5 BEST WiFi Sniffer App (2024)

WiFi Sniffing is the ability to monitor, intercept, and decode network data. WiFi sniffer offers specific features and functionalities for diagnosing and investigating network problems, monitoring network usage, identifying configuration issues & network bottlenecks. It helps you to filter the network traffic.

Packet Sniffing is a colloquial term that refers to the art of network traffic analysis. There are many useful tools that help you collect network traffic activity. Most of them use PCAP (Unix-like systems) to do the actual collection. Packet sniffing tool helps to design and analyze these collected network traffic packets as small amounts of data that are hard to navigate.

I have dedicated over 90+ hours to researching 30+ Best WiFi Sniffer Apps, compiling a well-researched and trusted guide with in-depth insights. Whether you are looking for free or paid options, my unbiased review of these apps includes features, pros and cons, and pricing. This may help you find the perfect app for your needs. Do not miss the full article, which is packed with exclusive, professional recommendations. Read more…

Best WiFi Packet Sniffer Tools (Free & Paid)

Name	Supported Platforms	Free Trial	Link
👍 ManageEngine NetFlow Analyzer	Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android	30-Days Free Trial	Learn More
Wireshark	Linux, Mac OS, Windows, Net BSD, Solaris, etc.	Download for Free	Learn More
Acrylic	Windows.	Download for Free	Learn More
Network Packet Sniffer	Microsoft Windows Server	30-Days Free Trial	Learn More
Tcpdump	Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD, DragonFly BSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, Mac OS, etc.	Download for Free	Learn More

1) ManageEngine NetFlow Analyzer

ManageEngine NetFlow Analyzer is a network traffic analysis tool that I reviewed extensively. It helped me gain real-time insights into network performance across devices, interfaces, and IPs. I was able to monitor wireless networks, WAN links, and SSIDs, which proved essential for troubleshooting. In my opinion, it is one of the easiest ways to manage traffic across networks for both small and large businesses. I highly recommend it as a superior choice for network admins.

Features:

• Bandwidth Allocation and Traffic Monitoring: NetFlow Analyzer helps network admins allocate bandwidth for business-critical applications and monitor diverse traffic types using customized dashboards. I could allocate resources effectively with these personalized dashboards, allowing me to track traffic seamlessly.
• Consolidated and Capacity Planning Reports: Generate customized, consolidated reports and capacity planning insights for network interfaces to understand network traffic patterns.
• Packet-Level Inspection: Conduct deep packet inspection to monitor network server traffic, tracking Application Response Time and Network Response Time (NRT) efficiently.
• Flow Monitoring for Non-Supported Devices: Monitor devices that do not support flow by converting network packets into NetFlow packets using the NetFlow Generator.
• Network Security Monitoring: Ensure network security by analyzing network behavior, avoiding probes, scans, and DDOS attacks through proactive traffic monitoring.

Pricing:

• Price: Reach out to a sales representative for detailed pricing information.
• Free Trial: Start analyzing your network traffic today by downloading your 30-day trial of NetFlow Analyzer.

Visit ManageEngine

30-Days Free Trial

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2) Wireshark

Wireshark is a wireless network sniffer tool that I evaluated for capturing packets in real-time. I found that it offers a clear view of network traffic by showing packets in an easy-to-read format. It helped me read and write data while allowing me to save it in several formats.

Features:

• File Compression Handling: It allows you to capture and decompress gzip-compressed files on the fly for easy access.
• Exporting Options: I can export the output in XML, PostScript, CSV, or plain text formats, which is great for maintaining flexibility.
• Live Data Capture: Live data can be read from Ethernet, PPP/HDLC, Bluetooth, USB, and Token Ring, making it versatile.
• Multi-Platform Support: The tool is perfect for Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, and NetBSD, among many other platforms.

Pricing:

• Price: Wireshark is a free, open-source network protocol analyzer.

Link: https://www.wireshark.org/

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3) Acrylic WiFi

Acrylic WiFi is a tool I tested as part of my search for the best free wireless network sniffer. I was able to scan and analyze local routers easily. The app offers a clear table of metrics like MAC address, SSID, RSSI, channel, and vendor. It is great for anyone who needs to identify wireless devices and resolve network issues.

Features:

• Real-Time Incident Analysis: It helps to analyze and resolve incidences in real-time on 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac networks, providing one of the best solutions for network troubleshooting.
• Linux WiFi Traffic Capture: It allows you to capture WiFi traffic on Linux systems, which is essential for thorough network monitoring.
• Hardware Compatibility: It is compatible with most hardware and does not require special components, making it affordable and accessible to everyone. I find this a great option when considering cost-efficiency.
• Integration with Wireshark: It easily integrates with the latest versions of Wireshark, helping you enhance network packet analysis and detection.
• Wi-Fi USB Card Compatibility: Compatible with the most common and latest Wi-Fi USB cards, this feature is great for ensuring versatile device support.
• Supported Platform: This app supports Windows platforms, offering one of the easiest ways to perform Wi-Fi traffic analysis on this operating system.

