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Using Windows Packet Monitor (Pktmon) for Packet Capture and Analysis
Views: 10,467Originally published May 22, 2020 | Updated November 8, 2026 Back in May 2020, I wrote about a new packet capture utility Microsoft had quietly introduced into Windows 10. It was called Packet Monitor, or pktmon.exe, and it promised something interesting: the ability to capture and troubleshoot network packets without installing additional software. Naturally,
Capture Windows Network Traffic Using Netsh and Wireshark
Views: 3,356Originally published January 11, 2017 | Updated November 8, 2026 Did you know that Windows includes a built-in capability for capturing network packets without installing Wireshark, Npcap, or another packet capture application? It’s true, and it has been available for quite a few years. Back in January 2017, I wrote about using the Windows
Using Netsh in Windows 11: Network Commands and Troubleshooting
Views: 5,732Originally published September 12, 2013 | Updated November 8, 2026 Back in September 2013, I wrote an article about a Windows networking utility called Netsh, short for Network Shell. At the time, it was one of the most useful command-line tools available for examining and changing Windows network configurations. And guess what? It’s still
IPv6 Windows Command-Line Commands and Troubleshooting Examples
Views: 4,648Originally published September 12, 2013 | Updated November 6, 2026 Check out these additional IPv6 Resources: Our IPv6 overview course at Udemy Our IPv6 Custom Profiles for Wireshark Our IPv6 classes at the Online School When I originally wrote this article in September 2013, IPv6 was still something many Windows users and network technicians
Access Multiple Windows PCs and Virtual Machines with Remote Desktop
Views: 2,348Originally published February 7, 2011 | Updated November 6, 2026 Important Security Update: If you followed the original 2011 instructions and still have Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) ports forwarded from your Internet router to Windows computers, review those rules. Directly exposing RDP to the public Internet creates unnecessary security risks. Remove any forwarding rules
Windows 11 Keyboard Shortcuts: The Ones Worth Knowing
Views: 2,769Originally published January 3, 2011 | Updated November 5, 2026 Remember WordPerfect and those keyboard templates that sat above the function keys? They listed dozens of shortcuts, and if you used the program regularly, you probably learned quite a few of them. Okay, maybe I’m dating myself a bit. Back in January 2011, I
How to Shut Down or Restart an Unresponsive Windows Computer
Views: 1,757Originally published December 22, 2010 | Updated November 5, 2026 Have you ever encountered a Windows computer that simply refuses to shut down? You click Start, select Shut down or Restart, and nothing happens. Perhaps the Start menu won’t open at all. Maybe an application has stopped responding, or the entire Windows desktop appears
Going Beyond Windows Task Manager with Process Explorer
Views: 2,104Originally published December 12, 2010 | Updated November 4, 2026 Every Windows user has probably opened Task Manager at some point. Perhaps an application stopped responding, the computer became unusually slow, or you simply wanted to find out what was consuming all that CPU or memory. Task Manager is an excellent utility, and Microsoft
Using Microsoft Autoruns to Troubleshoot Windows Startup Problems
Views: 2,052Originally published October 25, 2010 | Updated November 4, 2026 Back in October 2010, I wrote a short article recommending a Microsoft utility called Autoruns. At the time, I was particularly interested in its ability to help identify spyware and malware that configured themselves to start automatically with Windows. Sixteen years later, Autoruns is
A TCP State Question
Views: 213My immediate thought was, well, after sending its FIN, A enters the FIN_WAIT_1 state. If B’s acknowledgment is lost, A remains in FIN_WAIT_1 because its FIN has not yet been acknowledged. If the retransmission timer expires before an acknowledgment arrives, A retransmits its FIN. But, thinking about it some more, wouldn’t A retransmit? I
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Tag Cloud
We have several articles here that contain and use Amazon links for products we recommend or reference. When you select products using those links, we receive a small cut without affecting your price, and appreciate you for using our links. You can also check out my Amazon Storefront here. Here are some of those posts:
10 Best Books for Broadband Technicians
The Top Ten Networking Books for Reference
Servicing or Repairing Network Equipment
The Network Products We Use in Our “Go Bag”
A List of USB Wi-Fi Adapters that support Monitor Mode
A Wi-Fi 7 Tri-Band USB Adapter now available on Amazon
IPv6 Books for Reference and Study
Content Creator Equipment List for YouTube/Vimeo/Patreon/Udemy
