Throwing Star LAN Tap Pro - 10/100Mbps Passive Ethernet Monitor in Enclosure - Great Scott Gadgets

Description

The Great Scott Gadgets Throwing Star LAN Tap Pro enables passive monitoring of Ethernet communications and the capture of packets transmitted between network devices. The monitor is connected inline with the analyzed Ethernet link using two RJ45 connectors labeled J1 and J2. Additional ports J3 and J4 forward data to one or two monitoring stations. Each port receives traffic in one direction, enabling connection diagnostics, protocol analysis, and authorized network security testing using Wireshark or tcpdump.

The device features a passive design that requires no external power supply. The monitoring ports are connected exclusively to the receive lines of the monitoring stations, with no connection to their transmit lines, preventing accidental packet transmission into the monitored network. The Throwing Star LAN Tap Pro supports communication analysis in 10BASE-T and 100BASE-TX networks at speeds of 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps. In 1000BASE-T connections, the circuit intentionally degrades signal quality to force the devices to negotiate a lower speed, typically 100 Mbps. The monitor cannot capture Gigabit Ethernet traffic at the full 1 Gbps data rate.

The Throwing Star LAN Tap Pro comes fully assembled in a plastic enclosure, eliminating the need for soldering. The device retains the electrical functionality of the Throwing Star LAN Tap Kit while providing a ready-to-use solution for laboratory setups, network infrastructure diagnostics, and Ethernet packet analysis. Passive insertion of the monitor into a network link may affect signal quality, particularly in installations using long Ethernet cables. The manufacturer provides documentation describing the operating principle and open-source design files created in KiCad.

Features

• General information
  • Manufacturer: Great Scott Gadgets
  • Model: Throwing Star LAN Tap Pro
  • Device type: passive Ethernet traffic monitor
  • Version: fully assembled, in a plastic enclosure
  • Application: network traffic capture and analysis
  • External power supply: not required
• Ethernet communication
  • Supported monitoring standards: 10BASE-T and 100BASE-TX
  • Monitored transmission speeds: 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps
  • Monitoring of traffic in both directions through two independent receive-only ports
  • Monitoring ports designed exclusively for data reception
  • No direct support for monitoring 1000BASE-T traffic at 1 Gbps
  • Reducing the speed of 1000BASE-T connections by degrading signal quality and forcing speed renegotiation
  • Compatible with Wireshark and tcpdump
• Connectors and operating principle
  • Number of RJ45 Ethernet connectors: 4
  • J1 and J2 connectors: connection to the monitored Ethernet link
  • J3 connector: receiving traffic in one direction
  • J4 connector: receiving traffic in the opposite direction
  • No connection between the monitoring ports and the transmit lines of the monitoring stations
  • Passive operation without active packet switching
• Construction
  • Enclosure: plastic
  • Assembly: factory-assembled device
  • Electrical design equivalent to the Throwing Star LAN Tap Kit
  • Passive circuit with two 220 pF capacitors
  • Open-source hardware design
  • Design files created in KiCad

Kit Includes

• Fully assembled Throwing Star LAN Tap Pro monitor in a plastic enclosure - 1 pc.