• SonicOS 7.1
• About SonicOS
  • Working with SonicOS
  • SonicOS Workflow
  • How to Use the SonicOS Administration Guides
  • Guide Conventions
• Using Packet Monitor
  • Benefits of Packet Monitor
  • How Does Packet Monitor Work?
  • Supported Packet Types
  • Configuring Packet Monitor
    • Configuring General Settings
      • Configuring General Settings
      • Configuring the Monitor Filter
      • Configuring Display Filter Settings
      • Configuring Logging Settings
      • Configuring Advanced Monitor Filter Settings
    • Starting and Stopping Packet Mirror
  • Monitoring Captured Packets
    • Starting and Stopping Packet Capture
    • Configuring Mirror Settings
  • Viewing Packet Monitoring Statistics
    • Capture Statistics
    • Local Mirror Statistics
    • Remote Mirror TX Statistics
    • Remote Mirror RX Statistics
    • FTP Statistics
    • Current Buffer Statistics
• Viewing Connections
  • Filtering the Connection Log
  • Connections Log Functions
• Monitoring Core 0 Processes
• Using Packet Replay
  • Single Packets
    • Packet Crafting
    • Packet Buffer
  • Replay Pcap File
    • Replaying an IP Pcap File
    • Replaying a MAC Pcap File
  • Captured Packets
    • About Captured Packets
    • Packet Detail
    • Hex Dump
• SonicWall Support
  • About This Document

Benefits of Packet Monitor

The packet monitor feature provides the functionality and flexibility that you need to examine network traffic without the use of external utilities, such as Wireshark (formerly known as Ethereal). Packet monitor includes the following features:

• Control mechanism with improved granularity for custom filtering (Monitor Filter)
• Display filter settings independent from monitor filter settings
• Packet status indicates if the packet was dropped, forwarded, generated, or consumed by the firewall
• Three output displays in the management interface:
  • List of packets
  • Decoded output of selected packet
  • Hexadecimal dump of selected packet
• Export capabilities include text or HTML format with hex dump of packets, plus CAP file formats, pcap and pcapNG
• Automatic export to FTP server when the buffer is full
• Bidirectional packet monitor based on IP address and port
• Configurable wrap-around of packet monitor buffer when full