Name: Leo Burke
Date: 10-14-07
Objective
Using tools found on the web, we are to find out exactly what happens to packets and information that flows in and out of our computer. We downloaded a "packet sniffer" which records and describes the packets that are being sent and received by our computer, then we were to create situations where certain packets would show up and we would describe them.
Equipment list
Computer lab
Ethereal packet sniffer
Notes and observations
Compared to other labs, this one was very easy and only required us to download one program and run it. The ease of which to record and capture packet transfer data surprised everyone. The sheer amount of packets being sent also caught everyone off guard. Going through and simulating different network traffic types was interesting and easy.
Diagrams Flowcharts and figures.
ethereal in action:
References
Lab Handout
Questions
1. What is the purpose of sequence numbers? To find which order the packets are sent and received
2. What is the purpose of source and destination addresses? Find where packets come from and go to.
3. What is theh purpose of DNS? Turn web addresses into Ip Addresses
4.What is DHCP? Domain Host Configuration protocol, issues ip addresses automatically.
5. What are the implications of having a tool like Eathereal freely available? Anyone can inspect the network traffic.
Conclusions
This was an eye opening lab to the nuts and bolts of packet traffic. When the sheer volume of information that comes in and out of one's computer has an address, source and other information ready to view, then things seem a bit unreal. The ease of which to find tools to mo niter internet traffic is unheard of, and the wealth of information that it can produce is staggering. I now know how to monitor the packets coming in and out of my computer, and what kind of packets are being sent and received when I do various online tasks. Overall, it was a very informative and fun lab.
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