Statistics and Reports

This window (View => Statistics) displays vital network statistics of your PC or LAN segment, such as packets per second rate, bytes per second rate, Ethernet protocols, IP protocols and sub-protocols distribution graphs. You can copy any of the graphs to the clipboard by double-clicking on the graph. Ethernet protocols, IP protocols and sub-protocols "pie" graphs can be rotated using the small buttons in the lower right corner for better visibility of the slices.

The data displayed on each page can be saved as a bitmap or comma-delimited text file using the context menu or drag-and-drop. The Report page allows you to have CommView automatically generate customizable reports in HTML or comma-delimited text formats.

Network statistics can be collected either by using all the data that passes through your network adapter or by using the rules that are currently set. If you want the statistics counters to process only the data (packets) that match the current rule set and ignore all other data, you should check the Apply current rules box.

General

Displays Packets per second and Bytes/Bits per second histograms, a bandwidth utilization gauge (traffic per second divided by the NIC or modem link speed), as well as the overall packet and byte counters. Double-clicking on the gauge brings up a dialog window that allows you to manually configure the adapter speed to be used in the bandwidth utilization calculations.

Protocols

Displays the distribution of the Ethernet protocols, such as ARP, IP, SNAP, SPX, etc. Use the Chart by drop-down list to select one of the two available calculation methods: by number of packets or by number of bytes.

IP Protocols

Displays the distribution of the IP protocols. Use the Chart by drop-down list to select one of the two available calculation methods: by number of packets or by number of bytes.

IP Sub-protocols

Displays the distribution of the main IP application-level sub-protocols: HTTP, FTP, POP3, SMTP, Telnet, NNTP, NetBIOS, HTTPS, and DNS. To add more protocols, click on the Customize button. This dialog allows you to define up to 8 custom protocols. You should enter a protocol name, select the IP protocol type (TCP/UDP), and port number. Use the Chart by drop-down list to select one of the two available calculation methods: by number of packets or by number of bytes.

Sizes

Displays the packet size distribution chart.

Hosts by MAC

Lists active LAN hosts by MAC address and displays data transfer statistics. You can assign aliases to MAC addresses. If you have too many multicast packets on your network and the Hosts by MAC table is overpopulated, you may want to group multicast addresses to one line that will be named GroupedMulticast. You can enable this function by checking the Group multicast addresses box.  Please note that only the packets that arrived after this option has been set will be grouped accordingly; the previously received packets will not be affected by this option.

Hosts by IP

Lists active LAN hosts by IP address and displays data transfer statistics. Since IP packets captured by the program can be originated from an unlimited number of IP addresses (both internal to your LAN and external), by default this tab doesn't display any statistics. To have the statistics displayed, you should first set the range of IP addresses to be monitored by clicking Add/Set Ranges. Normally, these ranges should belong to your LAN, and configuring the program to monitor a certain range of IP addresses allows you to have the usage statistics. You can enter any number of ranges, but the total number of IP addresses being monitored cannot exceed 1,000. To delete a range, right-click on the list of ranges and select the appropriate menu command. You can assign aliases to IP addresses. Additionally, you can check the All box to have the program list all IP addresses; however, this option is not recommended for RAM and CPU utilization reasons.

Matrix by MAC

This page displays the graphical conversation matrix between hosts based on their MAC addresses. The hosts represented by their MAC addresses are placed on the circle, and the sessions between them are shown as lines that connect the hosts. Moving the mouse over a host highlights all connections that this host makes with other hosts. You can change the number of the most active host pairs that are displayed in the matrix by changing the value in the Most active pairs field. To change the number of the latest address pairs examined by the program, modify the value in the Latest pairs to count field. If your network segment has many broadcast or multicast packets that overpopulate the matrix, you can ignore such packets by checking the Ignore broadcasts and Ignore multicasts boxes.

Matrix by IP

This page displays the graphical conversation matrix between hosts based on their IP addresses. The hosts represented by their IP addresses are placed on the circle, and the sessions between them are shown as lines that connect the hosts. Moving the mouse over a host highlights all connections that this host makes with other hosts. You can change the number of the most active host pairs that are displayed in the matrix by changing the value in the Most active pairs field. To change the number of latest address pairs examined by the program, modify the value in the Latest pairs to count field. If your network segment has many broadcast or multicast packets that overpopulate the matrix, you can ignore such packets by checking the Ignore broadcasts and Ignore multicasts boxes.

Errors

Displays the information on the Ethernet errors obtained directly from the adapter. Below are the explanations of the error types:

Rx CRS Errors

The number of frames received with circular redundancy check (CRC) or frame check sequence (FCS) error.

Rx Alignment Errors

The number of frames received with alignment errors.

Rx Overrun

The number of frames not received due to overrun errors on the NIC.

Tx One Collision

The number of frames successfully transmitted after exactly one collision.

Tx More Collisions

The number of frames successfully transmitted after more than one collision.

Tx Deferred

The number of frames successfully transmitted after the NIC defers transmission at least once.

Tx Max Collisions

The number of frames not transmitted due to excessive collisions.

Tx Underrun

The number of frames not transmitted due to underrun errors on the NIC.

Tx Heartbeat Failure

The number of frames successfully transmitted without detection of the collision-detect heartbeat.

Tx Times CRS Lost

The number of times the CRS signal has been lost during packet transmission.

Tx Late Collisions

The number of collisions detected after the normal window.

Rx Frames w/Errors

The number of frames that a NIC receives but does not indicate to the protocols due to errors.

Rx Frames w/o Errors

The number of frames that the NIC receives without errors and indicates to bound protocols.

Tx Frames w/Errors

The number of frames that a NIC fails to transmit.

Tx Frames w/o Errors

The number of frames that are transmitted without errors.

Please note that:

Report

This tab allows you to have CommView automatically generate customizable reports in HTML (including images of charts and graphs) or comma-delimited text formats.

It is possible to have the program generate statistics on pre-captured data in addition to real-time statistics. To do that, load a capture file in Log Viewer and click File => Generate Statistic. You can optionally reset previously collected statistics displayed in the Statistics window. Please note that this function will not show packet distribution along the timeline. It is limited to displaying totals, protocol charts, and LAN hosts tables.