Wireshark Diagnostics

Wireshark is often used to capture and inspect packets in real time. It helps diagnose communication issues between devices and software, such as delays, packet loss, and timeouts. Below are a few examples of how to adjust Wireshark to help dissect network data.

Filters

Filters in Wireshark allow you to focus on specific network traffic, making analysis faster and more precise. They help isolate packets by IP, protocol, or data content to troubleshoot issues efficiently.

For instance, the below filter captures only the traffic originating from the specified IP, which is useful when troubleshooting communication issues from a particular device:

ip.src == 192.168.1.XX

To filter by a specific register in eBUS, first go to Tool → Save GenICam XML. Open the saved XML file and search for the desired parameter to locate its register address. Remove any leading zeros and the “X” from the address, then use the remaining value in the Wireshark filter below along with the keyword "contains":

_ws.col.info contains "20130"

To focus on device communication and exclude large chunks of image data, filter by the GVCP protocol, which handles camera commands and control messages. For example, to display only command packets like READREG_CMD and READREG_ACK, use:

gvcp

Alternatively, disable eBUS filter driver in network settings before running the wireshark diagnostics. 

Snaplen

Reducing snaplen lets Wireshark discard the large image payloads, keeping capture files small during long recordings. This makes it practical to run extended traces and clearly see when packets from the camera stop arriving, helping you pinpoint timeout events without storing unnecessary image data.
 

Bad Checksum

By checking UDP checksums, you can see which packets may have been corrupted or altered during transmission. This helps identify potential network-related issues that could cause missing or incomplete image frames, distinguishing them from camera or software problems.

IPv4 checksums verify the packet header. A bad IPv4 checksum can cause the packet to be dropped or misrouted before reaching the application, even if the payload is intact.

By checking IPv4 checksums, you can identify packets whose headers may have been corrupted in transit. This provides clues to potential network delivery issues, such as faulty NICs, misconfigured switches, or other infrastructure problems, helping distinguish them from camera or software errors.

Delta Time

Delta Time shows the time between consecutive packets, making it easier to get a quick overview of traffic timing. Patterns such as consistent intervals, sudden gaps, or bursts become immediately visible. This helps you quickly spot dropped frames, stalled image streams, or delays in control communication. Viewing Delta Time also makes it easier to correlate timing issues with camera settings, network bandwidth limits, or software processing delays.