tags:

views:

238

answers:

3
+2  Q: 

Monitor Network Traffic Mac

I'm wondering how to go about monitoring network traffic on my Mac. Like the way activity monitor does it, showing the bytes / packets in and out.

I know it's a bit vague, but I'm unsure of the best place to start.

EDIT: I forgot to mention, I'm wanting to do this in code, not use an existing piece of software.

A: 

Use tcpdump for quick-n-dirty low-level command-line monitoring, and wireshark for the kitchen sink.

OTOH, if you just want to know the number of bytes/packets (as opposed to their contents), try (Net Monitor)[http://homepage.mac.com/rominar/net.html], which is commercial, unfortunately.

Marcelo Cantos  2010-04-18 13:18:34
He wants to do it in a program, not use a product...
calmh  2010-04-18 14:02:16
I wrote my answer before the OP added the qualifier.
Marcelo Cantos  2010-04-18 22:06:10
+1  A: 

You may want to look into programming with pcap. That's the library which drives tcpdump.

Josh  2010-04-18 13:49:53
Way overkill for getting the number of bytes/packets that passes an interface...
calmh  2010-04-18 14:02:51
@calmh: Post your solution as an answer then so he can accept it.
Josh  2010-04-18 15:02:00
+1 for pcap if you want to do it in program.
Jack  2010-04-18 16:15:38
It's in the question linked in the comment above. No need to repeat what has already been well answered by someone else.
calmh  2010-04-18 18:41:32
@calmh But @Tom can't accept a comment as an answer.
Josh  2010-04-18 19:39:53
A: 

I just found the open source project, MenuMeters. It's got exactly what I'm looking for.

Tom Irving  2010-04-18 15:32:12
you just said that you want to do this in code and not existing tool/software.
Jack  2010-04-18 16:16:29
Hence the 'Open Source'.
Tom Irving  2010-04-18 17:01:19

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