# AIM Service

The America Online Instant Messaging (AIM) is an instant messaging application for America Online. AIM uses the OSCAR protocol, which in turn uses the FLAP protocol for packet structuring.

To modify one or more of the following settings for AIM, enter a new value in the Current column for the parameter you want to adjust, and then click Apply:

Maximum Bytes in FLAP Length: Specifies the maximum number of bytes in a FLAP packet—6-byte header + data. Minimum: 6 bytes; maximum 10,000 bytes; default: 10,000 bytes.

Maximum Type-Length-Value Length: Specifies the length of a Type, Length, and Value (TLV) unit. A TLV unit consists of a 2-byte type code + a 2-byte value for Length + the actual data in the Value field. TLVs often appear in the FLAP data field. Minimum: 0; maximum: 100,000; default: 8000.

Maximum Inter-Client-Message-Block Length: Specifies the maximum number of bytes in an inter-client-message block (ICMB). When an instant message is transmitted, the FLAP protocol breaks it into multiple ICMBs and sends each block in a separate TLV. Minimum: 0; maximum: 10,000; default: 2000.

Maximum Bytes in OFT Length: Specifies the maximum number of bytes in an OSCAR file transfer (OFT) frame. Minimum: 0; maximum: 10,000; default: 10,000.