Being from Hawaii and a lifetime ocean lover I’ve had my run in with plenty of sharks! None can compare to the experience I had with WireShark though 😉 To get serious now, what is WireShark?? WireShark is a free open-source packet analyzer, which is used primarily for educational purposes, analysis, software development, communication protocol development, and your common network troubleshooting.
“Hey, Hey, Hey Mister!!!! Whats a packet???”
A packet is a unit of data which is transmitted over a network between the origin and the destination. Network packets are small, maximum 1.5 Kilobytes for Ethernet packets and 64 Kilobytes for IP packets. When any file, like a email, is sent over the internet, it gets broken down into small chunks, or bytes. Each packet is numbered separately and includes the internet address of the destination. Packets may take different routes. Upon arrival, packets are reassembled into the original file by the TCP layer at the receiving end. Packets can also be referred to as block, cell, frame, or segment.
Now that you know a little bit about packets. We can take a look at one of the great tools used to observe these communications. WIRESHARK! The history dates back to the late 90s when Gerald Combs was working for a small ISP (Internet Service Provider). The protocol at the time didn’t meet his requirements and started to develop “Ethereal” and the first version was released in 1998. Combs didn’t own the Ethereal trademark so it was renamed WIRESHARK. It has since won several industry rewards over the years and is one of the top rated packet sniffer. Combs continued to work on the software and today there are around 600 contributed authors. As I write this article todays version is Wireshark 3.6.2 and 3.4.12
I definitely recommend that you check this out if you haven’t already!! It is a great tool for any tech or network enthusiasts. It’s similar to tcpdump but, it is so much more for your buck(it’s free remember)! It has a simple to use graphic user interface. Wireshark users can see all the traffic passing through the network at the click of the button.
I like to keep it short and sweet so, if you like what you read you can find a ton out there about Wireshark. I just wanted to share and spread the love. It truly is an amazing tool and piece of software. Check it out now if you know what’s good for ya! Keep coding and learning! Much love and aloha
Riley Makena Rudd 