wcf - What is Wireshark and WinPcap? -

i'm working wcf service wrote few years back, uses tcp. it's causing me problems saying, “…the target machine actively refused” attempting connect it. i've no idea why target machine (our windows 2003 server) should actively refusing connecting it, when last week hunky-dory. i've asked on msdn forums, , told run called wireshark. i've never heard of it. wireshark sort of fiddler, including other protocols besides http?

and thing. i've downloaded wireshark , have started install it. on in installation informed me wants update called winpcap. i've never heard of that, either. i've done search on , have found on wikipedia , see windows version of pcap, stands packet capture. , according wireshark's website, whatever version of winpcap on system is, “… annoying bugs …” , version 4.1.2 of winpcap fixes them. ok, that's nice , all, frankly satisfying wireshark's needs alone isn't i'm here do. i'd know impact replacing winpcap have on system. else relies upon winpcap?

wireshark tool used analyze network traffic. [win]pcap dependency providing functionality, found out. if have other tools require packet capturing may use pcap. generally, there shouldn't else on system using pcap, have no way of knowing on system.....

using wireshark diagnose connection problem application overkill. suggest checking application correctly binds hostname , interface correctly, port actively opened using tool netstat, etc before go digging around in packet captures.

you might try opening command prompt window , using: netstat -p tcp -a

you should see list of tcp connections , opened ports on machine. if don't see appropriate port application should have opened (or weird ip) know there's application. can check windows firewall , add exceptions if need them.