Seeing SMTP PDU’s Project
Senders Address -
Senders Message - Summary
In this assignment, the main objective is to understand the Protocol Data Units (PDUs) involved in email communication using Wireshark, a network protocol analyzer. Instead of sending actual emails, the activity uses a sample Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) capture provided in a file. The first step instructs students to launch Wireshark, open the provided SMTP Capture file, and go through the three panels within Wireshark to answer specific questions.
For the initial question, students are directed to focus on Packet #8, representing the start of the message from the sender. By clicking on this packet, students see the information displayed in the middle panel and capture a screenshot of the sender's address. The next step involves examining Packet #14 to read the sender's message in the bottom panel, with another screenshot of the message.
After the assignment's practical aspect, students must gather their findings and screenshots into a Word document. The final step involves writing a short essay of 3-4 paragraphs, describing the activity and putting in the answers to the three deliverables outlined on pages 55-56 of the assignment instructions. Students are encouraged to explore Wireshark further, challenging themselves to capture SMTP packets using their own student email and increasing their understanding of different layers and PDUs in the network packets. Finally, the
