Have a question about networking or computing? Hopefully you can find an answer here!
Frequently asked questions about the CellStream consulting and training services are answered here as well as number of other topics. If you would like to ask us a question, it is easy to contact us.
We hope you find the content here useful.
Hi everyone. This relatively easy question came in today: “How do I find out the IP address of a particular web site?” The simplest way that most folks will remember is to use something called “Ping”. Ping is a basic network tool that checks if a computer or device is reachable over a network (like […]
How To Find the IP Address of a Web Site Read More »
Maintaining the system is always a good idea, and it should be habitual. We break maintenance into three types: a) continual, b) periodic, and c) occasional. We recommend you get into a routine by inserting to-do’s or calendar reminders to run maintenance until you do it automatically. So let’s look at a good maintenance plan:
What maintenance should I run on my computer, if any? Read More »
There is no one “great” answer to this question. Usually saving disk space also maximizes performance of your computing platform. We fundamentally recommend: a) proper maintenance (see other tips below) and b) the occasional ‘spring cleaning’ (as also discussed below) combined with the c) use of a utility to clean your unused space (we like
How can I save Disk Space? Read More »
Yes, VPN applications do protect your traffic. A VPN is like wearing a costume or a mask because it masks your real identity and location, just like a costume or mask hides who you are in real life. Here’s the breakdown of the analogy: VPN vs. Costume Analogy VPN Function Costume Equivalent Hides your IP
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) is a measure of how strong a signal is compared to the background noise in a communication system. It is typically expressed in decibels (dB). The higher the SNR, the clearer and more reliable the signal. I often get asked, how is signal to noise calculated. Frankly the math is not hard.
The Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) Calculation Read More »
Back in 2018 (I think) I was becoming increasingly aware of the QUIC protocol in my and other’s packet captures and I immediately dug in and wrote about it. As of recent data (now Feb 2025), QUIC (Quick UDP Internet Connections) is experiencing significant adoption across the internet. Websites have implemented QUIC, with HTTP/3—built upon
An update on QUIC Adoption and traffic levels Read More »
I often bring up the following point in classes I teach on Internet Fundamentals: did anyone see the application TikTok before it arrived on the scene? Ofcourse the answer is no. I then usually follow up with: did anyone adjust traffic capacity planning for the arrival of an application like TikTok? Again, the answer is
How Much of the Internet Traffic is TikTok? Read More »
The links to the products shown here are all available through Amazon, and if you use these links, we will get a small cut through our Amazon Associates program. We thank you for doing this. I often get asked for a list of products that are in my “go bag”, when I work on networks.
The Network Products We Use in Our “Go Bag” Read More »
We get this question often: I am new to Telecom, or I just started at a service provider, and I need to learn Telecom basics – how can I come up to speed? This is a GREAT question – and the truth is: you need to get up to speed. The more you understand the
New to Telecom/Datacom. How can I come up to speed? Read More »
Someone asked the following “getting started” question on the Wireshark Discord site, and it prompted me to write this FAQ to help newcomers to Wireshark understand how to navigate the initial complexity of packet capture. Hi everyone! I’m new here and just downloaded wireshark for a Computer Comm class. I need to capture traffic sent
A Simple Capture and Filter Exercise for Wireshark Read More »
Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) was once seen as a promising Layer 2 networking technology due to its ability to handle a variety of traffic types (voice, video, and data) with high efficiency and quality of service (QoS) performance guarantees. I spent several years working with and then teaching ATM courses to my fellow telecom engineers.
What ever happened to ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode)? Read More »
Network Address Translation (NAT) and Network Port Address Translation (NPAT) are not considered a security function because its primary purpose is to modify the L3 network address information in IPv4 packet headers and L4 port numbers of TCP or UDP while in transit. NAT and NPAT are not needed in IPv6 networking. NAT is primarily
Why are NAT/NPAT not a security function? Read More »
I am getting asked a lot about this. Below is mix of reporting and my take on what happened and what needs to be done. Just so we are clear: I have no secret inside knowledge or insight into the problems. But if you are looking for a clear explanation, read on. The recent CrowdStrike
What was the nature of the July 2024 CrowdStrike computer outages? Read More »
Check out these great references as well: Our custom profiles repository for Wireshark Our Udemy course on Wireshark Our Udemy course on Wireless Packet capture Apparently this is a common problem, where on Windows systems you do not see any interfaces: There are a couple of things to try: 1. If you are using the
How do I get Windows interfaces to show up in Wireshark? Read More »