Pricing:

• Price: The 1-Year plan is priced at $129.9 per year for a single user.
• Free Trial: Click on “Download it for free” to get started—it’s completely free!

Link: https://www.acrylicwifi.com/en/wlan-wifi-wireless-network-software-tools/wifi-analyzer-acrylic-professional/

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4) Network Packet Sniffer

SolarWinds Network Packet Sniffer gave me excellent control over monitoring network activity. I checked its ability to resolve bandwidth issues, and it made network performance better during my testing. In my opinion, it is one of the most reliable tools for keeping network availability stable. I could easily track faults, and it is great for minimizing network downtime.

Features:

• Performance Metrics Retrieval: This WiFi sniffer helps retrieve performance metrics for autonomous wireless controllers, access points, and clients, allowing deeper visibility.
• System Message Capture: Instead of capturing network packets, it uses system messages sent by routers and switches to monitor the network efficiently.
• Cross-Stack Data Correlation: It allows cross-stack network data correlation, aiming to enhance network troubleshooting and streamline analysis across layers.
• Network Insights: It allows me to improve network insights, helping identify and avoid potential issues for the best performance.
• Firewall and Load Balancer Visibility: The sniffer offers visibility into critical network firewalls and load balancers, which helps you manage traffic securely.
• Supported Platforms: It supports Microsoft Windows Server, typically offering great compatibility for enterprise environments.

Pricing:

• Price: Contact a sales representative to receive a quote.
• Free Trial: Click on “Download Free Trial” to access the fully functional version for 30 days.

Link: https://www.solarwinds.com/network-performance-monitor/

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5) Tcpdump

As per my review, Tcpdump delivers an efficient packet analyzer. It was great for capturing network traffic, thanks to the C/C++ library called libpcap. I could perform scans swiftly and with ease. The best way to resolve network issues might be using Tcpdump for its fast and simple features, making it one of the best solutions for users.

Features:

• Packet Capture: Tcpdump captures real-time network packets from specified interfaces, allowing traffic monitoring as it occurs.
• Filtering Capabilities: I can apply filters on captured packets, ensuring that only the most relevant data is displayed.
• Interface Selection: Users can select specific network interfaces for capturing packets using the -i option according to their needs.
• Immediate Mode: Tcpdump delivers packets in real-time to the terminal without buffering, perfect for immediate traffic analysis.
• Supported Platforms: This tool is compatible with Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD, DragonFly BSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, and Mac OS, making it versatile.

Pricing:

• Price: Tcpdump is a free, open-source

Link: https://www.tcpdump.org/

Other Best WiFi Sniffer Apps

1. Omnipeek: Omnipeek is a wireless network sniffer tool that decodes over 1,000 protocols, providing fast network troubleshooting and diagnostics.
   Link: https://www.liveaction.com/products/omnipeek/
2. Aircrack: Aircrack is a powerful wireless password cracking tool for 802.11a/b/g networks, enabling WEP and WPA recovery through packet sniffing.
   Link: https://www.aircrack-ng.org/
3. Fiddler: Fiddler is a web debugging proxy that records and inspects network traffic from any browser and system, supporting .NET Standard 2.0.
   Link: https://www.telerik.com/fiddler
4. Freenetwork: Freenetwork is a free network sniffing tool that allows real-time monitoring and analysis of all data passing through your network adapter, offering excellent packet sniffer inspection functionality.
   Link: https://freenetworkanalyzer.com/

What is WiFi Packet Sniffer?

Wi-Fi Packet Sniffer is a hardware or software that can log or intercept the traffic between two systems. It is also called a Packet Analyzer or Protocol Analyzer.

How Did We Choose Best WiFi Sniffer Tool?

At Guru99, our commitment to providing accurate and objective information is unmatched. I have spent over 90 hours researching 30+ Best WiFi Sniffer Apps, creating a trusted guide packed with valuable insights. Whether you are exploring free or paid options, my unbiased review covers essential features, pros and cons, and pricing to help you choose the perfect tool. According to our research, selecting a WiFi sniffer requires attention to accuracy, ease of use, and network coverage.

• Network Coverage: It is important to choose a tool that covers a wide range of frequencies for efficient scanning.
• Ease of Use: The best way to avoid complexity is to consider tools that have simple interfaces.
• Accuracy: Make sure you pick a tool that provides precise and real-time information about nearby WiFi signals.
• Speed of Detection: In fact, one of the easiest tools allows you to quickly detect available networks with minimal delay.
• Compatibility: Keep in mind that it might be helpful to select tools compatible with multiple operating systems.

