Description

This article explains why the SRX drops packets to and from 169.254/16 address.

Symptoms

SRX is not forwarding packets to or from 169.254/16 address. Security flow traceoptions show the following error:

RT: packet dropped, Non-self packet with link-local address
RT: flow find session returns error.

Solution

This is the link local address (the address a host uses when none is configured or provided by DHCP).

According to RFC3927 (see item 7, Router Considerations),

"A router MUST NOT forward a packet with an IPv4 Link-Local source or destination address, irrespective of the router's default route configuration or routes obtained from dynamic routing protocols.

A router which receives a packet with an IPv4 Link-Local source or destination address MUST NOT forward the packet. This prevents forwarding of packets back onto the network segment from which they
originated, or to any other segment."

A non-reserved address must be used for the host.