We apper to spell it "TShark" rather than "Tshark", the fact that it's

"Wireshark" rather than "WireShark" nonwithstanding.

Say we run on NT 4.0 rather than "NT" - I don't know whether we run on
NT 3.x (and 2000/2003/XP are really NT 5.x and Vista/2008 are really NT
6.x - that's why Microsoft are talking about "Windows 7" as the next big
release).

In the capture-privileges paragraph, note that it's dumpcap that needs
to run as root, and suggest not only that Wireshark shouldn't be set-UID
root, but that it shouldn't even be run as root, and that the same
applies to TShark.

Update "How to Report a Bug" to reflect that we're telling people to
report bugs on Bugzilla, and that "wireshark -v"/"tshark -v" give almost
all the version information we want.

svn path=/trunk/; revision=25605
This commit is contained in:
Guy Harris 2008-06-25 22:52:08 +00:00
parent 0740f305fb
commit ae9f16c37b
1 changed files with 29 additions and 30 deletions

59
README
View File

@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ Wireshark is a network traffic analyzer, or "sniffer", for Unix and
Unix-like operating systems. It uses GTK+, a graphical user interface Unix-like operating systems. It uses GTK+, a graphical user interface
library, and libpcap, a packet capture and filtering library. library, and libpcap, a packet capture and filtering library.
The Wireshark distribution also comes with Tshark, which is a The Wireshark distribution also comes with TShark, which is a
line-oriented sniffer (similar to Sun's snoop, or tcpdump) that uses the line-oriented sniffer (similar to Sun's snoop, or tcpdump) that uses the
same dissection, capture-file reading and writing, and packet filtering same dissection, capture-file reading and writing, and packet filtering
code as Wireshark, and with editcap, which is a program to read capture code as Wireshark, and with editcap, which is a program to read capture
@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ Wireshark is known to compile and run on the following systems:
- Tru64 UNIX (formerly Digital UNIX) (3.2 and later) - Tru64 UNIX (formerly Digital UNIX) (3.2 and later)
- Irix (6.5) - Irix (6.5)
- AIX (4.3.2, with a bit of work) - AIX (4.3.2, with a bit of work)
- Win32 (NT, 2000, 2003, XP, Vista) - Win32 (NT 4.0, 2000, 2003, XP, Vista)
and possibly on other versions of those OSes. It should run on other and possibly on other versions of those OSes. It should run on other
Unix-ish systems without too much trouble. Unix-ish systems without too much trouble.
@ -69,14 +69,15 @@ instructions.
Usage Usage
----- -----
In order to capture packets from the network, you need to be running as In order to capture packets from the network, you need to make the
root, or have access to the appropriate entry under /dev if your system dumpcap program set-UID to root, or you need to have access to the
is so inclined (BSD-derived systems, and systems such as Solaris and appropriate entry under /dev if your system is so inclined (BSD-derived
HP-UX that support DLPI, typically fall into this category). Although systems, and systems such as Solaris and HP-UX that support DLPI,
it might be tempting to make the Wireshark executable setuid root, please typically fall into this category). Although it might be tempting to
don't. The capture process has been isolated in dumpcap, which can be make the Wireshark and TShark executables setuid root, or to run them as
installed setuid root. This simple program is less likely to contain root please don't. The capture process has been isolated in dumpcap;
security holes. this simple program is less likely to contain security holes, and thus
safer to run as root.
Please consult the man page for a description of each command-line Please consult the man page for a description of each command-line
option and interface feature. option and interface feature.
@ -208,27 +209,25 @@ option.
How to Report a Bug How to Report a Bug
------------------- -------------------
Wireshark is still under constant development, so it is possible that you will Wireshark is still under constant development, so it is possible that you will
encounter a bug while using it. Please report bugs to http://bugs.wireshark.org. encounter a bug while using it. Please report bugs at http://bugs.wireshark.org.
Be sure you tell us: Be sure you enter into the bug:
1) Operating System and version (the command 'uname -sr' may 1) the complete build information from the "About Wireshark"
tell you this, although on Linux systems it will probably item in the Help menu or the output of "wireshark -v" for
tell you only the version number of the Linux kernel, not of Wireshark bugs and the output of "tshark -v" for TShark bugs;
the distribution as a whole; on Linux systems, please tell us
both the version number of the kernel, and which version of
which distribution you're running)
2) Version of GTK+ (the command 'gtk-config --version' will tell you)
3) Version of Wireshark (the command 'wireshark -v' will tell you,
unless the bug is so severe as to prevent that from working,
and should also tell you the versions of libraries with which
it was built)
4) The command you used to invoke Wireshark, and the sequence of
operations you performed that caused the bug to appear
If the bug is produced by a particular trace file, please be sure to send 2) if the bug happened on Linux, the Linux distribution you were
a trace file along with your bug description. Please don't send a trace file using, and the version of that distribution;
greater than 1 MB when compressed. If the trace file contains sensitive
information (e.g., passwords), then please do not send it. 3) the command you used to invoke Wireshark, if you ran
Wireshark from the command line, or TShark, if you ran
TShark, and the sequence of operations you performed that
caused the bug to appear.
If the bug is produced by a particular trace file, please be sure to
attach to the bug a trace file along with your bug description. If the
trace file contains sensitive information (e.g., passwords), then please
do not send it.
If Wireshark died on you with a 'segmentation violation', 'bus error', If Wireshark died on you with a 'segmentation violation', 'bus error',
'abort', or other error that produces a UNIX core dump file, you can 'abort', or other error that produces a UNIX core dump file, you can
@ -245,7 +244,7 @@ $
The core dump file may be named "wireshark.core" rather than "core" on The core dump file may be named "wireshark.core" rather than "core" on
some platforms (e.g., BSD systems). If you got a core dump with some platforms (e.g., BSD systems). If you got a core dump with
Tshark rather than Wireshark, use "tshark" as the first argument to TShark rather than Wireshark, use "tshark" as the first argument to
the debugger; the core dump may be named "tshark.core". the debugger; the core dump may be named "tshark.core".
Disclaimer Disclaimer