A guide to using Packet Collector
 

Backround

Packet Collector(gonna be refered to as PC from now on) is use to collect packets (data) from eq servers, and is very useful for adding new features into eqemu.

Notes

• -PC only works on NT machines ATM (so only windows NT,2k and XP)
  -SoE CAN NOT catch you using this program (unless you tell them ^_^)
  -PC can also collect ITEMS! (so if you want high level PoP items in the emu, go collect them)
  -Its better to collect one thing at a time, eg. use PC on bows and put the data in the text file called bows.txt (more on this later) then move on
  -Give collected data to OPs or justaddwater in #eqemu ONLY
  -If you have a friend with HIGH level chars, point them to this guide ^_^
  - THIS ONLY WORKS ON EQ LIVE (ie normal eq)
  -You must start EQ FIRST then PC

Setting up PC

1.) Get PC 0.74 from here - http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/e...4.zip?download , put it in a easy to remember dir say C:\packet

2.) Get wincap 2.3 (do NOT use 3.0+) from here - http://winpcap.polito.it/ , install

3.) Get all missing DLLs (if any) from here - http://lyenu.crimsonlayer.net/mfc-dlls/ , put them in the PC dir

4.) Go to Start => Run and type cmd , then hit enter

5.) Go to your PC dir using: cd DIR .eg. cd C:\packet (if you used the dir from step 1)
Now depending on what you want to collect use one of the following 2 method's

Using PC
Theres 2 ways in which PC can be used, first to collect opcodes (which is used to add features in to the emu) Second to collect spawns
ONLY use the spawn method in high level zones (mainly PoP)

Opcode collecting----
Please don't use this method and simply play eq for a few hours.

Try one (or both if one dosn't work) Just paste it in the promet:

PacketCollector.exe 127.0.0.1 -d 1 -o all -l thingyourcolleting.txt

PacketCollector.exe YourIPHere -d 1 -o all -l thingyourcollecting.txt


If neither of these work try:

PacketCollector.exe -d


this will display a list of devices.
If you have more than 1 device listed it might mean that you're packetsniffing on the wrong device. So what you need to do is see which one is yours (if you're not sure which one, just go through all of them)
eg. PacketCollector.exe YourIPHere -d 1or2or3 -o all -l thingyourcollecting.txt

Note--= the .txt file is what PC will be logging to. Like noted before , you should collect one thing at a time (makes it easier on the devs to parse)
then switch ie. change .txt file name and restart both eq and PC .

Spawn Collecting----

For PC to collect spawns, you must use the following method:

PacketCollector.exe 127.0.0.1 -d 1 -o all -decrypt -l zoneyourin.txt

or

PacketCollector.exe YourIPHere -d 1 -o all -decrypt -l zoneyourin.txt

If neither of these work try:

PacketCollector.exe -d


this will display a list of devices.
If you have more than 1 device listed it might mean that you're packetsniffing on the wrong device. So what you need to do is see which one is yours (if you're not sure which one, just go through all of them)
eg. PacketCollector.exe YourIPHere -d 1or2or3 -o all -decrypt -l zoneyourin.txt


Note--= Just idle (aka sit) in the zone for a few hours. also remember this is only for spawns, so only use this method in high level zones, Also when your switch zones restart both PC and EQ with the .txt file changed to the zone you will be collecting


After your done..

Now DCC your .txt file to a dev(ie OP or person with a @ infront of there name) in #eqemu, ASK THEM FIRST! (or to justaddwater)


Things that need collecting (at 13/12/2002)
-High level items/spawns (mainly PoP)
-Horses
-AA points
-disciplines
-Bard songs
-bash
-some high lvl monk moves
-Any thing else thats not in the emu ^_^

-=-
-Grouping (creating,joining,leaving)- DONE
-Ranged weapons- DONE
-pet commands (sit,guard etc) - DONE
-money trading - DONE
-banking (giving/taking money/items) - DONE


Troubleshotting
A work in progress

> Using wincap 3.0 will most likey not work. Get any 2.0 version

-yes u can create a batch file to speed up the process (i'll write a guide on this later)




Need more help join us on irc:
Server: irc.eqemu.net
Channel: #live



Big thanks Lyenu! (i copyed some text from a guide she wrote)

I'd like to add that money trading and banking needs collecting as well.

C'mon guys and help out.. Better data for us equals a better emulator for you !

You've got to give a little to get a little... (Isn't that a Van Halen song?)

I would loved to have helped out, if it wasnt because I quit EQ a few months ago by deleting my chars, deleting the game and breaking my first CD so I couldnt reinstall it :shock:

But I hope someone will help you guys out... But maybe people arnt reading this post!?!? I find it hard to read/find posts due to all the STICKY post you got on each forum - it makes it hard see if new stickies are up cause I think people just tend to scroll down past the sticky not knowing if any new ones have been added.

I always just click on 'view new posts' so i always see the latest ones that have been posted.... Good point though, there probably are plenty of stickies that are now old and outdated..

This is what I put, and this is what I get... It doesn't seem to collect data, but i'm positive that i'm using the right device. I've gone thru all the steps and have XP installed. For some reason its reading my net ip as my default gateway aswell(adding a 0 in the front and pushing all the other numbers to the back)


C:\pc>packetcollector <ip> -d 2 -o all -l pets.txt
Using ItemFile 'collected_items.eqitems'.
Sniffin on '\Device\NPF_{0B029968-471C-4A5B-83A0-5DDECAC2C415}', net=0.24.191.24
, target=<ip> (<ip>)

---------------
The reason why this was happening was because I had the latest version of wincap installed.. you MUST use the 2.03 version or else it wont work is what I found!

Yea, stay away from the 3.0 alpha on their site, its alpha for a reason...
I've played with it a bit and its very buggy (but hey, an alpha is supposed to be!)

i plan to do this as soon as i get my server stable and running smothly and i also need mor etime to do it kinda in the mids of finals and mid-terms. :( :?

Same 'ere Dwarf

I have been running it a bit and it is most definitely logging a whole bunch of stuff, but it doesnt seem to be logging any items.

What am I doing wrong? Pretty please? :)

Once you're done packeting, if you press ctrl-c it should send all the "new" items to a database someone is hosting... not positive on that but I believe thats how it works

I did, and it says that its uploading 0 items to the database. Now, thats fine, if there were no new items collected, but since there are no items logged to the items-file, it doesnt seem to be logging any at all.

the "collected_items.eqitems" file should contain all items I have collected, no matter if they are in the official db already or not, shouldn't it? And I should be able to list them with the -s switch?

I must be missing something :(

I'd really be interested in doing this on my spare time, but how exactly would i collect item data? would i need to actually own the item? or can i just get someone to link it for me, then view it from there?

It seems the Wincap website is DOWN use this mirror:

http://www.mirrors.wiretapped.net/se...pture/winpcap/

(make sure to use WinPcap_2_3.exe )

Has Intimidation, been collected? So far i havent seen it. Also if we are to go legit, will we not also need noob spawns? Why not use noob spawns/mobbs? Is there anyone out there looking for noob spawn packets? Kinda hard to go from level 1 if you dont have them, perhaps one zone at a time?? I dunno just some F.Y.I. from a N.O.O.B

Also ... can i collect NPC reactions to HAIL and commands????
Would be great for noob quests and such... Just askin