Length Len

MAC 1 octet SSID element unverified

The length of everything after this octet, in octets.

Reading a capture

The field that makes the whole extension mechanism work. A station that does not recognise an element skips exactly this many octets and reads the next one, so unknown elements cost nothing.

Where it sits

SSID > Length

Open in the explorer — Association Request
Open in the explorer — Association Response
Open in the explorer — Beacon
Open in the explorer — Probe Request
Open in the explorer — Probe Response

Accuracy

Clause: 802.11-2024 §9.4.2.1
Verified: Not verified against the standard. Treat this as a claim, not a fact.