diff --git a/headers/private/net/core_funcs.h b/headers/private/net/core_funcs.h
index 2ba889bc15..5559c6cded 100644
--- a/headers/private/net/core_funcs.h
+++ b/headers/private/net/core_funcs.h
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@
 #	define start_rx_thread	   core->start_rx_thread
 #	define start_tx_thread	   core->start_tx_thread
 
+#	define get_max_hdr         core->get_max_hdr
+#	define set_max_linkhdr     core->set_max_linkhdr
+#	define get_max_linkhdr     core->get_max_linkhdr
+#	define set_max_protohdr    core->set_max_protohdr
+#	define get_max_protohdr    core->get_max_protohdr
+
 #   define net_add_timer       core->net_add_timer
 #   define net_remove_timer    core->net_remove_timer
 
diff --git a/headers/private/net/core_module.h b/headers/private/net/core_module.h
index 67910f282d..40e3f79f3b 100644
--- a/headers/private/net/core_module.h
+++ b/headers/private/net/core_module.h
@@ -26,6 +26,13 @@ struct core_module_info {
 	void (*start_rx_thread)(struct ifnet *dev);
 	void (*start_tx_thread)(struct ifnet *dev);
 
+	// functions for the 'max_xxx' values
+	int (*get_max_hdr)(void);
+	void (*set_max_linkhdr)(int maxLinkHdr);
+	int (*get_max_linkhdr)(void);
+	void (*set_max_protohdr)(int maxProtoHdr);
+	int (*get_max_protohdr)(void);
+	
 	/* timer functions */
 	net_timer_id (*net_add_timer)(net_timer_hook ,void *,
 	                              bigtime_t);
diff --git a/headers/private/net/mbuf.h b/headers/private/net/mbuf.h
index 6a3e15b612..8f08c789a8 100644
--- a/headers/private/net/mbuf.h
+++ b/headers/private/net/mbuf.h
@@ -308,11 +308,4 @@ void dump_freelist(void);
 /* XXX - add me! */
 
 
-struct pool_ctl *mbpool;
-struct pool_ctl *clpool;
-
-int     max_hdr;		/* largest link+protocol header */
-int	max_linkhdr;		/* largest link level header */
-int 	max_protohdr;		/* largest protocol header */
-
 #endif /* OBOS_MBUF_H */
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/network/core/core.c b/src/add-ons/kernel/network/core/core.c
index 666bddcc24..7187fe4b80 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/network/core/core.c
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/network/core/core.c
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 #include <driver_settings.h>
 
+#include "core_private.h"
 #include "core_module.h"
 #include "sys/socket.h"
 #include "sys/socketvar.h"
@@ -63,6 +64,12 @@ static int stop_stack(void);
 static void add_protosw(struct protosw *[], int layer);
 static struct net_module *module_list = NULL;
 
+static int get_max_hdr(void);
+static void set_max_linkhdr(int maxLinkHdr);
+static int get_max_linkhdr(void);
+static void set_max_protohdr(int maxProtoHdr);
+static int get_max_protohdr(void);
+
 /* Wider scoped prototypes */
 int net_sysctl(int *name, uint namelen, void *oldp, size_t *oldlenp,
                void *newp, size_t newlen);
@@ -87,6 +94,12 @@ struct core_module_info core_info = {
 	start_rx_thread,
 	start_tx_thread,
 	
+	get_max_hdr,
+	set_max_linkhdr,
+	get_max_linkhdr,
+	set_max_protohdr,
+	get_max_protohdr,
+	
 	net_add_timer,
 	net_remove_timer,
 	
@@ -336,6 +349,33 @@ void start_tx_thread(struct ifnet *dev)
 	resume_thread(dev->tx_thread);
 }
 
+static int get_max_hdr(void)
+{
+	return max_hdr;
+}
+
+static void set_max_linkhdr(int maxLinkHdr)
+{
+	max_linkhdr = maxLinkHdr;
+	max_hdr = max_linkhdr + max_protohdr;
+}
+
+static int get_max_linkhdr(void)
+{
+	return max_linkhdr;
+}
+
+static void set_max_protohdr(int maxProtoHdr)
+{
+	max_protohdr = maxProtoHdr;
+	max_hdr = max_linkhdr + max_protohdr;
+}
+
+static int get_max_protohdr(void)
+{
+	return max_protohdr;
+}
+
 void net_server_add_device(struct ifnet *ifn)
 {
 	char dname[16];
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/network/core/core_private.h b/src/add-ons/kernel/network/core/core_private.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f46ed511fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/network/core/core_private.h
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#ifndef _CORE_PRIVATE__H
+#define _CORE_PRIVATE__H
+
+
+extern struct pool_ctl *mbpool;
+extern struct pool_ctl *clpool;
+
+extern int max_hdr;		/* largest link+protocol header */
+extern int max_linkhdr;		/* largest link level header */
+extern int max_protohdr;		/* largest protocol header */
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/network/core/mbuf.c b/src/add-ons/kernel/network/core/mbuf.c
index 3de10e8718..5b8ccfd3e5 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/network/core/mbuf.c
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/network/core/mbuf.c
@@ -19,6 +19,15 @@
 
 #define MBUF_ALLOCSIZE		4096
 
+
+struct pool_ctl *mbpool;
+struct pool_ctl *clpool;
+
+int max_hdr = 0;		/* largest link+protocol header */
+int max_linkhdr = 0;	/* largest link level header */
+int max_protohdr = 0;	/* largest protocol header */
+
+
 void dump_freelist(void)
 {
 	pool_debug_walk(mbpool);
@@ -31,7 +40,6 @@ void mbinit(void)
 		pool_init(&mbpool, sizeof(struct mbuf));
 	if (!clpool)
 		pool_init(&clpool, MCLBYTES);
-	/* XXX - move me to the protocol init routines! */
 	max_linkhdr = 14;
 	max_protohdr = 40;
 	max_hdr = max_linkhdr + max_protohdr;
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/network/core/sockbuf.c b/src/add-ons/kernel/network/core/sockbuf.c
index 8c78df72ee..31e229a154 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/network/core/sockbuf.c
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/network/core/sockbuf.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <KernelExport.h>
 #endif
 
+#include "core_private.h"
 #include <sys/socket.h>
 #include <net_socket.h>
 #include <pools.h>
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/network/core/socket.c b/src/add-ons/kernel/network/core/socket.c
index f4241e3782..9ec4dd8596 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/network/core/socket.c
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/network/core/socket.c
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <sys/time.h>
 
+#include "core_private.h"
 #include "sys/socket.h"
 #include "sys/socketvar.h"
 #include "sys/sockio.h"