May 13th, 2005
Popular packet analyzer doesn't recognize Skype traffic
In my last post, I referred to the Skype softphone keypad’s seeming hit-or-miss audio performance.
Now, I’ve got another tip about Skype, drawn from my own experience.
If you deploy or are considering deploying Skype in your company or organization, you should know that some popular VoIP call-quality measuring software does not work with Skype - or other softphones, for that matter.
I know, because I tried to get my Skype to work with EtherPeek VX, a network protocol analysis tool from WildPackets. When I opened EtherPeek while running Skype, it didn’t pick up any packets. Not even a "peek."
So, playing the intrepid investigative reporter/Blogger/reader advocate that I am, I submitted a tech support question to WildPackets and got back the following:
"Currently, EtherPeek VX does not decode/recognize Skype traffic. This
feature has been added to our feature request list."
I have two questions for you readers:
Does the lack of ability for protocol analysis tools to work with Skype traffic discourage you from deploying Skype?
Are there any tools you know of that will measure Skype packets?
I sense lots of folks who come by here would like to know this. Spread the word by postng a TalkBack.
Russell Shaw is an enterprise computing journalist, analyst and author based in Portland, Oregon. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
