is it good idea to download wireshark to your computer

Is it good idea to download wireshark to your computer install#
Is it good idea to download wireshark to your computer password#
Is it good idea to download wireshark to your computer free#

A good protocol analyzer needs to be able to take that information and present it to a network administrator in a summary format, and Wireshark does that.The phrase 'sniff the network' may conjure Orwellian visions of a Big Brother network administrator reading people's private email messages.

Simply producing a text file of raw packet output is difficult to analyze. The problem is in the presentation of the information. Properly placed, a good sniffer can provide reams of data invaluable for network troubleshooting and monitoring. A protocol analyzer 'listens' to a network, records all of the packets seen on the connection and presents a detailed analysis of those captured packets. Wireshark is a network protocol analyzer or sniffer and is the continuation of the well-known Ethereal project. Some readers believed, however, that Wireshark is so good it deserved a mention. To be fair, Wireshark was mentioned in the original article as one of those tools that's so popular that including it in the original top 10 network tools would be essentially repeating old news. Wireshark digs deep into all layers of each packet it captures. And if you're really into Linux, you can read my previous article 'Linux primer for networkers.' Also, some of these tools, such as Nessus, can run on both Linux and other operating systems. Some readers suggested Linux tools, but not everyone can afford the time to learn Linux just to evaluate a useful tool.

Is it good idea to download wireshark to your computer free#

So with those caveats in mind, let's take a look at readers' favorite free network tools. Other freeware vendors hope that if you like their free version, you'll purchase the 'platinum' version with bells and whistles and the ability to slice bread. Other freeware applications are self-supporting via ad sales. In the case of ZipTie, that would mean plug-ins for currently unsupported network equipment. Some applications are open source and designed as part of a greater good, which elicits input from users to make the applications better. Try these in a safe environment (test network or DMZ) and use a free sniffer like Wireshark to verify what the application is doing before deploying it in a production environment.Īlso, some readers noted that 'freeware' applications aren't always completely free. Others aggressively scan the network to the point where security devices - and other administrators - may detect the scan and classify it as an attack.

Is it good idea to download wireshark to your computer password#

Some applications ask you to enter an administrative username and password or a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) community name so they can probe deeper into certain devices.

Is it good idea to download wireshark to your computer install#

No matter what, never install an application that has the ability to cut into and examine your network without understanding what it does and doesn't do. Sometimes, such as in the case of Multi Router Traffic Grapher, the application is so widely used that it can be assumed that it's safe simply by virtue of its popularity if the tool had a problem, someone would have found it. That's why it's a good idea to only download applications from valid sites - such as and - that test applications before releasing them - or from open-source sites such as. What's to stop a coder from producing a neat network administration tool that secretly sends information about your network to a collection point for exploitation at a later date? Readers mentioned the possible security implications of downloading free tools, which is a valid concern. Readers responded with some of their own favorites, so I'm going to take a look at those tools and report on their capabilities and usage from my perspective as an experienced network manager.īut first, let's address security. Computerworld recently showcased 10 great free network management tools.