i386/166285: FreeBSD v8.1 REL p8 arp: unknown hardware address format (0x0fff)

[Kevin Blakley]

>Number:         166285
>Category:       i386
>Synopsis:       FreeBSD v8.1 REL p8 arp: unknown hardware address format (0x0fff)
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       non-critical
>Priority:       low
>Responsible:    freebsd-i386
>State:          open
>Quarter:        
>Keywords:       
>Date-Required:
>Class:          sw-bug
>Submitter-Id:   current-users
>Arrival-Date:   Tue Mar 20 23:50:13 UTC 2012
>Closed-Date:
>Last-Modified:
>Originator:     Kevin Blakley
>Release:        8.1 REL p8
>Organization:
>Environment:
uname -a
FreeBSD 8.1-RELEASE-p8 FreeBSD 8.1-RELEASE-p8 #3: Fri Jan  6 22:52:47 UTC 2012     root@'redacted'.earthlink.net:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/'redacted'  i386
>Description:
Consistently getting at random intervals the following message, as seen from root log in account in system messages:

arp: unknown hardware address format (0x0fff)

I haven't been able to find any information on this by utilizing Google and other search engines.  I haven't seen an related articles from other users regarding this message.  I haven't noticed or been able to document any negative effects or results from this warning.  However, I do not know why or what is the cause of this message, and I would sincerely appreciate a response from the development team in regards to this message.  

NOTE:  This particular install of FreeBSD is being used as a firewall, and has a minimal install of the system only to accomplish the requirements of NATD, ipfw, and other requirements of an IPFW firewall.  The ports install is minimal see below:

pkg_info
autoconf-2.62       Automatically configure source code on many Un*x platforms 
autoconf-2.68       Automatically configure source code on many Un*x platforms 
autoconf-wrapper-20071109 Wrapper script for GNU autoconf
automake-1.10.1     GNU Standards-compliant Makefile generator (1.10)
automake-1.11.1     GNU Standards-compliant Makefile generator (1.11)
automake-wrapper-20071109 Wrapper script for GNU automake
cvsup-without-gui-16.1h_4 File distribution system optimized for CVS (non-GUI version
db41-4.1.25_4       The Berkeley DB package, revision 4.1
ezm3-1.2_1          Easier, more portable Modula-3 distribution for building CV
gettext-0.18_1      GNU gettext package
gmake-3.81_4        GNU version of 'make' utility
help2man-1.38.2_1   Automatically generating simple manual pages from program o
ipfwcount-0.2.1_1   Summarise ipfw logs by counting and sorting the fields
libiconv-1.13.1_1   A character set conversion library
libsigsegv-2.8      Handling page faults in user mode
libtool-2.4         Generic shared library support script
m4-1.4.15,1         GNU m4
ntp-4.2.6p4_2       The Network Time Protocol Distribution
p5-gettext-1.05_3   Message handling functions
perl-5.10.1_2       Practical Extraction and Report Language
portaudit-0.5.15    Checks installed ports against a list of security vulnerabi
sudo-1.7.4.6        Allow others to run commands as root
tripwire-2.4.1.2    File system security and verification program

This system ignores and denies all IPv6 traffic on both external, and all internal interfaces.

If anyone can offer advice, suggestions, or any information on this particular message and what it may or may not relate to I would sincerely appreciate a response.
 
>How-To-Repeat:
I have found no solution and NO information on this issue anywhere on the web, or on the FreeBSD.org site.
>Fix:
No resolution known.

>Release-Note:
>Audit-Trail:
>Unformatted: