Looking for http monitor

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike Welch
  • Start date Start date
M

Mike Welch

I've been writing a downloader kind of utility (not very
sophisticated, just my own needs kind of thing) and am getting stuck
trying to access Yahoo Groups messages.

Something that would be very handy would be a utility that, as I'm
browsing, logs the http requests and results in a different window
(e.g., let me see the raw html and that kind of stuff).

Unlike Sam Spade, I'd like it to support cookies so I can continue
seeing the traffic from start to finish, in order to know what Yahoo
is looking for, and how it all communicates.

I've searched here for about 1.5 hours and haven't turned up anything
new.

Is there some kind of utility that hooks the system while I browse in
IE? The sysinternals tcp/ip monitor doesn't show me data coming
across the pipe. It seems like there should be a system hook that
provides this functionality.

Unlike Sam Spade, I need to click this, then that, then something else
to get where I'm going, and I want to see all the raw http requests
and results.

It seems like something like this would also be useful to see what the
heck is really being sent, say, by Windows Update.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Mike
 
Is there some kind of utility that hooks the system while I browse in
IE?
Click to expand...

If I understand your question this would be called a packet sniffer
Unlike Sam Spade, I need to click this, then that, then something else
to get where I'm going, and I want to see all the raw http requests
and results.
Click to expand...
You can see this using the Mozilla/Firebird extension or a proxy such as
Proxomitron (sp?)
It seems like something like this would also be useful to see what the
heck is really being sent, say, by Windows Update.
Click to expand...

As it happens, I was looking for a sniffer today so here's the ones I
looked at (all FREE, there are many, many more shown of the list of lists
at http://lists.gpick.com/pages/Packet_Sniffing.htm

Free sniffers:

ZXSinffer http://bazzar.com.ua/?z=portfolio.win
Snoopanalyzer http://www.snoopanalyzer.com/snoopanalyzer/standard_01.asp
NetworkActiv PIAFCTM http://www.networkactiv.com/PIAFCTM.html
Ethereal http://www.ethereal.com/ (Multi-platform)

Snoopanalyzer is about 180k download and standalone; Ethereal is 2.5megs
and requires WinCap as do some of the others.

If it's only the browser dialogue you want to see, it's a lot easier to use
the Firebird extension "Live http Headers" or the Proxomitron
http://www.spamblocked.com/proxomitron/ and http://www.proxomitron.info/


hth
 
Yeah, I think it is called a sniffer, but the term tends to include
all kinds of stuff, so I stayed away from it.

I have zxSniffer, but when I run it, it returns the same error,
"Cannot set device filter mode". I searched the web and their site
and sent the author a message about it. So far, no help.

I'll check out these others. I'm wondering, now that you mention it,
if zxSniffer requires WinCap. I seem to recall installing that the
last time I fiddled with this, but I can't remember now.

Thanks for your help!

mw
 
FYI, I've tried SnoopAnalyzer, and when I run the wizard (2 items are
listed in the wizard drop-down), it reports that "No Adapter is
found". I'm wondering if this is because I'm using the Atheros
built-in WiFi for my Internet connection?

I do have WinPCap installed. In fact, I've installed SnoopAnalyzer
before and forgot. I fiddled with this a couple months ago, then got
onto something else and now am returning to it...forgot some of the
stuff I already did :)

Sam Spade is the only thing that does anything for me, but that app is
firing off the http gets itself, too. If Sammy has sniffing
capabilities, I haven't found them.

Thanks!
 
FYI, I've tried SnoopAnalyzer, and when I run the wizard (2 items are
listed in the wizard drop-down), it reports that "No Adapter is
found". I'm wondering if this is because I'm using the Atheros
built-in WiFi for my Internet connection?
Click to expand...

It should show one or more adapters but you may be on the wrong one if you
have a Firewire adapter for example (mycase.)

More tot he point though, it seems you just want to see HTTP headers in
which case the other suggestions will be easier to implement: Proxomitron
or Live Headers with Mozilla or Firebird. I think you mentioned debugging
stuff for use with MSIE so that eliminates the Mozilla extension.
Proxomitron or some other proxy will do what you want free and without too
much work.

ps, all the free sniffers I mentioned seem to work well with varying
complexity. The biggest and most complicated, Ethereal is very well known.
 
I've been writing a downloader kind of utility (not very
sophisticated, just my own needs kind of thing) and am getting stuck
trying to access Yahoo Groups messages.

Something that would be very handy would be a utility that, as I'm
browsing, logs the http requests and results in a different window
(e.g., let me see the raw html and that kind of stuff).

Unlike Sam Spade, I'd like it to support cookies so I can continue
seeing the traffic from start to finish, in order to know what Yahoo
is looking for, and how it all communicates.

I've searched here for about 1.5 hours and haven't turned up anything
new.

Is there some kind of utility that hooks the system while I browse in
IE? The sysinternals tcp/ip monitor doesn't show me data coming
across the pipe. It seems like there should be a system hook that
provides this functionality.

Unlike Sam Spade, I need to click this, then that, then something else
to get where I'm going, and I want to see all the raw http requests
and results.

It seems like something like this would also be useful to see what the
heck is really being sent, say, by Windows Update.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Mike
Click to expand...
Naviscope has web tools that show you all that....
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,6674,00.asp
me
 
Mike said:
I've been writing a downloader kind of utility (not very
sophisticated, just my own needs kind of thing) and am getting stuck
trying to access Yahoo Groups messages.

Something that would be very handy would be a utility that, as I'm
browsing, logs the http requests and results in a different window
(e.g., let me see the raw html and that kind of stuff).

Unlike Sam Spade, I'd like it to support cookies so I can continue
seeing the traffic from start to finish, in order to know what Yahoo
is looking for, and how it all communicates.

I've searched here for about 1.5 hours and haven't turned up anything
new.

Is there some kind of utility that hooks the system while I browse in
IE? The sysinternals tcp/ip monitor doesn't show me data coming
across the pipe. It seems like there should be a system hook that
provides this functionality.

Unlike Sam Spade, I need to click this, then that, then something else
to get where I'm going, and I want to see all the raw http requests
and results.

It seems like something like this would also be useful to see what the
heck is really being sent, say, by Windows Update.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Mike
Click to expand...

I've seen several firewalls that will do this....can't remember which
ones, but I have used Kerio, Zone Alarm and have settled on Sygate which
gives a very informative traffic log, that is constantly updated in real
time. Clicking on a packet you can do a backtrace and whois. Dont know
if this is what you were looking for exactly, but.......

John
 
I have both Proxomitron and Etherreal, I haven't tried them yet.

I want more than just headers. Maybe a protocol analyzer would be a
better term. In functional terms, I want a system hook type thing
that shows me a full peek of traffic going across the pipe, and
ideally regroups related packets back together.

Thanks for the suggestions though. I have both of the products you
mention, I just haven't installed them yet.
 
Hey, that matches the description perfectly. Now, I wonder if I have
Java on my XP box. I know Microsoft stopped shipping it directly for
one reason or another, or quit installing it by default...

I just snagged that. It sounds like what I want.

Thanks! I'll post a summary of what I find when I'm done.

Mike
 
Mike said:
Hey, that matches the description perfectly. Now, I wonder if I have
Java on my XP box. I know Microsoft stopped shipping it directly for
one reason or another, or quit installing it by default...

I just snagged that. It sounds like what I want.

Thanks! I'll post a summary of what I find when I'm done.
Click to expand...
If you can't get it working, email me
(maccc At filenabberDOTcom)
and I can help you get it setup.

Brian
 
Mike said:
I've been writing a downloader kind of utility (not very
sophisticated, just my own needs kind of thing) and am getting stuck
trying to access Yahoo Groups messages.

Something that would be very handy would be a utility that, as I'm
browsing, logs the http requests and results in a different window
(e.g., let me see the raw html and that kind of stuff).

Unlike Sam Spade, I'd like it to support cookies so I can continue
seeing the traffic from start to finish, in order to know what Yahoo
is looking for, and how it all communicates.

I've searched here for about 1.5 hours and haven't turned up anything
new.

Is there some kind of utility that hooks the system while I browse in
IE? The sysinternals tcp/ip monitor doesn't show me data coming
across the pipe. It seems like there should be a system hook that
provides this functionality.

Unlike Sam Spade, I need to click this, then that, then something else
to get where I'm going, and I want to see all the raw http requests
and results.

It seems like something like this would also be useful to see what the
heck is really being sent, say, by Windows Update.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Mike
Click to expand...

Maybe also Fiddler: http://www.bayden.com/Fiddler/
Windows 2000 / XP / 2003 with Microsoft .NET Framework v1.1 (4322)

Fiddler is a HTTP Debugging Proxy which logs all HTTP traffic between
your computer and the Internet. Fiddler allows you to watch HTTP
Traffic, set breakpoints, and "fiddle" with incoming or outgoing data.
 
HookAPI is the API SDK that setup SYSTEM-WIDE hooks for all windows
platform,it could easily hook 32-bit windows system APIs or 32-bit
user-defined DLL, it could be used easily,and what you need to do is
only writing a DLL file named mydll.dll or mydll_9x.dll.

I think it will helpful for you.Please see the detail information at
http://www.programsalon.com/en/hookapi.htm
 
I went to their site (sygate.com), but they have lots of stuff and you
have to request a demo (request a demo?). I didn't see a price for it
or anything, how much is it? I didn't want to "request more
information" from them :)

Thanks!

Mike
 
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