Ethereal-users: [Ethereal-users] Could Ethereal monitor bad-packet COUNTS in linux?

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From: "Pete Holzmann" <pete@xxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 09:06:11 -0700
This is an almost-dupe posting... I apparently posted this the 
first time before my subscription was "approved"; looks like it 
didn't get out there...

We have several LAN issues that could be resolved if we could 
integrate bad-packet errors (collisions, etc) with ethereal 
tracing. Thus, the following question:

I realize that Ethereal cannot normally track actual bad packets, 
since device drivers and OS' do not pass them on.

However, at least on Linux, the OS keeps driver-level counts of 
collisions etc., e.g. in /proc/net/dev -- I suspect the same is 
true in Windows.  

Is it possible, (and has anyone attempted) to monitor these bad-
packet counts, and record "virtual bad packets" in the ethereal 
data stream when bad data is detected?  

We wouldn't get to see the actual bad data, but that's far less 
valuable (since the data is bad anyway) than seeing the timing and 
existence of bad data.

It seems that with this capacity, it would be MUCH easier to 
detect and debug network problems.  

Thanks,
Pete

-- 
 Pete Holzmann                                    pete@xxxxxxxx
 Executive Director                         http://www.icta.net
 ICTA(r)                        Tel/Fax: [1](719)785-0120/-0117
 "Technology that unites vital communities in Spirit and Trust"
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"I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord God is my 
strength and song, and He has become my salvation." (Is 12:2)
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