A network device may transmit a short packet when the length of application data that will be transmitted does not exceed a threshold length. In some embodiments, the network device may transmit the application data in a frame control field of the short packet. The short packet may not include a payload field. In other embodiments, the network device may support multiple short payload field lengths and may transmit the application data in a short payload field with an appropriate short payload field length. The network device may also support communication techniques to transmit the application data in the short packet.