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I discovered a website called RingOfSaturn.com, which had a Tools Page. This is is an Apache/2.0.52 (FreeBSD) PHP/4.3.10 mod_ssl/2.0.52 OpenSSL/0.9.7d server. The home page is well constructed, using css and javascript, but it also supports non-script browsers.
The tools include:
- Browser Sniffer
- Web-based Dig
- IP Calculator
- nslookup
- Probe Remote Host
- Online Quizzes
- TCP Dump Interpreter
- Terms and Definitions
- Online Whois Tool
- Fingerprint Remote Host
- Online Traceroute
I tried the browser sniffer, and the script ran an impressive array of tests. It is quite scary what a sniffer can discover from a GUI browser running on a Microsoft machine.
I also tried the tools with w3m and it also worked. The browser sniffer did not discover as much and did not have access to javascript, vbscript or java (and no security holes). But it did a thorough job on HTTP headers.
Dig (domain information groper) is the well-known DNS-lookup utility. IP calculator is for netmasks. Probe remote host, offers information on Domain/Network and DNS records. It also offers Port scan and Traceroute.
I tried nslookup on my site:
After the problems that had been reported by Steve (in Canberra) I tried Tracerouting to www.pgts.com.au from RingOfSaturn using TCP packets...
1 hyperion.ringofsaturn.com (66.13.175.241) 16.938 ms 16.869 ms 16.893 ms 2 ge-7-1-205.core1.Dallas1.Level3.net (4.9.8.65) 17.086 ms 17.126 ms 16.972 ms 3 ae-1-53.bbr1.Dallas1.Level3.net (4.68.122.65) 17.202 ms 17.234 ms 17.171 ms 4 so-6-0-0.edge1.Dallas1.Level3.net (209.244.15.162) 17.481 ms 17.276 ms 17.452 ms 5 sprint-level3-oc48.Dallas1.Level3.net (64.158.168.74) 17.443 ms 17.533 ms 17.812 ms 6 sl-bb27-fw-5-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.9.137) 19.356 ms 18.762 ms 18.762 ms 7 sl-bb24-fw-14-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.11.73) 18.803 ms 18.733 ms 18.787 ms 8 sl-bb25-ana-8-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.9.64) 49.708 ms 49.103 ms 49.048 ms 9 sl-bb23-ana-15-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.1.165) 49.089 ms 49.051 ms 49.493 ms 10 sl-bb25-sj-9-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.20.159) 59.884 ms 59.812 ms 59.857 ms 11 sl-bb22-sj-12-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.3.209) 60.300 ms 60.044 ms 62.032 ms 12 sl-bb21-syd-14-2.sprintlink.net (144.232.8.129) 209.407 ms 208.869 ms 209.001 ms 13 sl-gw10-syd-15-0.sprintlink.net (203.222.32.42) 208.745 ms 208.766 ms 208.870 ms 14 sla-tpg1-1-0.sprintlink.net (203.222.35.110) 217.076 ms 216.956 ms 223.291 ms 15 * * * 16 * * * 17 nme-ibo-tit-2-fe-0-0.tpgi.com.au (203.29.131.1) 230.660 ms 229.677 ms 230.008 ms 18 * * * 19 * * * 20 203-213-19-22-vic.tpgi.com.au (203.213.19.22) 247.570 ms 247.519 ms 262.198 ms 21 203-213-17-10-vic.tpgi.com.au (203.213.17.10) [open] 247.545 ms 247.502 ms 248.516 ms
All looks ok to me ... bit slow ... but ok? The online quizzes consists of 19 tests on:
- Basic HTML
- Building Cisco Mulitlayer Switched Networks (BCMSN)
- Building Cisco Remote Access Networks (BCRAN)
- Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks (BSCI)
- Building Scalable Cisco Networks (BSCN)
- CCNA Practice Quiz 1
- CCNA Practice Test
- Cisco Internetwork Design
- Cisco Internetwork Troubleshooting
- Designing Cisco Networks (DCN)
- International Domains
- Mutt and PGP
- Pico
- Subnetting Class B
- Subnetting Class C
- Unix Commands
- Using Traceroute
- Vi
- Whois, Dig, and Nslookup
The tests on Cisco look very tough, or at least they do to someone who like me who knows very little about Cisco routers. I took the test on Subnetting class B and got 90%. (oops -- I didn't know the answer to the last question -- oh well I am a self-taught network administrator) Most embarrassingly I only got 90% on the "vi" test (I clicked on the wrong box -- even though I knew the correct answer. Typical for someone who is over-confident!)
This is a very good site, and obviously built by an experienced administrator. I heartily commend it to anyone who is looking for robust, fast online network tools. It happens occasionally ...
I'd love to be able to say that http://networking.ringofsaturn.com/Tools was W3C, but sadly, they did not pass.
But while I was surfing I came across a blog called Postneo 2.0, by Matt Croydon. This, while I was surfing for blogs to give me a few ideas. Great blog, well maintained and current. It gives me something to aim for ... I don't know how he finds the time though. Also he may have found the right niche (Apple) In the meantime, I will add it to my list of bookmarks.
Also for those who really want to "Get The Facts", you could start here for Novell's counter-punch to the Microsoft "Get The Facts" FUD.