Hi,

Not really a msp430 question, but this is an experienced group so thought I'd start here.

I have a customer who wants to monitor usb traffic between a host and a device and extract the data the device sends back. I've looked around the TI USB chips and haven't found one that can do this.

There are monitor boxes that do this in the hundreds of dollars but that's too much for this product. Does anyone know of a way to do this that's a reasonable price?

Thanks,
Lloyd





(You need to be a member of msp430 -- send a blank email to msp430-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )

What mode is the USB being used in? If it is a simple serial link then
all you need to do is make a small PCB with an in socket, and out socket
and a USB device, such as the CP2102 in the middle monitoring the serial
traffic. I would probably disable the transmit line to inhibit data
being inadvertently sent onto the line. You can then hook the output of
the CP2102 to a small display, via a micro, or to a scope, or to a PC
via a secondary USB port

Al
On 24/07/2012 11:58 PM, lslonim2 wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Not really a msp430 question, but this is an experienced group so thought I'd start here.
>
> I have a customer who wants to monitor usb traffic between a host and a device and extract the data the device sends back. I've looked around the TI USB chips and haven't found one that can do this.
>
> There are monitor boxes that do this in the hundreds of dollars but that's too much for this product. Does anyone know of a way to do this that's a reasonable price?
>
> Thanks,
> Lloyd
>
>



(You need to be a member of msp430 -- send a blank email to msp430-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )

On Tue, Jul 24, 2012 at 9:28 AM, lslonim2 wrote:

> **
>
> [...]
> I have a customer who wants to monitor usb traffic between a host and a
> device and extract the data the device sends back. I've looked around the
> TI USB chips and haven't found one that can do this.
>
> There are monitor boxes that do this in the hundreds of dollars but that's
> too much for this product. Does anyone know of a way to do this that's a
> reasonable price?
>

Software snoop on the host ? (If it's running an OS and not another
embedded box)
--
Andy






(You need to be a member of msp430 -- send a blank email to msp430-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )

Have you considered a host based software solution? There appear to be quite a few options, both free and commercial.

For example:

Windows:
http://code.google.com/p/busdog/

VMWare::
http://esec-lab.sogeti.com/post/2011/04/06/Sniffing-USB-traffic-with-VMWare

Linux:
http://biot.com/blog/usb-sniffing-on-linux

I have no experience yet w/ any of these.

Have Fun!
Reg

--- On Tue, 7/24/12, lslonim2 wrote:

> From: lslonim2
> Subject: [msp430] usb monitor question
> To: m...
> Date: Tuesday, July 24, 2012, 9:28 AM
> Hi,
>
> Not really a msp430 question, but this is an experienced
> group so thought I'd start here.
>
> I have a customer who wants to monitor usb traffic between a
> host and a device and extract the data the device sends
> back. I've looked around the TI USB chips and haven't found
> one that can do this.
>
> There are monitor boxes that do this in the hundreds of
> dollars but that's too much for this product. Does anyone
> know of a way to do this that's a reasonable price?
>
> Thanks,
> Lloyd
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>



(You need to be a member of msp430 -- send a blank email to msp430-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )

I know it possible use a VM to monitor usb.

Google for 'vmware usb analyzer'

--
Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID






(You need to be a member of msp430 -- send a blank email to msp430-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )

On the hardware side and not a direct answer to your question, but you
might want to look at Dangerous Prototypes for interesting and inexpensive
hardware tools. They have a Bus Sniffer (now in its 3rd generation for
$30):
http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Bus_Pirate
At quick glance, it's programmed and powered over USB, but designed to test
serial buses, e.g., i2C, SPI, etc., and not USB. (But I could easily be
wrong -- someone more informed on their boards can chime in).

They also have a 32 channel logic analyzer for $50 :-) I keep watching
their site and thinking I ought to order some of their stuff....

HTH,

Mike






(You need to be a member of msp430 -- send a blank email to msp430-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )

The bus blaster or bus pirate will not work as a usb traffic monitor or
analyzer.

The options i know of are expensive hardware or software options using
vmware

There may be another freeware from nirsoft that may work- havenot tried it

--
Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID
On Jul 24, 2012 3:47 PM, "Mike Wirth" wrote:

> **
> On the hardware side and not a direct answer to your question, but you
> might want to look at Dangerous Prototypes for interesting and inexpensive
> hardware tools. They have a Bus Sniffer (now in its 3rd generation for
> $30):
> http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Bus_Pirate
> At quick glance, it's programmed and powered over USB, but designed to test
> serial buses, e.g., i2C, SPI, etc., and not USB. (But I could easily be
> wrong -- someone more informed on their boards can chime in).
>
> They also have a 32 channel logic analyzer for $50 :-) I keep watching
> their site and thinking I ought to order some of their stuff....
>
> HTH,
>
> Mike
>
>
>
>
>






(You need to be a member of msp430 -- send a blank email to msp430-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )

Thanks for your suggestions. Software snoops won't work for me since the host and the device are both out of my control (cash register and commercial barcode scanner). I'll look into onestone's suggestion, but I didn't think that type of monitoring works for USB.

Thanks again,
Lloyd

--- In m..., "lslonim2" wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> Not really a msp430 question, but this is an experienced group so thought I'd start here....





(You need to be a member of msp430 -- send a blank email to msp430-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )

yes it does, did it in almost exactly the same situation about 4 years
ago, POS to printer, barcode scanner to POS. Not as straight forward as
an RS232 snoop, but still possible.

Al

On 25/07/2012 8:28 PM, lslonim2 wrote:
> Thanks for your suggestions. Software snoops won't work for me since the host and the device are both out of my control (cash register and commercial barcode scanner). I'll look into onestone's suggestion, but I didn't think that type of monitoring works for USB.
>
> Thanks again,
> Lloyd
>
> --- In m..., "lslonim2" wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> Not really a msp430 question, but this is an experienced group so thought I'd start here....
>



(You need to be a member of msp430 -- send a blank email to msp430-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )

What are you trying to do? If you're just trying to reverse engineer the scanner output, it may well appear as an auxiliary (e.g. numeric keypad) keyboard. In which case a simple C program reading stdin would probably get you the output. Other than an initialization packet, I wouldn't expect traffic from the host to the scanner.

FWIW My understanding is that they just output a string as if you'd typed it in. So the POS sits in an "enter item code" loop. The clerk can scan it or type it. Which is consistent w/ observed behavior when a bar code won't scan. This makes the device attractive to VARs & programmers because it's familiar and fits into existing software well. However, I've never played w/ one.

Have Fun!
Reg
--- On Wed, 7/25/12, lslonim2 wrote:

> From: lslonim2
> Subject: [msp430] Re: usb monitor question
> To: m...
> Date: Wednesday, July 25, 2012, 5:58 AM
> Thanks for your suggestions. Software
> snoops won't work for me since the host and the device are
> both out of my control (cash register and commercial barcode
> scanner). I'll look into onestone's suggestion, but I didn't
> think that type of monitoring works for USB.
>
> Thanks again,
> Lloyd
>
> --- In m...,
> "lslonim2" wrote:
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > Not really a msp430 question, but this is an
> experienced group so thought I'd start here....
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>



(You need to be a member of msp430 -- send a blank email to msp430-subscribe@yahoogroups.com )