What are the Packet Sniffing Best Practices?

Here are some best practices for Packet Sniffing:

• Knowing the Basics: Helps you to analyze network traffic.You need to know basic networking works. Moreover, knowing about the types of network traffic on a healthy network, like Address Resolution Protocol (ARP), Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), for network management, is key.You should also know what you want from the packet sniffer to collect and have at least a general idea of what is a normal condition and what is not.
• Copy Conservatively: A Wi-Fi packet sniffers will copy the payload of all packets traveling on the network. It helps you to protect your company and avoid putting sensitive information.
• Monitor Storage Space: Even if you just capturing packet headers or storing all the packets which can consume a large amount of your disk space. It is best to copy every tenth packet rather than copying every single one. This is known as packet sampling, and it is a practice used to characterize network traffic.
• Decode the Data: You need to select a packet LAN sniffer which is able to decode this administrative information and extract other valuable insights. Like varying port numbers between two packet travel.

What are the types of Packet Spoofing Attacks?

Here are some important types of Spoofing:

• IP Address Spoofing: It occurs at the network level.
• Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) Spoofing: It always happens at the data link layer.
• Domain Name System (DNS) Spoofing: Helps you turn away Internet traffic from legitimate servers to fake servers.
• Email Spoofing: While IP sniffing has been a cybersecurity threat, the Covid environment has built new opportunities for carrying email spoofing. In email spoofing, a link is given in the email which users click but they do not receive the expected information.

How does a Packet Analyzer work?

Packet sniffer copies data as it travels across a network and makes it available for viewing. The sniffing device copies all of the data that passes over a network.

Mostly, the packets of data that are reaped from the network get copied to a file. However, packet sniffers can collect lots of data, which includes encoded admin team information. You should find an analysis tool that helps you be dereferencing information on the journey of the packets and other pieces of information. Like the relevance of the port numbers that the packets travel between.

A straightforward Wi-Fi packet sniffer will copy all the packets traveling on the cisco network. This can be a serious problem if the packet contents are not required by network performance analysis.

So, to track the cisco network usage for 24 hours or over a few days, storing every packet will occupy a large amount of disk space. Therefore, it is good to sample and copy every 10th or 20th packet instead of copying over every single one.

Why do you need to use a WiFi Analyzer App?

A WiFi analyzer allows a visual display of the network data near your surrounding channels. This app turns your computer or mobile device into an analytics tool that helps you to identify what you do you require to optimize your network.

For example, with a Wi-Fi analyzer app, you can look for other channels on your Wi-Fi sniffer network. This helps you to identify if they are faster than your current system or not.

What is full packet capture?

Full packet capture copies all packets stored in a file with the .pcap extension. Businesses often do not like network professionals to use such a method because the packet contents may not be encrypted.

Allowing the use of full packet capture capabilities may break the confidentiality of data held by the enterprise and data security standards compliance.

How Do Packet Sniffer Apps Work?

Packet sniffer apps intercept network traffic data that pass through a wired or wireless network and copy those data to a file, also known as packet capture. Generally, computers are designed to ignore the traffic activity from other computers while packet sniffers do the reverse process and recognize those data.

Can Packet Sniffing be detected?

You can detect Packet sniffing in certain circumstances. The solution to finding packet capture depends on the packet sniffer’s location and the method it uses. A software packet sniffing tool requires that the host computer’s network adapter is in promiscuous mode. Issuing a ping with the right IP address and wrong MAC address for each computer on the network will spot the hosts that are in promiscuous mode and likely using packet sniffing.

Verdict:

I have explored several WiFi sniffer apps that can help detect network issues and optimize performance. Each tool offers distinct features that cater to specific needs, from basic sniffing to in-depth network analysis. Check my verdict below for an in-depth look at some of the most popular choices.

• ManageEngine NetFlow Analyzer is a superior choice for detailed bandwidth monitoring and resolving network congestion with robust reports.
• Wireshark remains one of the most powerful and customizable packet-capturing tools, favored by users looking for a secure and reliable option.
• Acrylic WiFi offers an awesome user-friendly experience with real-time network scans, making it a great option for analyzing wireless network performance.

Best WiFi Packet Sniffing Apps

Name	Supported Platforms	Free Trial	Link
👍 ManageEngine NetFlow Analyzer	Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android	30-Days Free Trial	Learn More
Wireshark	Linux, Mac OS, Windows, Net BSD, Solaris, etc.	Download for Free	Learn More
Acrylic	Windows.	Download for Free	Learn More
Network Packet Sniffer	Microsoft Windows Server	30-Days Free Trial	Learn More
Tcpdump	Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD, DragonFly BSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, Mac OS, etc.	Download for Free	Learn More