The Digital Tools Every BAS Tech Should Have on Their Laptop
- Alex Khachaturian
- Sep 24
- 7 min read
Promise: Hardware is only half the battle the real edge comes from digital tools that make you faster, smarter, and indispensable.
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TL;DR
Wireshark isn’t just for IT - it’s the most powerful BAS diagnostic tool you’ll ever use.
Free software like Greenshot, Yabe, and 7-Zip saves hours in the field and ends debates.
Master both digital and physical tools, together they make you unstoppable.
Quick Links
Key Takeaways
Digital tools are as essential as screwdrivers and meters in modern BAS.
Wireshark, Yabe, and Nmap expose problems that hardware can’t.
Simple tools like Greenshot and 7-Zip keep your work clean and defensible.
BAS technicians who master digital workflows stand out as true problem-solvers.
Your laptop should be as loaded as your tool bag, or you’re showing up unarmed.
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The Wireshark Story: From Crashes to Hero
When I first moved to Philadelphia, I got pulled into a high-stakes call: a data center whose central plant lost communications and crashed daily at 2 p.m. The IT team had already swapped switches and rebooted controllers. Nothing stuck.
I asked to pull a Wireshark capture of the BAS network. Minutes into the trace, the culprit jumped out: broadcast storms. New Carel CRAC units were broadcasting COV for every point, all the time. The network was drowning in chatter.
With the packet view on screen, I walked their analysts through the flood. Automated Logic had a setting to convert broadcasts to unicast and contain them at the router. We flipped it. The storms stopped. The crashes ended. I looked like a hero, but all I did was pair curiosity with the right digital tool.
That’s the truth of BAS today: your screwdriver won’t solve broadcast storms, rogue BBMDs, or ghost devices. Your BAS digital tools will.
Quick Win: How Screenshots Save Your Bacon
Start taking annotated screenshots of your work. It ends arguments and accelerates decisions.
Instead of arguing whether a point changed, show the trend.
Instead of debating if a setpoint was modified, show the capture with timestamp.
Instead of describing a confusing graphic, highlight the issue with arrows.
Greenshot makes it painless: hit PrtScn → drag → annotate → blur sensitive data → save/copy. Clients see proof. IT sees professionalism. You look like the tech who documents reality. One screenshot can save 20 emails, 2 meetings, and an unhappy client.
Recommended Gear
Best for: Capturing clean BAS traffic without touching switch configs.
What you’ll get: Inline hardware TAP; plug-and-play mirror of packets for Wireshark.
How to use it: Drop it between a controller and the switch; feed the mirror port into your laptop.
Field Tip: Don’t rely on ad-hoc switch port mirroring at client sites, TAPs are clean, consistent, invisible.
Pro Tip: Label it “Network Analyzer” (people trust analyzers more than “sniffers”).
Buy it: PicoScope 2204A (ultra-portable USB scope)
Best for: Real-time BAS comm wire health, BACnet MS/TP & Modbus RTU on RS-485, plus 0–10 V and 4–20 mA checks.
What you’ll get: 2-channel USB scope with PicoScope software, math channels, measurements, and persistence for catching intermittent noise/collisions.
How to use it: Clip to RS-485 A/B and view the A–B differential with persistence to spot collisions, noise, or weak bias/termination.
Field Tip: Meter A–B powered down: ~120 Ω = one terminator, ~60 Ω = two; anything else flags termination issues.
Pro Tip: For VFD hash, enable bandwidth limit, keep ground leads short, and use a USB isolator or differential probe if common-mode noise is heavy.
Best for: Repairing or customizing patch cables on the fly.
What you’ll get: Solid ratcheting crimper for RJ-45, clean terminations that pass the wiggle test.
How to use it: Cut → strip → terminate with proper pinout (T568B) → verify link.
Field Tip: Pre-crimp a few short jumpers for TAP work; saves time when ceilings are tight.
Pro Tip: Keep pass-through RJ-45 ends on hand; faster quality control.
Best for: Fishing new CAT runs through drop ceilings and dark chases.
What you’ll get: Threaded rods that glow just enough to see without blasting a headlamp.
How to use it: Add a bullet or hook tip; push from destination back to source.
Field Tip: Tape a neon flag at the tail end so your partner spots it instantly.
Pro Tip: Keep a microfiber cloth to wipe dust, rod joints last longer.
Best for: Pulling through conduit without kinking copper or jacket.
What you’ll get: Low-friction nylon tape that won’t memory-coil like steel.
How to use it: Feed → attach low-profile leader → stagger splices → pull steady.
Field Tip: A dab of wire lube prevents nicks on long pulls.
Pro Tip: Stagger splices in a bullet shape to glide past elbows.
Step-by-Step Playbook: BAS Digital Tools You’ll Use Weekly
Below is your digital toolbag. Master these and your troubleshooting speed doubles.
1) Wireshark
Role: Packet microscope for BACnet/IP, Modbus TCP, and proprietary traffic.
Solves: Duplicate device IDs, broadcast storms, BBMD issues, mysterious disconnects.
Pro moves:
ip.addr == 192.168.1.100 to isolate a device.
bacnet display filter for clean BAS views.
Save a ring buffer capture during known bad windows.
Field note: The Carel CRAC storm fix didn’t require magic, just seeing the flood.
2) TShark (Wireshark CLI)
Role: Headless captures for long-running issues.
Solves: Periodic outages that happen overnight or under load.
Pro moves:
Run a scheduled rolling capture and auto-rotate files.
