Network toolbox netwag ------------------------------------------- | KNOWN PROBLEMS | ------------------------------------------- This file describes known problems (incompatibilities, unsupported features, errors, etc.). If you seek help (usage help, examples, etc.), it's better to read netwox-5.22.0-doc_html.tgz or netwag-5.22.0-doc_html.tgz. Problems described in this file are (if you encounter an unknown problem, thanks for contacting me, as explained in ./doc/problemreport.txt) : PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE SYSTEM 1: [Windows] Display is slow. 2: [Windows 95] At netwib end, the modem link stops. 3: [Windows XP] Converting an IP address to a hostname returns a bad value. 4: [Windows XP] Functions netwib_buf_print_hn returns bad value. 5: [Unix] Netwag start is very slow (more than 2 seconds). 6: [Unix] Double-clicking on a tool in netwag does not open the Form notebook. PROBLEMS CAUSED BY LIBPCAP OR WINPCAP 7: [Windows] Several tools of netwox doesn't seem to work. 8: [Windows] Sniff does not work with a modem 9: [Windows] Popup : The dynamic library wpcap.dll was not found. [Note : I'am not sure about the exact error message because I do not have access to an English computer] PROBLEMS CAUSED BY NETWIB'S DESIGN 10: Network configuration is incorrect. 11: Error messages contains inaccurate hints 12: Netwib is slow. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem 1 : Problem synthesis : Display is slow. Environment affected by the problem : Windows What's causing the problem : In a msdos console, we cannot print more than 100 lines per seconds. Solution 1 : Redirect output in a file : commandname > file However in this case, we do not see when data has to be entered. Solution 2 : Use tools, or printprofiles, less verbose. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem 2 : Problem synthesis : At netwib end, the modem link stops. Environment affected by the problem : Windows 95 with a modem What's causing the problem : At the end of a program, references to unused object are freed. It's the case for the low level driver of WinPcap (packet.sys). Unfortunately, as explained in WinPcap FAQ, Windows also stops the modem connection. So, at the end of netwox, the phone line stops. Solution 1 : Installation of : - Windows Sockets 2 Update, and - Dialup Networking 1.3 Update might resolv this problem. Those updates are available here : - http://www.microsoft.com/windows95/downloads/contents/wuadmintools/s_wunetworkingtools/w95sockets2/default.asp - http://www.microsoft.com/Windows95/downloads/contents/WURecommended/S_WUNetworking/dun13win95/Default.asp Solution 2 : You can contact WinPcap developers to help them to write a driver/dll not having this problem. Additional note (march 2004): Windows 9x is no more supported by WinPcap developers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem 3 : Problem synthesis : Converting an IP address to a hostname returns a bad value. Environment affected by the problem : Windows XP What's causing the problem : Functions netwib_buf_print_hn use gethostbyaddr(). However, there is a bug in WindowsXP's implementation of gethostbyaddr, as described in Knowledge Base Q317936 of Microsoft. This bug appears when DNSorWINS and NetBIOSoverTCPIP are activated. Solution : Patch Q317936 corrects this problem. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem 4 : Problem synthesis : Functions netwib_buf_print_hn returns bad value. Environment affected by the problem : Windows XP What's causing the problem : Functions netwib_buf_print_hn use gethostbyaddr(). However, there is a bug in WindowsXP's implementation of gethostbyaddr, as described in Knowledge Base Q317936 of Microsoft. This bug appears when DNSorWINS and NetBIOSoverTCPIP are activated. Solution : Patch Q317936 corrects this problem. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem 5 : Problem synthesis : Netwag start is very slow (more than 2 seconds). Environment affected by the problem : System with XFree86 mis-configured What's causing the problem : XFree86 font is badly configured. To check it, run : wish % label .l .l % exit If there is a delay between "label .l" and "exit", the system have the problem. Solution : Install a correct font. For example, under Debian 3.0, install xfonts-100dpi and restart X. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem 6 : Problem synthesis : Double-clicking on a tool in netwag does not open the Form notebook. Environment affected by the problem : Gnome under Solaris 9 What's causing the problem : Tcl/Tk does not correctly deal with double-click : the event is never generated. Solution : Press Control or Shift during double-click. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem 7 : Problem synthesis : Several tools of netwox doesn't seem to work. Environment affected by the problem : Windows What's causing the problem : Netwib depends on WinPcap. If WinPcap does not work, several features of netwib/netwox will not work. So, we have to ensure WinPcap works correctly. Solution : Install and test windump as described in INSTALL_FR.TXT. