Ethereal-users: Re: [ethereal-users] Error opening adapter

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From: Guy Harris <guy@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 11:14:27 -0700 (PDT)
> I had to give up on the IBM token ring cards (specifically Auto 4/16) because
> they would not go into promiscous mode.

tcpdump (of which WinDump is a port), unlike Ethereal, has an option not
to try to run the interface in promiscuous mode:

     -p   Don't put the interface into  promiscuous  mode.   Note
          that  the  interface  might  be in promiscuous mode for
          some other reason; hence, `-p' cannot  be  used  as  an
          abbreviation  for  `ether host {local-hw-addr} or ether
          broadcast'.

Assuming that WinDump retains this option, Edward should try it; if it
works, it probably means that

	1) his adapter card can't go into promiscuous mode, so he can
	   only see broadcast traffic, multicast traffic his machine is
	   receiving, and traffic his machine is sending or receiving;

	2) we should consider adding a "no promiscuous mode" option to
	   the capture dialog box, and a command-line option as well
	   (although we may want to consider that even if his card *can*
	   handle promiscuous mode, as, if you are only interested in
	   traffic to/from your machine, not going into promiscuous mode -
	   if, as per the section above from the tcpdump man page, the
	   card's not already in promiscuous mode for other reasons - may
	   cut down on the overhead of the capture).