How do I assign a different IP address to each virtual client in WCAT.

Question

I need to simulate 200 unique users (Unique IP's) hitting a web server using the Microsoft Web Capacity Analysis Tool. I need to do this using 200 virtual clients. I have DNS pointing all 200 IPs at the client box on which the virtual clients will be running.

Does anyone know how to configure this? I have been assured that it can be done, but of course no one can provide the how. I have an inkling I coud add a header specifying the IPs, but can't ssem to get it running.

Any help would be sincerly appreciated.

Answer 1

Spoofing IP addresses is doable on a Local Area Network, but practically impossible over a Wide Area Network (ie: the internet). Too many routers will intercept the TCP packets and recognize that something is fishy with them.

If you need a raw number of unique IPs, you might be better off using a load testing tool that supports a broad number of IPs. These days the lowest cost way to do that is to look to the cloud. You can roll your own solution (200 IPs from Amazon costs less than $20/hour) or you can use a load testing service such as BrowserMob (of which I am the founder, so I'm clearly biased) :)