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Wireshark-users: Re: [Wireshark-users] Packets not captured, tcp acking lost segments. Large pack

From: Martin Visser <martinvisser99@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2011 15:14:51 +1100
Michael,

Normally your server will be connected to a switch. If this is a
manageable switch, you should be able to configure it to port-mirror,
which means a copy of the traffic on one port is sent to another port.
This will enable easy monitoring of your traffic, and you will see
what is actually going on the wire. When I meant "avoid", it is more
about making sure you see what is on the wire rather than the tricks
that the driver might be doing. (I try to avoid installing Wireshark
or Net Mon on production servers - not that it doesn't work, but I
don't want my measuring application potentially affecting the normal
performance of the server).

I'm not sure if there is possibly an issue with WinPcap library not
working properly on your box of not. You might want to post a small
capture file showing what you saw with Wireshark and what you captured
with Net Mon. (Also note that Wireshark can read Net Mon files - does
this show the difference as well?)

Regards, Martin

MartinVisser99@xxxxxxxxx



On 7 January 2011 14:27, Michael Lynch <michaellynch511@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Thanks Martin
>
> I read up on LSO. It explains how these >4K packets are appearing
>
> Yes I am running Wireshark on the application server. I had a hard time
> installing it on my switch!! No CD-rom drive!! :)
> (I am not sure what you mean by 'Server Switch')
>
> But why is MS Net Mon seeing these large packets?
>
> Wireshark is providing misleading information and I don't think i'm the only
> one that is suffering major confusion.
> I think my self lucky as I have witnessed the packets in NetMon.
> Most users on the net seem to have presumed that packets are being lost!
>
>> Wireshark will see the large segments go out.
>
> But its not...?
>
>> You might want to capture on your server switch rather than the server
>> to avoid seeing this.
>
> I don't want to avoid packets, I want to see the packets!
>
>
>
> Cheers
> Michael.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Martin Visser"
> <martinvisser99@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: "Community support list for Wireshark" <wireshark-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Friday, January 07, 2011 1:46 PM
> Subject: Re: [Wireshark-users] Packets not captured, tcp acking lost
> segments. Large packets
>
>
>> It sounds like you are capturing traffic on the server rather than the
>> wire. If your server NIC and driver does Large Segment Offload, the
>> segmentation is done by the NIC, which allows the transfer from your
>> kernel to the NIC do be done in larger chunks, meaning a more
>> efficient transfer. Wireshark will see the large segments go out.
>>
>> You might want to capture on your server switch rather than the server
>> to avoid seeing this.
>>
>> Regards, Martin
>>
>> MartinVisser99@xxxxxxxxx
>>
>>
>>
>> On 7 January 2011 11:25, Michael Lynch <michaellynch511@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi All
>>>
>>> I think I've found something everyone may be interested in...
>>>
>>> In wireshark I am monitoring traffic of a SOAP application.
>>>
>>> Upon transfer of a BLOB, wire shark is showing many "Tcp ACKed lost
>>> segment"
>>> packets.
>>> On top of this there is no evidence of any of the SOAP data, other than
>>> the
>>> initial header.
>>>
>>> Now I've search for this lost segment business, and no forums really seem
>>> to
>>> have much of a solution other than perhaps disabling sequence analysis.
>>>
>>> However I think I have found the problem, but I have no understanding of
>>> the
>>> whats and whys.
>>>
>>> In Microsoft Net Mon, the data packets ARE THERE!!!
>>>
>>> i.e
>>> Sent packet: Captured Frame Length = 4434, Media Type = Ethernet...
>>> Continuaion to packet #76.
>>> Received packet: Ack
>>>
>>> The received packet is the only packet that shows up in Wireshark! (I
>>> have
>>> cross referenced the Packet ID)
>>> Wireshark is NOT COLLECTING LARGE PACKETS!!
>>>
>>> I have no idea how packets THAT LARGE got onto the wire IN THE FIRST
>>> PLACE!!
>>>
>>> What is going on??!! :)
>>>
>>> Cheers
>>> Michael
>>>
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>>
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