Super Silly Questions -- But I've tried on my own

[shownotell]

Ok, I tried a forums search, google, and word of mouth--the answers I got were "sorta" answers, but, I'd prefer to know my thoughts are in the same place. The first question is really sillly, but, if you don't ask, you don't know right?

1. Is there a version of Mandrake that'll burn to 650mb discs? (i really don't want to buy larger than what I have unless the answer is "no")

2. Does ShowEQ run *inside* the EQ client? The reason I ask is because if it takes a Linux box to sit between EQ and my connexion, shouln't the UI be on the EQ box?

3. Is ShowEQ like etheral aka Wireshark, in that, if I have a wireless connection on my router and notebook, if my Linux box has a wireless adapter, shouldn't it be able to analyse packets like etheral?

Thanks much for any input, comments, or even abuse--I'm tyrying to learn on my own and anything will really help.

[spack]

1. Is there a version of Mandrake that'll burn to 650mb discs? (i really don't want to buy larger than what I have unless the answer is "no")


Are you saying you have a bunch of old 650 MB CDs and don't want to buy 700MB CDs? The last time I had 650MB CDs was several years ago. If you can't afford a few 700MB CDs that probably cost less than $0.20 each, I don't know what to tell you man. Every CD image .iso file for every distro I've seen in the last several years is for 700MB disks.



2. Does ShowEQ run *inside* the EQ client? The reason I ask is because if it takes a Linux box to sit between EQ and my connexion, shouln't the UI be on the EQ box?


The simplest way to put this is ShowEQ runs on a linux client on a seperate machine. You need to connect both the linux box and your windows machine with Everquest to a HUB (not a switch) because hubs have the same packets hitting all the ports on it. The ShowEQ client is basically going to see every data packet that your Windows box sees and it's going to filter and process the EQ packets. Your HUB's uplink port will be connected to your internet router/firewall box or some other network switch on your home network.



3. Is ShowEQ like etheral aka Wireshark, in that, if I have a wireless connection on my router and notebook, if my Linux box has a wireless adapter, shouldn't it be able to analyse packets like etheral?


Yes, you can sniff the packets if you are using a wireless network. However, my personal experience has been incredibly crash prone. The best explanation I have for it is missed packets.

[shownotell]

Ok ok so I'm really really cheap! =) I'll pick up some 700mb disks--it's just, if you got'em why not use'em eh?

Thanks SO much for the reply, that really clears up the confusion. I just couldn't quite see how things worked, especially after reading posts where it looked like folks were executing SEQ from w/i the EQ client--almost like a terminal server session.

Thanks again!

ps based on your experience, are the missed packets due to data transfer rates and the adapter not able to keep up, or just the general wonkiness of wireless?

pps any suggestions on wireless adapters? i read in a few posts that linksys adapters may not function well, or even function at all in promiscuous mode.

[purple]

2. Does ShowEQ run *inside* the EQ client? The reason I ask is because if it takes a Linux box to sit between EQ and my connexion, shouln't the UI be on the EQ box?


ShowEQ does absolutely nothing to the EQ client at all. It is a passive observer. Think of ShowEQ as you sitting outside your neighbor's window watching his Cable TV.



3. Is ShowEQ like etheral aka Wireshark, in that, if I have a wireless connection on my router and notebook, if my Linux box has a wireless adapter, shouldn't it be able to analyse packets like etheral?


ShowEQ is exactly like ethereal. If ethereal can see packets to/from your EQ client, seq can see packets. This does not mean that your network setup will work for ShowEQ, though. The important distinction is to/from your EQ client. A lot of wireless NICs cannot be put into promiscuous mode.

[shownotell]

Thanks very much purple! If I manage to get my wireless adapters to work, would it help to post my set up?