumbo frames is true?

• A. They are smaller than standard Ethernet frames.
• B. They are used only for wireless networks.
• C. They are Ethernet frames larger than standard size (commonly 9000 bytes) requiring end-to-end support.
• D. They replace MTU in all networks.

Answer: (C)

Jumbo frames are Ethernet frames that carry more data than the standard Ethernet frame size. They’re typically around 9000 bytes, which can reduce CPU overhead and improve throughput for large transfers. But the benefit only happens if every device on the path—the sending NIC, switches, and any routers—supports and is configured for the larger MTU. If any segment uses a smaller MTU, frames can be fragmented or dropped, negating the advantage. Jumbo frames don’t replace MTU on all networks; MTU remains a per-link setting, and end-to-end support must be present to use the larger size. They’re not limited to wireless networks and are common in data center and storage-focused scenarios.