Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
  1. NetChatSpy can't find any network adapter.
  2. NetChatSpy does not capture anything.
  3. I need to monitor Instant Messenger traffic for our whole LAN, but NetChatSpy only seems to capture data from the same computer only.
  4. How to configure a management port or enable port mirroring for my switch?
  5. My switch doesn't support monitoring features.
  6. Does NetChatSpy work with DSL or Modems? My dialup Internet connection freezes on Windows 2000.
  7. Does NetChatSpy support all-in-one or integrated network cards?
Q1: NetChatSpy can't find any network adapter.
A:

Restart your computer after you have installed NetChatSpy. Although the packet-capturing driver WinPcap supports most network cards, it may not support some wireless network cards, USB cards, PCMCIA cards, modems, or other special types of network card.

Q2: NetChatSpy does not capture anything.
A:

There are two possible reasons.

Firstly, you need to click the Capture button to let NetChatSpy begin to capture data.

Secondly, it is possible that your default network adapter is not supported or working. Click the "Options" button and then go to the "Networking" tab to display the network adapter selection window. If there are two or more adapters in it, try them one by one to find out a working one.  If the Options button is disabled, you will need to click the "Capture" button first to enable it.
Q3: I need to monitor Instant Messenger traffic for our whole LAN, but NetChatSpy seems to capture data from the same computer only.
A:

Is your LAN connected by a switch? Unlike hubs, switches prevent promiscuous sniffing. Fortunately, most switches support "port mirroring", "spanning", "management port" or a similar feature, which allows network administrators to monitor LAN traffic on any computer connected to one designated switch port. Please refer to the documentation that comes with your switch for information on availability of such features and configuration instructions. If your switch doesn't support such features, please refer to Q5.

Q4: How can I configure port mirroring or spanning to enable monitoring for my switch?
A:

Due to the variety of different switch products, we are not able to provide generic instructions for configuring switches. Please refer to the documentation that comes with your switch for information on the availability of this feature and configuration instructions.
Q5: My switch doesn't support monitoring features.
A: If you can't or don't want to configure a management port for your switch, there are still several alternatives available.
  1. Execute NetChatSpy on your Internet gateway, router or proxy server if possible. Any Internet traffic will pass through the gateway, enabling NetChatSpy to capture conversations.
  2. Send some fake ARP packet to your network to confuse your switch. The switch will then forward traffic destined to other computers to your computer instead. Please note that this is not recommended.
  3. Downgrade your top-level switch to a common hub. If your Internet bandwidth is less than 5Mbps, downgrading will not have any negative impact on your Internet access. Please note most Internet bandwidth for home or company use is less than 5Mbps. Typical bandwidth speeds are: Dial-up(0.06M bps), DSL/Cable(0.4M bps), and T1(1.5M bps). See the following diagram for replacing your top-level switch with a hub.

Q6: Does NetChatSpy work with DSL or Modem? My dialup internet connection freezes on Windows 2000.
A:

NetChatSpy supports modems on Windows9x, but not on Windows 2000 or above.

However you can run NetChatSpy on those computers not connected directly to a modem. With DSL, if it dials up by itself, and it acts as a router or NAT, then you can run NetChatSpy on any computer on your LAN.

Q7: Does NetChatSpy support all-in-one or integrated network cards?
A:

Yes, it fully supports most network cards integrated with the mother board.
 
 

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