Wireshark-dev: [Wireshark-dev] Interface names on Windows

From: Graham Bloice <graham.bloice@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 28 Oct 2012 22:25:30 +0000
I've been hacking around trying to improve the display of interface names on Windows.

Currently there are 3 components displayed in various dialogs and command line responses; the interface "guid" (\Device\NPF_{C2E403B5-FAD0-479C-96FD-0E44EB22CD74}), the interface description from WinPCap (Intel(R) 82579LM Gigabit Network Connection) and the Wireshark friendly name as supplied by the user (the comment set in the Preferences | Interface Options).

There is also a fourth possible component; the "friendly" name assigned to the interface in the Control Panel "Network Connections" applet.  This is held in the registry and is easily retrieved given the interface "guid" and a few lines of code.

Personally I don't find the interface "guid" or the interface description (often just "Microsoft") of much use, and the other two components are somewhat mutually exclusive as they can both be set by the user and hence likely to be similar.

Has anyone got any preferences for which components should be displayed, and in what order?

--
Graham Bloice