In this article, we will discuss packet capture in detail by looking at its uses, challenges associated with capturing packets, tools that can help with packet capture, and also configure a lab that focuses on packet capture using Wireshark and analyzing the packets we sniffed to understand what they are doing.

With Packet capture, you can look into individual packets as they flow across a network and use the information gleaned from this process for several purposes – whether you trying to investigate high bandwidth usage or Monitor your network for suspicious traffic – we'll see the benefits of this as we continue with our lab. So what do you do in times like that when you feel your hands are tied? If you are on a Cisco router, you may want to use the debug ip packet IOS Command but then you have probably heard (and experienced?) that turning on debugging on a production network can have serious performance impacts.

Have you ever been in a difficult position as a Network Engineer where you keep troubleshooting a problem but you are not making headway? In certain instances like that, you just wish you can see what is really happening with each packet in the traffic flow.

Wireshark capture examples