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem 8 : Problem synthesis : Sniff does not work with a modem Environment affected by the problem : Windows What's causing the problem : WinPCAP is not designed to work with a modem. File netwox-5.22.0-doc-html.tgz/en/examples.html lists systems where modems are supported. Solution : If your system does not support modems, try to apply WinPCAP solution : http://winpcap.polito.it/misc/dialup.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem 9 : Problem synthesis : Popup : The dynamic library wpcap.dll was not found. [Note : I'am not sure about the exact error message because I do not have access to an English computer] Environment affected by the problem : Windows What's causing the problem : WinPCAP is not installed. Solution : Download and install WinPCAP as described in INSTALL.TXT or INSTALLWINDOWS.TXT. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem 10 : Problem synthesis : Network configuration is incorrect. Environment affected by the problem : All What's causing the problem : Obtaining the configuration (device, arp cache, routes) of the local computer is an important step of netwib. Several tools need this configuration to be accurate. Different kinds of network cards, modems, operating systems, etc. exist. So, it's possible that your computer contains unrecognized hardware. In this case, several netwox tools would be unusable. For these reasons, the first tool to use is 'netwox 1' to ensure correct configuration setting. Here is a correct example (taken on Linux) : ################################### Devices ################################### nu dev ethernet_hwtype mtu real_device_name 1 Lo0 loopback 3924 lo 2 Eth0 aa:aa:aa:aa:aa:aa 1500 eth0 3 Eth1 bb:bb:bb:bb:bb:bb 1500 eth1 ##################################### IP ###################################### nu ip /netmask ppp point_to_point_with 1 127.0.0.1 /255.0.0.0 0 2 192.168.1.1 /255.255.255.0 0 3 192.168.2.1 /255.255.255.0 0 3 192.168.3.1 /255.255.255.0 0 ############################## ArpCache/Neighbor ############################# nu ethernet ip 2 aa:aa:aa:aa:aa:aa 192.168.1.1 3 bb:bb:bb:bb:bb:bb 192.168.2.1 3 bb:bb:bb:bb:bb:bb 192.168.3.1 2 cc:cc:cc:cc:cc:cc 192.168.1.254 #################################### Routes ################################### nu destination /netmask source gateway metric 1 127.0.0.1 /255.255.255.255 local 0 2 192.168.1.1 /255.255.255.255 local 0 3 192.168.2.1 /255.255.255.255 local 0 3 192.168.3.1 /255.255.255.255 local 0 2 192.168.10.0 /255.255.255.0 192.168.1.1 0 3 192.168.21.0 /255.255.255.0 192.168.2.1 0 3 192.168.31.0 /255.255.255.0 192.168.1.1 0 1 127.0.0.0 /255.0.0.0 127.0.0.1 0 2 0.0.0.0 /0.0.0.0 192.168.1.1 192.168.1.254 0 In this example, we see the loopback device (lo, or Lo0, number 1), and two network cards (eth0 and eth1, respectively number 2 and 3). Network card 2 has IP address 192.168.1.1, and network card 3 has two IP addresses (192.168.2.1 and 192.168.3.1). The arp table contains permanent entries, and the dynamic entry for the router 192.168.1.254. The routing table first contains entries to access local devices, then network connected to the local devices, and finally the default router 192.168.1.254. Solution : As I cannot have access to your hardware, you have to send me information about your configuration in order to help netwib's improvements. Run : netwox 2 > resultfile Then, send me the file 'resultfile', along with configuration information (ifconfig, ipconfig /all, arp -a, route print, netstat -rn, winipcfg /all /batch file.out, winipcfg, network card type, modem type, etc.). Thanks. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem 11 : Problem synthesis : Error messages contains inaccurate hints Environment affected by the problem : All What's causing the problem : Implementing a cross platform compatible error handling is almost impossible (errno, h_errno, GetLatError, WSAGetLastError). The solution chosen in netwib is to leave those error codes untouched. So, if they were previously set by another error, this error will still be present. For example : Error 1099 : error in foobar() hint: errno = 19 = No such device hint: h_errno = 2 = Host name lookup failure If function foobar sets errno read errno, else read h_errno. Solution : Just ignore the hint which seems inaccurate. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem 12 : Problem synthesis : Netwib is slow. Environment affected by the problem : All What's causing the problem : I choose to create a modular library, easy to use. One of the consequence is the high level structuration of netwib. So, it is slower than a low level programming interface. Solution 1 : Using records (netwib_io_init_record_xyz), you can construct your packets, save them, and then send them. Solution 2 : You can also use only low level functions of netwib, and create your specific code around. If its still too slow, you should not use netwib and use directly system's functions, or buy a new computer ;)