global network discovery

[xing217sg]

Hi guys,

i have been tasked to a final year project. One of the part i keep getting stuck is the question of:

if i am given a public IP by the school. How do i make use of ICMP to do network discovery?

The first thing that came to my mind is the dijkstra algo. But how? To be more exact i want to be able to do a trace route to every public gateway on the global internet and know which country those gateways are from?

Am on desperate needs and any help is greatly appreciated.

[Tinus1959]

Please explain to me what the Dijkstra algoritme, an algoritme to calculate the shortest route to a specific point, has to do with the ICMP protocol.

[xing217sg]

Yes, i can only calculate the shortest path if i know the entire network map.

Are there any ways to find out the entire global internet routers?

I have no idea are they being kept in a database or i can actually find out using some network protocol if i have an external public IP address given to me by my country's local networking authorities.

In layman terms, i will need to find out the IP addresses US public routers, Australia public routers and all the public routers out there on the internet network.

Ultimately i want to measure the traffic of each individual routers and establish some sort of statistics for network weather map.

[Tinus1959]

You do not need to calculate the shortest path, your routing protocol will do that for you, depending on the metrics that protocol is using. Rip just uses HOP count, OSPF uses bandwith, IEGRP uses other still. It will we close to impossible to "map" the world just using ICMP.
You could use a ping sweep to test all host in a specific network, but you will be working on that task for some time to get the info you need.
Why do you need that info?
Try google for rootservers. Then you have a point to start.
Do you understand DNS? Routing tables? Routing protocols? Topologies?

[xing217sg]

Haha, i just learnt the theory part of RIP and OSPF. Never really go into practical. That was some useful information that you just provided. Thanks alot. I think i will do more reading on ping sweep.

[Tinus1959]

Ok, keep us posted!

[Triton.Deep]

This thread has "epic" written all over it. Love it. Map the internet using ICMP, game on. *chuckles*

J.

[Tinus1959]

Yep, I agree. I looks like the OP is a subject of a prank. Seems a bit like sending someone of to get a can of stork leg fat or sweat from a polititian. Or a drillbit for square holes.

[Talcum X]

That's what I was thinking...

Left handed hammer and the pipe stretcher...
And don't forget to pick up the henway while your at the hardware store. :D

[Geezersoft]

This may be of interest.

http://www.scribd.com/mobile/documents/3670369

However, considering the number of routers and the fact that virtually all the routes are dynamic, the permutations are considerable.

Sounds like a new DOS attack, the ping of pointlessness has just been invented.
;)

[Tinus1959]

This may be of interest.

http://www.scribd.com/mobile/documents/3670369

However, considering the number of routers and the fact that virtually all the routes are dynamic, the permutations are considerable.

Sounds like a new DOS attack, the ping of pointlessness has just been invented.
;)This link keeps pointing to itself. An almost empty page with just a small pic and a few lines of text.

[Geezersoft]

Sorry for the duff link. I will try and find it elsewhere. :confused:

[xing217sg]

Haha, thank you guys for all the interest.

I am still in midst of coordinating with the local authorities to give me a public ip address. Seems like i will have to work in a stipulated lab.

Will keep you guys posted soon. :)