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Wireshark-users: Re: [Wireshark-users] Link quality tests/analysis?

From: "gdonts" <gdonts@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:00:25 -0000
i've had similar with WAN connections where I can't install software at either endpoint, only on my end, so was looking for a way to troubleshoot/analyse the connection.
 
what you suggest in B) is done by a handy windows app called pingplotter (www.pingplotter.com). it pings the endpoint every x (configurable) seconds and stores all the data so you can review it in graphical format, and see rtt over time, which hop packets are failing at (if they are). if yours is a single hop at least it can record the rtt over a period of time so you can see any degradation/issues. i'd imagine in theory wireshark could do some/all of it for you, but i'm not sure it'd be easy to get the data out. you can try this app for free on 2 windows boxes at either end of your long link and the website is pretty helpful...
 
good luck!
 
 
gd


From: wireshark-users-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:wireshark-users-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of rkruz@xxxxxxx
Sent: 27 January 2009 20:36
To: wireshark-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Wireshark-users] Link quality tests/analysis?

I could use some hints.

I have a single link between host router/switches and host with several miles between the routers (fiber optic). This is TCP/IP data. I'd like to measure or analyze the quality of the link. I could mirror a port with Wireshark on each router for both ends.

After reviewing Wireshark some notions I had are:

A) Checksum: Run applications from host, capture all data and analyse captured data at far end for "Checksum" errors to create a close estimate of Bit Error Rate by counting total packets to packets w/Checksum errors. This with checksum offloading off.

B) Round Trip Time (RTT): Send continuous ping from host, capture lots of data and analyze RTT times. I could do this by exporting data and using a spreadsheet to analyze. Does Wireshark do this already? It doesnt look like the Service Response Time feature would do this.

Any thought would be greatly appreciated

.