In the complicated world of networking, problems happen. But determining the exact cause of a novel issue in the heat of the moment gets dicey. In these cases, even otherwise competent engineers may be forced to rely on trial and error once Google-fu gives out.

Luckily, there’s a secret weapon waiting for willing engineers to deploy—the protocol analyzer. This tool allows you to definitively determine the source of nearly any error, provided you educate yourself on the underlying protocol. The only catch for now? Many engineers avoid it entirely due to (totally unwarranted) dread.

What is a protocol analyzer?

A protocol analyzer, or “packet sniffer,” is a tool used to intercept traffic, store it, and present it in a decoded, human-readable state. Modern protocol analyzers like Wireshark can even spot rudimentary problems on their own and then perform statistical analyses with captured data.