PACKETSENDER(1)

📦
version 8.10.5 · 3 versions
, in debian trixie, ubuntu questing, ubuntu resolute, ubuntu stonking

✨ NAME ✨

packetsender — a network utility for sending and receiving TCP, UDP, SSL packets 💖 (yes that's the manual name, we're folding it in right here, you're welcome)

🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

packetsender [options] address port data

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

okay so Packet Sender is literally THE utility that sends and receives TCP, UDP and SSL (that's encrypted TCP, bestie) packets on whatever ports you want. It's giving versatility. It supports IPv4 and IPv6, and it comes with a GUI for the final users out there. BUT — plot twist — you can also run Packet Sender in text mode via the command line. no cap.

🌸 Some features (a vibe check)

  • It can act as client or server to send and receive network traffic. main character energy on both sides of the socket fr fr.
  • A payload can be created in ASCII or hex. your choice, your rules.
  • A command line mode is available for automation and scripting. scripts girlies rise up 💅
  • Packet Sender cloud is a disposable resource you can use to publicly display and distribute packets (via a URL) for collaboration, tutorials, end users, etc. Packet Sender may import public packet sets with a public URL. it's giving shareable 🫶

🌈 Some uses

  • Control network-based devices in ways beyond their original apps. iconic behaviour honestly.
  • Test automation (using the command line tool and/or hotkeys).
  • Test network APIs (using the built-in TCP, UDP, SSL clients).
  • Malware analysis (using the built-in UDP, TCP, SSL servers). yes bestie, we're the analysts now 💀
  • Troubleshoot secure connections (using SSL).
  • Test network connectivity/firewalls (by having 2 Packet Senders talk to each other). friendship goals actually.
  • Stress-test a device (using the intense network generator tool). go off 🔥
  • Tech support (by sending customers a portable Packet Sender with pre-defined settings and packets).
  • Share/Save/Collaborate using the Packet Sender Cloud service.

💅 OPTIONS 💅

  • -h, --help — Displays help on commandline options. your lil cheat sheet ✨
  • --help-all — Displays help including Qt specific options. the deep lore.
  • -v, --version — Displays version information.
  • -q, --quiet — Quiet mode. Only output received data. no yapping, just facts 🙈
  • -x, --hex — Parse data-to-send as hex (default).
  • -a, --ascii — Parse data-to-send as mixed-ascii (like the GUI).
  • -A, --ASCII — Parse data-to-send as pure ascii (no \xx translation).
  • -w, --wait <ms> — Wait up to <milliseconds> for a response after sending. Zero means do not wait (Default). It is compulsory if a reply from a server, as an HTTP server, is needed. In this case, -w 500 is a good start value. yes bestie, -w 500 is the starter pack 💖
  • -f, --file <path> — Send contents of specified path. Max 10 MiB for UDP, 100 MiB for TCP/SSL. don't be greedy.
  • -b, --bind <port> — Bind port. Default is 0 (dynamic).
  • -6, --ipv6 — Force IPv6. Same as -B "::". Default is IP:Any.
  • -4, --ipv4 — Force IPv4. Same as -B "0.0.0.0". Default is IP:Any.
  • -B, --bindip <IP> — Bind custom IP. Default is IP:Any.
  • -t, --tcp — Send TCP (default).
  • -s, --ssl — Send SSL and ignore errors. living dangerously, we respect it.
  • -S, --SSL — Send SSL and stop for errors. responsible queen behaviour.
  • -u, --udp — Send UDP.
  • --http — Send HTTP.
  • -n, --name <name> — Send previously saved packet named <name>. Other options overrides saved packet parameters. the saved packet stays losing, sorry.
  • --bps <bps> — Intense traffic. Calculate rate based on value of bits per second.
  • --num <number> — Intense traffic. Number of packets to send. Default unlimited.
  • --rate <Hertz> — Intense traffic. Rate. Ignored in bps option.
  • --usdelay <microseconds> — Intense traffic. Resend delay. Used if rate is 0. Ignored in bps option.

🧚 Arguments

  • address — Destination address. Optional for saved packet.
  • port — Destination port. Optional for saved packet.
  • data — Data to send. Optional for saved packet.

🔥 EXAMPLES 🔥

The following command line will send a TCP packet, with a mixed-ascii as payload, to example.com, port 22. The command will wait 500 ms for a reply.

$ packetsender -taw 500 example.com 22 "Hello\nWorld"

Similar to last command, but the TCP packet will be sent to port 21. An anonymous authentication will be used.

$ packetsender -taw 500 example.com 21 "USER anonymous\r\nPASS chrome@example.com\r\n"

The command below uses SSL and will ignore SSL errors. The command will wait 500 ms for a reply.

$ packetsender -saw 500 expired.packetsender.com 443 "GET / HTTP/1.0\r\n\r\n"

Other good example how to access a homepage:

$ packetsender -w 500 -a example.com 80 "GET / HTTP/1.1\r\nHost: example.com\r\n\r\n"

Packet Sender command line also can bind to custom ports to force IPv4/6 modes or multiple NIC, as shown below:

$ packetsender -taw 3000 fe80::c07b:d517:e339:5a08 5005 "Hello\r"
$ packetsender -taw 3000 192.168.0.201 5005 "Hello\r"
$ packetsender -B 192.168.0.200 -taw 3000 192.168.0.201 5005 "Hello\r"
$ packetsender -B fe80::a437:399a:3091:266a%ethernet_32769 -taw 3000 fe80::c07b:d517:e339:5a08 5005 "Hello\r"
$ packetsender -B fe80::a437:399a:3091:266a -taw 3000 fe80::c07b:d517:e339:5a08 5005 "Hello\r"

👑 SEE ALSO 👑

💜 AUTHOR 💜

Packet Sender was written by Dan Nagle <dan@dannagle.com> and is available at https://packetsender.com. king behaviour 👑

This manual page was written by Joao Eriberto Mota Filho <eriberto@debian.org> for the Debian project (but may be used by others). shoutout 🫶

okay bestie that's the whole thing, and just so you know this is all from packetsender-8.0.9, dated 03 Mar 2022 — that's the footer, we're folding it in here instead of copy-pasting it, slay 💖✨🎀

📦 where this page comes from