Question: I'm using the below Network Switch:

```
HPE ProCurve J8697A Switch 5406zl
Software Revision K.14.34

```

I'm advised to execute the below command to know my network switch IP:

```
tcpdump -i net0 ether proto 0x88cc -v -c 5

```

It is showing the following output but not executing completely and getting stuck there:

```
dropped privs to nobody
tcpdump: listening on net0, link-type EN10MB (Ethernet), capture size 262144 bytes

```

On giving `Ctrl`+`C`, it shows below output:

```
root@solaris:~# tcpdump -i net0 ether proto 0x88cc -v -c 5
dropped privs to nobody
tcpdump: listening on net0, link-type EN10MB (Ethernet), capture size 262144 bytes
^C
0 packets captured
607908 packets received by filter
0 packets dropped by kernel
root@solaris:~#

```

What is this command doing? Why is it not giving the expected output and is there any other command to know the same?

Answer: 
I guess you can, if you are connected to a host which is directly wired to the switch, do a :

```
ping -b <yourBroadcastAddress>

```

Chances are only the switch will answer as it will, most likely, depending on the brand of the switch and configuration, block broadcast ping from being forwarded.
tcpdump is used for sniffing network traffic, I feel like that might be an overkill in your situation. If you are connected to your router directly, just use `route` where gateway ip is an address of the next hop. Which is, with a high probability, an address of your router.