Ethereal-dev: Re: [Ethereal-dev] Where to find more protocols for ethereal

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From: Ashok Narayanan <ashokn@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 07 Nov 2001 09:13:25 -0500 (EST)
You could achieve a useful first step by writing (or using) an offline
capture utility to grab USB packets to file, and simply writing a
dissector for those packets. That would get us much of the way there,
and still be minimall disruptive.

-Ashok

> Hmmm . . . good point.  I wonder if it would be worth it to extend libpcap?
> It might be easier to start a new capture library for USB/etc from scratch.
> 
> On Wednesday, 07 Nov 2001, Neulinger, Nathan wrote:
> > Seems to me that the easiest way to get started on this would be the old
> > idea of separating that capture mechanism from ethereal itself into a small
> > external tool. You could then easily add capability for selecting from a
> > variety of external capture tools.  (This also resolves some of the security
> > issues with allowing non-root access to ethereal.)
> > 
> > The real problem though becomes the limitations of libpcap, since it is
> > currently defining the encapsulations/media-types/etc. If ethereal were to
> > do that itself, it would be easy enough to add a 'usb' encapsulation type.
> > 
> > -- Nathan
> > 
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > Nathan Neulinger                       EMail:  nneul@xxxxxxx
> > University of Missouri - Rolla         Phone: (573) 341-4841
> > Computing Services                       Fax: (573) 341-4216
> > 
> > 
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Ronnie Sahlberg [mailto:rsahlber@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
> > > Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2001 4:08 AM
> > > To: ethereal-dev@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > Subject: [Ethereal-dev] Where to find more protocols for ethereal
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Hi again list,
> > > 
> > > Bored tonight so weird thoughts wanders into my mind.
> > > I guess ethereal is soon running short of protocols to add to 
> > > it so why not come up with something new that might give us 
> > > lots of other new protocols to add.
> > > 
> > > I just thought, ethereal is basically just a tool to read 
> > > packets and analyze and display the data it contains. 
> > > Currently ethereal only reads packets from network devices. I 
> > > cant see it impossible (in theory) to also include other 
> > > types of packet interfaces/devices as say 
> > > SCSI/USB/firewire/IDE etc. They are conceptually similar, you 
> > > send/receive packets. This might actually be extremely useful.
> > > 
> > > If it was possible to access those interfaces (in promisc 
> > > mode) in any way reasonable similar to netword devices 
> > > wouldnt it be wild to capture packets on the USB interface? 
> > > (might help the developers of linux/bsd usb drivers)
> > > 
> > > I cant see why not...
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
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> > > 
> > 
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--- Asok the Intern ----------------------------------------
Ashok Narayanan
IOS Network Protocols, Cisco Systems
250 Apollo Drive, Chelmsford, MA 01824
Ph: 978-244-8387.  Fax: 978-244-8126 (Attn: Ashok Narayanan)