Wireshark

If you are a network administrator, then you know that sometimes it's important to analyze the packets that pass throughout the network. This task is necessary to be able to see if packets are passing correctly and it also allows administrators to see what protocols network users are using. In order to be able to capture packets and analyze them, you will need to install a small application called WinPcap, which acts like a network driver.

In the same time, you should also install Wireshark, which can work together with WinPcap, allowing you to easily capture and analyze network packets. After installing and launching the program, you will first need to select the network adapter that will be used for capturing packets and then click on the large Start button.

Wireshark can work with any kind of network adapter, even with WIFI ones. After clicking on the start button, you will be able to view captured and analyzed packets in real time. Wireshark displays the source and destination IP addresses, but also the protocols used for communication. In order to be able to better analyze these packets, you can set up various filters or macros, which will modify the displayed information in real time.

After the packets have been captured, you can save them as a file, which can then be loaded into the application later on. Optionally, you can save the information displayed by the application regarding packets as a text file. From the Options menu, you can fully customize the program's functionality. For example, you can choose a default network adapter to be used for capturing and you can also change the fonts and colors used in the interface. What's more, you can set up several configuration profiles, each containing its own capturing settings. This feature is useful if you need, for example, to switch from a LAN adapter to a Wireless one fast.