Microsoft Research TCP Analyzer – Check Out Your Network

Microsoft Research TCP Analyzer (Link) is a network analyzer that allows you to analyze network traces of Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connections. Given a Microsoft Network Monitor trace, the analyzer provides various performance statistics and visualizations for the captured TCP connection. This app also gives a time plot and an explanation of the individual plots.

You must have Microsoft Network Monitor installed before installing TCP Analyzer and you must download the SDK for Experts.   You should also install Charting.   Download

Below is an Example of Microsoft Network Monitor capturing packets on a wireless network.  Notice the information about the wireless (-60 dBm) in the first picture.   In the second picture you can see information on a captured packet (firefox.exe and the destination IP address).

TCP Analyzer which as stated requires Microsoft’s Network Monitor to installed first.

To USE TCP Analyzer

• Start Microsoft’s Network Monitor
• Capture packets for ? (general over a period of time you decide at peak usage of your network or when transferring and using data across your network.
• Stop the Capture
• Open the Captured File
• Go to Experts Menu (this appears after you stop, save and reopen a capture file
• Open the TCP Analyzer

Want to see the TOP Users of your Network?

You can also find your Top Users (top 10) by using this expert (download)-

Charting Download (must have .NET 3.5)

*this software was tested on Windows 7 Professional but will work with Windows Vista or Windows XP.

Sync: Technology and Gadget News

Go check out the Sync blog.  This Canadian site has help, How-Tos, Hardware, News and more.

Here’s a good article on getting the Quick Launch Bar in Windows 7 by Rhonda Callow on Sync.

Windows Update Error 80072EE2

Windows Update Error 80072EE2 is generally caused by an MTU error.

You can reset your MTU to 1492 or 1472 by using TCPOptimizer found here.

* You may also have to set your router’s MTU (found in the advanced settings of your router- look in the manual) to the above numbers also.

What is MTU?  – Link

Wireless Randomly Disconnects

Have Windows Vista or Windows 7?  Are you disconnected from the internet randomly?  Here’s what it could be-

• Turn off the Adapter’s Power Management feature in the device manager
• Turn off the USB hub Power Management in the device manager
• Look at your power plan and click on the advanced options.  Scroll down to the wireless adapter.  Change it to Low.

• Make sure you don’t have a virus or any malware
• The latest wireless drivers should be loaded
• Use TCPOptimizer to make sure your MTU settings are the same in your router and on your wireless card.
• Also In adhoc mode, both computers should be the same (MTU Settings).
• TCPOptimizer is found here.

What is MTU?  – Link

Network Activity Lights in Windows 7

Network Activity Lights in Windows 7 can be activated with a little add-on program called Network Activity Indicator.  Found at ITSamples,  the tiny little program can add lights to your network.  The negative side is you need to schedule these to operate when your computer logs in through the task scheduler or keep the file in a folder and (right click) and set the settings to start with Windows.

Optimize Your Network Settings

Want to further optimize your network settings?   Use this little known settings in Windows. (Directions are for Windows Vista and Windows 7 – settings apply to Windows XP also).

• Open the Network and Sharing Center
• Click on Change Adapter Settings
• Hit the Alt Key
• Click Advanced
• Advanced Settings
• Under Adapters and Bindings, Move the Network you use to the top
• Under the Provider Order, Move Microsoft Windows Network to the Top

[Scheduled Post]

Windows 7 and Vista Boot Optimization

Windows Vista and Windows 7, together with their server variant, Windows Server 2008, have a built-in mechanism to make boot up process faster, by maximizing usage of available processors.
Windows 7 and Windows Vista users running dual-core, quad-core or other multi-core or multi-processor computers can try the following trick to make Windows boots faster.
Open the “Run” Windows dialog box or search.
Type “MSConfig” (no quotes) into the text box after “Open:”.
Go to Boot tab.
For dual-boot or multi-boot system, make sure that the operating system to make the change to is selected.
Click on the ‘Advanced Options’ button. Mark the check box for ‘Number of Processors’, and then select the maximum number count of CPU core processors value from the drop down list. Click ‘OK’ twice to exit System Configuration.

Restart your computer. Once enabled, Windows operating system will use all available (or selected number of) processor cores to run the boot up algorithms, and this will potentially make the startup speedier and faster, with less waiting time at the login screen.
This has significantly improved my boot/login time. I have a dual core processor as you can see. Imagine quad core or more!

Dawn Babian, GSAE

Why USBs Can be Dangerous

Not only can infected USB drives infect your computer with a virus, your personal information can be stolen.  Utilities such as USB Switchblade from Hak5 can steal your data.

How to Prevent Autorun and protect your computer.

• The How-To-Geek (Disable Autoplay)
• Enable USB scan on your antivirus (AVG shown below)

1. Open the AVG user Interface.

2.On the Tools menu click advanced settings. Next select scans and select removal device scan select or enable removable device scan and make sure “automatically heal/remove infections “is checked.



So how do you protect your computer from someone who has access to it?  Make sure you have a complex password and make sure you practice physical security.  Always lock your computer when you leave it.  Lock your drive with a USB drive.  See our article on Predator.



I have also wrote many articles on NirSoft software.  NirSoft offers USBDeview which shows all USB devices that have been attached to your computer.



And with new USB Firewalls, these programs offer protection of your USB drive.



[Automated Post]

Dell Studio Laptop i7

We just set up two Dell Studio Laptops with an 8 (eight) core i7 processor.   These computers will be assigned to instructors (Both NIMS or ADDA certified) that teach AutoCAD and FeatureCAM software.   Awesome computers.

Although we were setting up drivers, Windows 7 Enterprise flies on these computers.

Secret Password Generator in Windows 7

OK, it’s not a real secret but you can go to a cmd prompt (as the administrator) and generate a password using the following command:    net user username /random

Windows will create a random password and yes it works in XP and Vista also.   And the ‘Mike” user no longer exist on my computer….

Design Your Own Icon in Windows 7

Go to Search in the Menu and type eudcedit and click OK.

Test Your Hard Drive Speed With Windows 7’s Device Manager

Test Your Hard Drive Speed With Windows 7’s Device Manager – You can test your hard drive speed by going to the Device Manager, Expanding the Hard Drive Controllers, select the Port and Click on the Test button.