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Ethereal-users: Re: [Ethereal-users] running ethereal on aix

Note: This archive is from the project's previous web site, ethereal.com. This list is no longer active.

From: Guy Harris <guy@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2001 14:02:59 -0700 (PDT)
> Actually I figured out the problem. It was because I was running as root.as
> a normal user it opens the window fine.
> 
> But now again, when I try to capture packets it does not identify any
> interfaces and when I put tr0 it gives me an error
> "The capture session could not be initiated(recv_ack:bind error 0x1).Please
> check to make sure you have sufficient permissions and that you have the
> proper interface or pipe specified "
> 
> tcpdump runs fine.

Are you running tcpdump as root?

Is tcpdump set-UID to root?

If not, then is this the tcpdump that comes with AIX, or a tcpdump built
from source and linked with a libpcap built from source?

The error message is a DLPI error message, so the libpcap with which
Ethereal is linked is using DLPI.  The libpcap with which the tcpdump
that comes with AIX is built uses BPF; unfortunately, the BPF it uses is

	1) different from the BPF that comes with BSDs;

	2) undocumented;

	3) unsupported by IBM (except as a mechanism for the tcpdump
	   that comes with AIX to use).

Libpcap *can* be configurd to use BPF on AIX - in fact, it does so by
default - but it might not work.

Try downloading both libpcap and tcpdump source from tcpdump.org,
building libpcap and installing it, and then building tcpdump and
linking it with that libpcap.

If that works, try linking Ethereal with the same libpcap.

If that doesn't work, try complaining to somebody in AIXland in Austin,
asking them either to

	1) get the tcpdump.org libpcap and tcpdump to work with whatever
	   type of network device tr0 is (Token-Ring?) using DLPI

or

	2) document and support BPF on AIX, so that the tcpdump.org
	   people can try to get libpcap to use it.

Tell them that

	1) tcpdump isn't the only program on the planet using libpcap;

	2) tcpdump is being developed by tcpdump.org, and people might
	   want to use that version of tcpdump rather than the AIX
	   version, as it may have bug fixes and enhancements not in the
	   AIX version;

and therefore they really should try to make it easier to use
third-party versions of libpcap on AIX.