The Open Cybernetics & Systemics Journal

2014, 8 : 779-783
Published online 2014 December 31. DOI: 10.2174/1874110X01408010779
Publisher ID: TOCSJ-8-779

Design of Network Protocol Analyzers Using WinPcap

Wang Huiran and Ma Ruifang
College of Computer Science, Xi’an Polytechnic University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710048, China.

ABSTRACT

This paper introduces two approaches to develop the network protocol analyzers, one of which is based on NDIS (Network Driver Interface Specification), the other is based on WinPcap. The second approach is discussed in details. This paper outlines the WinPcap architecture. Functions exported by WinPcap are classified in three types. On this classification, we can accurately configure the developing environment, e.g. define the preprocessors, set working directories. Three basic functions, i.e. pcap_ findalldevs_ex(), pcap_open(), and pcap_next_ex(), are interpreted thoroughly. In the end, a step-by-step example is given with its outcomes.

Keywords:

Network protocol analyzers , network protocol, network traffic, winpcap.