A protocol analyzer is a tool (hardware or software) used to capture and analyze signals and data traffic over a

communication channel A communication channel refers either to a physical transmission medium such as a wire, or to a logical connection over a multiplexed medium such as a radio channel in telecommunications and computer networking. A channel is used for infor ...

. Such a channel varies from a local computer bus to a satellite link, that provides a means of communication using a standard

communication protocol A communication protocol is a system of rules that allows two or more entities of a communications system to transmit information via any variation of a physical quantity. The protocol defines the rules, syntax, semantics (computer science), sem ...

( networked or point-to-point). Each type of

has a different tool to collect and analyze signals and data. Specific types of protocol analyzers include: * A telecom network protocol analyzer * A network

packet analyzer A packet analyzer (also packet sniffer or network analyzer) is a computer program or computer hardware such as a packet capture appliance that can analyze and log traffic that passes over a computer network or part of a network. Packet capt ...

such as

Wireshark Wireshark is a Free and open-source software, free and open-source packet analyzer. It is used for computer network, network troubleshooting, analysis, software and communications protocol development, and education. Originally named Ethereal, ...

* A bus analyzer * An IP load tester

References

Electronic test equipment {{network-stub