Ethereal-users: Re: [Ethereal-users] Comparision of Ethereal with Airopeek and Network Observer

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From: Guy Harris <gharris@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 2004 10:06:07 -0800
Jahagirdar VS wrote:
I am trying to compare Ethereal with Observer and  Airopeek.
My primary concern is Sniffing and analysing WLAN traffic. Googling did not revel any direct comparision between these tools. Requesting information on your experience with these tools.

If you're capturing on Windows, then, unless you're *only* interested in 802.11 data packets, and don't care at all about 802.11 management and control packets, Airopeek and possibly Observer will probably work better, as they have their own drivers that allow running the network adapter in monitor mode and that supply non-data (management and possibly control) packets, with 802.11 headers.

If you're capturing on Linux or {Free,Net}BSD (and possibly other BSDs), then Ethereal is better, as Observer and Airopeek don't run on any OS other than Windows.