Capturing web traffic

Introduction

If you’ve reached this page, chances are good that you were asked to capture a HTTP log file. Usually, this action is performed to track down a bug in your web browser or a website.

You can use Microsoft FiddlerCap to take a snapshot of HTTP traffic, and send that snapshot to facilitate troubleshooting the bug.

To get started, just follow the steps below.

Step-by-step Instructions

  1. Download Microsoft FiddlerCap.
  2. Close all instances of Internet Explorer.
  3. Install FiddlerCap by running the FiddlerCapSetup.exe file.
  4. FiddlerCap should start automatically when the installer completes.
    If it doesn’t start, you can start it from the START menu.
  5. Unless specifically asked to skip this step:
    Inside FiddlerCap, click the Clear Cookies button and then the Clear Cache button.
  6. Inside FiddlerCap, click the Start Capture button.
  7. A new Internet Explorer window will appear. Use Internet Explorer’s address bar to go to whatever site is having problems, and do whatever steps are needed to cause the problem to occur.
  8. Verify that new lines (representing HTTP requests) are showing up in the FiddlerCap window.
  9. Inside FiddlerCap, click the Stop Capture button.
  10. Inside FiddlerCap, click the Save Capture button.
    Save the .SAZ file to your desktop.
  11. Email the .SAZ file from your desktop to your friend.

If you have a problem performing any of these steps, contact your friend and tell them at which step there was a problem. Be sure to communicate any error messages you encountered.

Reading .SAZ files.

Fiddler2, the reader for the .SAZ files can be downloaded here.

If you were asked to make a capture log, you do not need to download and install this file. It is only included here for reference.

fiddlercap and fiddler2 are copyright © Microsoft Corporation.