Ethereal-users: [Ethereal-users] What does it mean to "Capture" packets

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From: "Dale Blake JonesWaddell" <daleb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2004 06:49:19 -0400
Title: What does it mean to "Capture" packets

We are having a debate in a networking class about Ehtereal.  Our campus is part of a larger Governmental WAN.  We installed Ethereal on several computers to show people what goes when two computers communicate.  The instructor warned us about unauthorized activity on the network and that any “packet sniffing” would be seen by the people who monitor the network.

I did not tell him he was stupid, although I want to every day, but it is my understanding that Ethereal is only reporting the packets that the NIC and TCP/IP is picking up anyway.  And that Ethereal is not doing anything “ON” or “TO” the rest of the network. 

So what really is happening?

Thank you,

Dale