WinPcap - Windows

In this article, we are going to learn about WinPcap, purpose and hands-on demo on how to install, use and uninstall on windows operating system.  

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Table of Content

• What is WinPcap?  Jump to
• purpose  Jump to
• Programs use WinPcap  Jump to
• Hands-on  Jump to
• Download  Jump to
• Install  Jump to
• Usage  Jump to 
• Uninstall  Jump to 

What is WinPcap?

• WinPcap, the name indicates Windows Packet Capture.
• WinPcap is an open source library for packet capture and network analysis for the Win32 platforms.
  
• Allows your Network Interface Card to (NIC) to operate in "promiscuous" mode. 
• It is used by networking applications to examine packets on the network. 

Purpose

The purpose of WinPcap is to give access to Win32 applications; it provides facilities to:  

1. Capture raw packets, both the ones destined to the machine where it's running and the ones exchanged by other hosts (on shared media).
2. Filter the packets according to user-specified rules before dispatching them to the application.
3. Transmit raw packets to the network.
4. Gather statistical information on the network traffic.

 

Programs use WinPcap

The WinPcap programming interface can be used by many types of network tools for analysis, troubleshooting, security and monitoring.  

1. Network and protocol analyzers
2. Network monitors
3. Traffic loggers
4. Traffic generators
5. User-level bridges and routers
6. Network intrusion detection systems (NIDS)
7. Network scanners
8. Security tools

 

Hands-on

• Operating System: Windows
• Tool: WinPcap

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Download

• Click here to download from the official site.

Install

• Goto Downloads folder and double click on the WinPcap_4_1_3.exe file. 

• Give the User Access Control by clicking on Yes.  

• Setup window will be opened, click on Next > I Agree > Install > Finish.

Usage

• Now we can use packet capture and network analysis tools like Wireshark, Nmap, Snort, Cain and Abel, Network Miner, SolarWinds Bandwidth Analyzer, ManageEngine NetFlow Analyzer, etc,. 

Uninstall

We can uninstall this application in 2 ways, from the control panel and Uninstall file from WinPcap. 

Control Panel 

• Open the Control Panel by clicking on Start > Control Panel > Uninstall a program.  

 

• Double click on WinPcap 4.1.3 and click on Uninstall > Finish. 

Uninstall File

• Goto file location C:\Program Files (x86)\WinPcap and double click on the Uninstall.exe file. 

• Give the User Access Control by clicking on Yes. 

• Click on Uninstall > Finish. 

 

Conclusion 

• WinPcap is tested on Windows 7 Professional on Virtualbox.
• It is working fine.

If you face any problem, Let me know in the comments or you can directly reach me at hackwithv@gmail.com

 

Be Aware, Be Secure.

Thank You 🙏