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CompTIA Network+ 5.5 Cisco CCST Networking 5.2 Cisco CCST Networking 5.3
InteractiveNetworkFree

Which Software for the Job?

Capture packets, test the ISP link, time a WAN link, find open ports, reach a switch, check Wi-Fi. Pick the software.

⚑ Complete this interactive to capture a CTF flag worth 5 points.

About this interactive

The lesson's software: - **Protocol analyzer** (Wireshark): captures traffic, often from a mirrored port, and lets you read each packet. - **Speed test** (Google's, Ookla's speedtest.net): download, upload and latency to a test server on the internet; is the ISP delivering what you pay for? - **iPerf:** a client on one network and a server on another stream test traffic between them to measure throughput. - **Port scanner:** finds which ports are open on a machine, and which should not be. - **Terminal emulator:** a command session on a device, to read interfaces, debug output and configuration. - **Wi-Fi analyzer:** the access points you can hear, their MAC addresses, channels and widths. The lesson also lists a TFTP server, which stores logs and configuration files; it holds files rather than testing anything, so it is not a bin.

What you'll learn

Aligned to

CompTIA Network+
5.5 Given a scenario, use the appropriate tool or protocol to solve networking issues.
Cisco CCST Networking
5.2 Perform a packet capture with Wireshark and save it to a file
5.3 Run basic diagnostic commands and interpret the results

Key terms

Protocol Analyzer
A software tool that captures and inspects network traffic at the packet level to diagnose network issues.
Port Scanning
A technique used to discover open ports and services available on a networked device.
Terminal Emulator
Software that simulates a physical terminal session, allowing a technician to remotely access and enter commands on a network device.
Speed Test
A tool or service used to measure the performance of an internet connection, including download rate, upload rate, and latency.
Throughput
The actual rate of usable data transfer across a network after subtracting overhead and signaling, representing what devices can effectively communicate.
Bandwidth
The maximum rate of data transfer across a network path, typically measured in bits per second.

Topics

Troubleshooting Protocol Analyzer Wireshark Iperf Port Scanner Wifi Analyzer Interactive Categorize

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