Network Sniffing and Management

[Renne Stuart]

Hi

We are looking for some free or cheap software to use on a customers network that will enable us to scan or see the network and what packets are being sent on it.

We install business VOIP phones and phone systems and we get a lot of calls saying calls are breaking up on the LAN or things are running really slowly. Recently we had a customer who had a device that seem to be broadcasting out constantly and these broadcasts were bringing our PBX down. Is there some software out there that can see what and where this device would have been located? What software could we use to test the network to see if VOIP issues really are a network issue or a PBX issue?

Any ideas greatly appreciated and any example configs as well. The customers network could be for any vendor but we were thinking we might be able to put a cisco switch in there with netflow and some way see the network?

Thanks

Renne

[Collin Clark]

Wireshark is free and works in most situtations.

http://www.wireshark.org/

[Renne Stuart]

We have this but it is very raw and does not show exactly where the problem lies is there no professional software out there that can do this?

[Marvin Rhoads]

There are lots of products out there. HAve a look at SolarWinds, specifically Orion Network Performance Monitor, Netflow Traffic Analyzer and Voice and Network Quality Monitor (NPM, NTA and VNQM).

You won't get Netflow (or IP SLA) source data from most Cisco switches though. generally it's a router that will support and provide the raw data something like the SolarWinds products are looking to parse analyze and present to you.

For just Netflow, lots of people use a product like Plixer Scrutinizer, available in both limited free version and paid options as well.

You can also download trial versions of the SolarWinds products.

[Renne Stuart]

Thanks Marvin, I'll take a look at solarwinds.