Ethereal will work.
Such a device is known (at least here) as a "tap". There are optical and
copper taps that do as you describe where the RX is redirected into your
device.
We are about to do exactly as you describe with an optical tap, Gig E links,
and an ethereal box. As long as the Ethernet interface thinks it has a
valid link (which it will since it will see light on the RX connector),
Ethereal will be able to capture the packets. Nothing is sent during a
packet capture.
--J
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gregory Trubetskoy [mailto:grisha@xxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Thursday, November 02, 2000 5:49 PM
> To: ethereal-users@xxxxxxxx
> Subject: [Ethereal-users] optical splitter?
>
>
>
> [I am not on this list, so please cc me on any replies]
>
> I have just come across the ethereal web page, and I would
> appreciate it
> if someone could tell me if it will work when sniffing is done via a
> an optical splitter (we're talking GE over fiber, of course).
>
> This means that you have two network interface, and you have
> to merge the
> RX lines from each.
>
> Is ethereal capable of doing this? Could someone perhaps
> suggest another
> analyzer that does it?
>
> The environment is probably FreeBSD with alteon GE cards (if that
> metters).
>
> Thanks!
>
> Grisha
>
>
>
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