Monitoring network traffic
A method for monitoring a network includes, transmitting and receiving messages at nodes of a network, generating monitoring data associated with the messages at the nodes, collecting the monitoring data from the nodes at a monitoring station in communication with the network, and associating a first portion of the collected monitoring data that corresponds to an event with a second portion of the collected monitoring data that corresponds to the event.
1 . A method, comprising:
at a device comprising a communication interface coupling the device to a wireless network, monitoring messages transmitted between the communication interface and the wireless network; and
outputting monitoring data associated with the monitored messages from the device.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the messages comprise radio messages.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the messages comprise frames formatted according to a medium access control layer format.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication interface performs data link layer functions.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the communication interface performs medium access control layer functions.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication interface comprises a radio receiver.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein outputting monitoring data comprises outputting the monitoring data onto a wired network.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the monitoring data comprises a copy of a transmitted or received frame.
9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the monitoring data comprises at least one of the group consisting of:
a time-stamp;
a received signal strength indicator;
a link quality indicator; and
a receiver gain.
10 . An apparatus comprising:
a communication interface for coupling to a wireless network,
a backchannel module coupled to the communication interface and configured to monitor messages transmitted between the communication interface and the wireless network; and
an output port for outputting monitoring data associated with the monitored messages from the backchannel module.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the messages comprise radio messages.
12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the messages comprise frames formatted according to a medium access control layer format.
13 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the communication interface is configured to perform data link layer functions.
14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the communication interface is configured to perform medium access control layer functions.
15 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the communication interface comprises a radio receiver.
16 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the output port is configured to couple to a wired network.
17 . A method for monitoring a wireless network comprising:
transmitting and receiving radio messages at nodes of a wireless network;
linking the nodes using a second network;
generating monitoring data associated with the radio messages at the nodes; and
collecting the monitoring data from the nodes over the second network.
18 . The method of claim 17 wherein the second network comprises a wired network.
19 . The method of claim 15 wherein the monitoring data comprises a copy of a transmitted or received frame.
20 . The method of claim 15 wherein the monitoring data comprises at least one of the group consisting of:
a time-stamp;
a received signal strength indicator;
a link quality indicator; and
a receiver gain.
21 . A system for monitoring a wireless network comprising:
a plurality of nodes each having a radio transceiver for transmitting and receiving radio messages;
a communications medium linking the nodes; and
a monitoring station coupled to the communications medium;
wherein the monitoring station is configured to receive monitoring data associated with radio messages among the nodes over the communications medium.
22 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the communications medium comprises a wired communications medium.
23 . The method of claim 1 wherein the monitoring data comprises a copy of a transmitted or received frame.
24 . A method for monitoring a network, comprising:
transmitting and receiving messages at nodes of a network;
generating monitoring data associated with the messages at the nodes;
collecting the monitoring data from the nodes at a monitoring station in communication with the network; and
associating a first portion of the collected monitoring data that corresponds to an event with a second portion of the collected monitoring data that corresponds to the event.
25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the event comprises delivery of a packet over a route from an origin node in the network to a destination node in the network.
26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the monitoring data comprises instances of the packet transmitted from nodes along the route.
27 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the event comprises transmission of an instance of a packet from a first node to a second node in the network.
28 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the monitoring data is collected from a plurality of devices in communication with the monitoring station.
29 . The method of claim 28 , further comprising synchronizing the plurality of devices with the monitoring station.
30 . The method of claim 24 , further comprising displaying associated monitoring data corresponding to an event on a diagram of the network.
31 . The method of claim 30 , further comprising selecting events for which monitoring data is displayed based on a time interval during which the events occurred.
32 . Software stored on a computer-readable medium for monitoring a network, comprising instructions for causing a processor to:
transmit and receiving messages at nodes of a network;
generate monitoring data associated with the messages at the nodes;
collect the monitoring data from the nodes at a monitoring station in communication with the network; and
associate a first portion of the collected monitoring data that corresponds to an event with a second portion of the collected monitoring data that corresponds to the event.
33 . The software of claim 32 , wherein the event comprises delivery of a packet over a route from an origin node in the network to a destination node in the network.
34 . The software of claim 33 , wherein the monitoring data comprises instances of the packet transmitted from nodes along the route.
35 . The software of claim 32 , further comprising displaying associated monitoring data corresponding to an event on a diagram of the network.
36 . A system for monitoring a network comprising:
a plurality of nodes each having a radio transceiver for transmitting and receiving radio messages; and
a monitoring station in communication with the nodes;
wherein the monitoring station is configured to receive monitoring data associated with radio messages among the nodes, and to associate a first portion of the received monitoring data that corresponds to an event with a second portion of the received monitoring data that corresponds to the event.
37 . The system of claim 36 , wherein the event comprises delivery of a packet over a route from an origin node in the network to a destination node in the network.
38 . The system of claim 37 , wherein the monitoring data comprises instances of the packet transmitted from nodes along the route.
39 . The system of claim 36 , further comprising displaying associated monitoring data corresponding to an event on a diagram of the network.