RawCap

RawCap is a handy little network sniffer that helps you capture packets sent and received on your network using raw sockets. It runs in command line mode, which means you can easily generate a packet capture file to analyze later with other tools.

Why Use RawCap?

Capturing network traffic is the first step in figuring out how to improve your private or corporate LAN's performance. The packet capture files created by RawCap can give you valuable insights. They can also help you spot problems or any intrusion attempts.

A Lightweight Alternative

While many network analyzers can capture data packets, RawCap stands out because it offers a simple command line option that’s both lightweight and easy to use. You can set it up through Command Prompt or even with script files!

Selecting Your Settings

When you fire up the app, you'll get the chance to pick your network interface and name your PCAP file. It automatically creates a PCAP file in the current folder, but it's smart to specify the path before starting the capture. This way, you won't accidentally overwrite any older files.

Manage Your Data Size

You also have control over how big your data file gets! You can set limits by choosing how many packets to capture or by defining a time interval. These options are available as command line arguments, along with an option to flush memory.

Compatibility Notes

This program uses raw sockets, which aren't fully supported on all Windows versions. For example, you won’t be able to use it for capturing incoming packets on Windows 7 or outgoing ones on Windows Vista.

The Bottom Line

In summary, RawCap is a useful tool for sniffing data packets from your network traffic. Just keep in mind that using raw sockets might limit what you can see when analyzing your network.