Packet Sniffer

What is a good packet sniffer to learn how to analize a network?

Gbcxadmin,

I've tried quite a few packet sniffers and I now use the Iris packet sniffer. It's an excellent product and has some very good help documentation. You can grab a copy of the program from the downloads section.

Cheers,

I use Observer from Network Instruments and have used if for use in both the Token Ring and Ethernet environments and like it a lot. It isn't cheap, however.

I did compare it with NetMon (not the basic version) and found that it didn't come close to Observers flexibility or raft of information. On windows, for just basic information Netmon is fine. But for real analysing of your network, I like Observer.

What about CommView ?

I use Observer too and it really is superb. However for free tools you could do worse than Ethereal. I haven't tried Iris so I'll have to take a look at it, particularly if Chris recommends it. Nor have I treid CommView so I'll have a look at that too when I get some time

i used ethereal extensively, after being recommended by friends at firewall.cx. but then since chris recommends Iris, i'll give it a try. but ethereal is not that bad as well. the GUI is great, and apart from that you can even test custom made packet structures as well.