Packet Sniffers?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Linn Kubler
  • Start date Start date
L

Linn Kubler

Hi,

We are running a Windows network, 2003 Server Domain and Windows XP
workstations. I'm having trouble with a printer and a specific application
and I feel that if I can see what's getting sent to the printer then I might
be able to solve this issue. Or at least get the right vendor, software or
printer, to take a closer look at the issue.

I've been searching for packet sniffers and there are just so many that I
don't know how to choose one. Is there a favorite out there? Something
open source or free would be best for the budget of course. I went to
source forge and it seems everything there is designed for Linux, not sure I
want to hassle with setting up a Linux box right now, so something that runs
on Windows would be nice. Any suggestions?

Also, if anyone has an idea of how I could trap the print job before it gets
to the print queue on the workstation that would be helpful.

Thanks in advance,
Linn
 
smlunatick said:
Wireshark appears to be an open-source sniffer but it also requires a
network hub.
Click to expand...

Wireshark is awesome, and I'm honestly shocked at how the OP could
"research" open source packet sniffers and miss it, because has a massive
reputation. As for needing a hub, any packet sniffer will either need a hub,
a switch that echoes traffic to the port it's plugged into, distributed
agents or some other similar trick, they can only 'sniff' what they see
going past them, after all.
 
Wireshark is awesome, and I'm honestly shocked at how the OP could
"research" open source packet sniffers and miss it, because has a massive
reputation. As for needing a hub, any packet sniffer will either need a hub,
a switch that echoes traffic to the port it's plugged into, distributed
agents or some other similar trick, they can only 'sniff' what they see
going past them, after all.
Click to expand...

Try finding a new "hub." There are getting to be "rare."
 
smlunatick said:
Try finding a new "hub." There are getting to be "rare."
Click to expand...

Yeah. Luckily most reasonable new switches come specced to allow you to echo
traffic if you want.
 
smlunatick said:
Give me an example of this type of switch.
Click to expand...

Just about any "intelligent"/programmable switch that you'd actually want to
install into a business big enough to own a server that's been purchased in
the past 3 or 4 years. It isn't a rare thing.
 
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