Grep for resets or BACnet errors by code.
3) Yabe (Yet Another BACnet Explorer)
Role: Fast, neutral BACnet discovery and browsing.
Solves: Rogue controllers, duplicate device instances, unreachable points.
Pro moves:
Sort by Device Instance — duplicates pop immediately.
Compare Max APDU and Segmentation for fragile devices.
4) Nmap
Role: Network scanner that reveals what’s truly on the wire.
Solves: Hidden devices, rogue servers, blocked ports.
Pro moves:
nmap -sn 192.168.1.0/24 (ping sweep) to see active hosts.
nmap -p 47808,502 <ip> to confirm BACnet/Modbus ports.
5) Core OS / Network Commands
ping — Is it alive?
tracert/traceroute — Where does it stop?
arp -a — Who’s at that IP?
ipconfig /all — What’s your adapter really doing?
Never underestimate basics: a ping can beat an hour of GUI wandering.
6) Subnet Calculator (web/app)
Role: Make addressing and masks boring and correct.
Solves: “It pings sometimes” and reachability ghosts.
Pro moves:
Verify mask vs. gateway before you plug in.
Keep VLAN notes with net/mask/gw in your job folder.
7) Greenshot
Role: Screenshot + markup that ends debates.
Use cases: Reports, RFI/RFC emails, “what changed?” documentation.
Pro moves:
Hotkey PrtScn to region; auto-stamp timestamp; blur PII by default.
Create a “BAS Evidence” folder per site.
8) 7-Zip
Role: Universal extractor/packer.
Use cases: Old site files, vendor backups, large log bundles.
Pro moves:
Encrypt sensitive exports before emailing.
Split archives for email size limits.
9) GIMP
Role: Free Photoshop alternative.
Use cases: Floorplan cleanup, scaling logos, making graphic sets uniform.
Pro moves:
Batch export multiple resolutions for your BAS frontend.
Use layers to maintain clean symbol sets.
10) Mouse Without Borders
Role: One keyboard/mouse across multiple laptops/VMs.
Use cases: Programming on one box while capturing on another.
Pro moves:
Clipboard sync between machines for faster notes/snippets.
Recommended Books
Ghost in the Wires
Written by: Kevin Mitnick
A fast read on social engineering and why networks fail in human ways. It’ll sharpen your instincts for “how could this be misused?”
American Kingpin
Written by: Nick Bilton
A wild case study in anonymity, ops security, and scale. Great for thinking like an adversary and spotting weak points in your own architectures.
Where Wizards Stay Up Late
Written by: Hafner & Lyon
The origin story of the internet. You’ll understand why protocols behave the way they do, and stop treating “weird” packet behavior as magic.
Mastering TShark Network Forensics
Written by: Nik Alleyene
Buy it: Paperback
Level up beyond the GUI. Automate captures, parse logs, and build repeatable workflows for recurring site issues. All through real time exercises and practice.
Troubleshooting: When Digital Tools Make the Difference
Symptom: Controller drops offline every afternoon.
Cause: COV broadcast flood.
Fix: Wireshark trace → convert broadcasts to unicast → stabilize.
Symptom: New device won’t appear in the front end.
Cause: Duplicate device instance.
Fix: Yabe → sort by Device Instance → correct duplicate.
Symptom: Device unreachable; IT swears it’s online.
Cause: Wrong subnet mask.
Fix: Subnet calculator + ipconfig → correct addressing.
Symptom: Random disconnects after router change.
Cause: Blocked port.
Fix: Nmap shows closed 47808/502 → open required ports.
Symptom: Client disputes that changes were made.
Cause: Miscommunication.
Fix: Greenshot with timestamped trend/screen → alignment.
FAQ: Digital BAS Tools
Q: Aren’t these IT tools, not BAS tools?
A: The lines are gone. If you touch networks, you’re in IT’s world. Own it.
Q: Do I need Wireshark certification?
A: No. But consistent practice with captures makes you 10× faster.
Q: Why use Yabe if my front end works?
A: Front ends can lie; Yabe shows the raw device truth.
Q: Why bother with DOS when we have GUIs
A: Speed and signal. CLI gives you noise-free answers.
Q: Do I need a powerhouse laptop?
A: Mid-range is fine. Prioritize admin rights, SSD, and reliable NICs.
Q: Is a TAP really necessary?
A: For clean evidence, yes. TAPs avoid the noise and risk of switch config.
Field Checklist
✅Wireshark + TShark installed and tested
✅Yabe ready for scans; BACnet adapter set
✅Nmap for discovery and port checks
✅Subnet calculator bookmarked (and used)
✅Greenshot hotkey mapped; blur tool ready
✅7-Zip installed; encryption tested
✅GIMP for fast floorplan/logo edits
✅Mouse Without Borders for multi-machine workflow
✅Weekly practice: ping, tracert, arp, ipconfig
Results & ROI
Time saved: Hours per call; fewer blind alleys.
Client trust: Screenshots + captures = proof.
Career boost: Digital mastery separates you from screwdriver-only techs.
Reduced callbacks: Fix root causes once.
IT respect: Speak packet and port; get doors opened faster.
Wrap-Up
Your laptop is as much a toolbag as the one slung over your shoulder. Without BAS digital tools like Wireshark, Yabe, and Nmap, you’re walking blind into a networked world. The tech who masters them doesn’t just troubleshoot faster, they deliver proof, earn IT’s respect, and become the person clients call first.
Before your next call: Is your laptop loaded?
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