VMWare tools installation for Mandriva

I meant to write this post for a long time, but today my level of frustration having to carry out the process below, all over again (upgrade of vmware workstation to version 6.0.5 meant another version of tools to be installed to run my mandriva inside Vista) reached a point where I saved it – [...]

useful analysis tools – usage reminder

How to obtain multiple files during a capture:
$ tethereal -i <interface> -a filesize:3000 -b 14 -s 96 -w <capture_file>
(3MB files of 96 bytes length)
NOTE: tcpdump defaults to 96 bytes length, also, but I am not sure if it supports ring buffer?!?
******
If multiple files matching the regexp FOOBAR are to be merged :
$ mergecap -w bigfile.cap [...]

tunneling over SSH

Generic:
$ ssh -N -f -L <local_port>:<end_server>:<end_port> user@ssh_intermediary_server
NOTE: if using auth. w/keys and no passwd, the last part (user@…) is not needed
Example:
$ ssh -f -N -L 8025:smtp.comcast.net:25 my_home_machine -L 8110:mail.comcast.net:110 my_home_machine
allows me to use the email client on a laptop, pointing to localhost:8025 for SMTP services, and localhost:8110 for POP3 services associated with my Comcast account, [...]