Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

tcpdump VS Termshark

Compare tcpdump VS Termshark and see what are their differences

tcpdump logo tcpdump

tcpdump is a common packet analyzer that runs under the command line.

Termshark logo Termshark

A terminal user-interface for tshark, inspired by Wireshark.
  • tcpdump Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-27
  • Termshark Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-10

tcpdump features and specs

  • Powerful packet capturing
    tcpdump offers comprehensive capabilities for capturing network packets, providing detailed insights into network traffic, which makes it a powerful tool for network diagnostics and analysis.
  • Wide compatibility
    Being a widely used tool, tcpdump is compatible with numerous operating systems, including Linux, Unix, and macOS, ensuring accessibility across different platforms.
  • Filter flexibility
    tcpdump supports a wide range of filtering options that allow users to capture specific types of traffic, ensuring efficient and targeted packet capture.
  • Command-line interface
    tcpdump is a command-line tool, which provides advanced users the ability to script and automate tasks, making it highly efficient for those familiar with command-line operations.
  • Free and open-source
    tcpdump is open-source software, which means it is freely available for use and can be modified and distributed by anyone, fostering a community of users and contributors.

Possible disadvantages of tcpdump

  • Steep learning curve
    For users unfamiliar with command-line interfaces and packet-level networking, tcpdump can be difficult to learn due to its complex commands and options.
  • Minimal graphical interface
    tcpdump lacks a graphical user interface (GUI), which can make it less accessible for users who prefer visual tools over text-based interfaces.
  • Limited analysis capability
    While tcpdump is excellent for capturing packets, it offers limited built-in analysis features, requiring additional tools for comprehensive analysis of captured data.
  • High resource usage
    Running tcpdump with extensive capture options or on high-traffic networks can result in significant CPU and memory usage, potentially impacting system performance.
  • Security risks
    tcpdump requires root or elevated privileges to capture packets, which could pose security risks if not managed correctly, especially on sensitive systems.

Termshark features and specs

  • Terminal-Based Interface
    Termshark provides a terminal-based user interface, enabling users comfortable with CLI tools to utilize packet analysis without needing a graphical environment.
  • Wireshark Compatibility
    Termshark supports the use of Wireshark’s packet dissection capabilities, which allows for detailed packet analysis similar to what users expect from Wireshark.
  • Cross-Platform
    The tool is cross-platform, meaning it can run on different operating systems such as Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it versatile for different user environments.
  • Resource Efficiency
    As a terminal-based application, Termshark is often more lightweight and can be less resource-intensive than graphical packet analyzers, which is beneficial on systems with limited resources.
  • TShark Backend
    Termshark leverages TShark, the command-line version of Wireshark, for capturing and analyzing packet data, providing robustness and reliability in its analyses.

Possible disadvantages of Termshark

  • Limited Visualizations
    Termshark, being a terminal-based tool, lacks advanced visualizations available in graphical packet analyzers, which may limit its usefulness for users who prefer visual data representation.
  • Learning Curve
    For users unfamiliar with command-line interfaces or packet analysis, Termshark might present a steep learning curve compared to simpler, graphical tools.
  • Dependency on TShark
    Termshark requires TShark to be installed and properly configured, which adds a level of dependency and initial setup complexity for new users.
  • Limited Debugging Features
    Compared to full-fledged graphical tools like Wireshark, Termshark may offer limited debugging and interactive examination features, potentially hindering deep packet investigation.

tcpdump videos

Tcpdump - Protocol Review 5 (TCP)

More videos:

  • Review - Tcpdump - Protocol Review 3 (UDP)
  • Review - Tcpdump - Protocol Review 4 (DNS) - Draft

Termshark videos

Pinephone Mobian (Debian) - Termshark Sniffer Working, Apps, Firefox Tor Setup

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to tcpdump and Termshark)
Monitoring Tools
81 81%
19% 19
Log Management
80 80%
20% 20
Productivity
76 76%
24% 24
Network & Admin
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare tcpdump and Termshark

tcpdump Reviews

6 Best Wireshark Alternatives for Windows and macOS
The quickness that you can have with tcpdump over Wireshark is awesome. It is one of those tools that many network administrators prefer whenever they need to take a look at the actual network packets that are being transmitted. The Tcpdump is not as feature rich as Wireshark but the output of its packet dump can be used as input by other programs. Moreover, It can be used...
Source: techwiser.com

Termshark Reviews

We have no reviews of Termshark yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Termshark seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 6 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

tcpdump mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of tcpdump yet. Tracking of tcpdump recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Termshark mentions (6)

  • Show HN: NetSour, CLI Based Wireshark
    I can really recommend https://termshark.io/ It looks basically exactly like the Wireshark UI, but it's a TUI. So if I need some more interactivity than tcpdump, I use termshark instead. - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • termshark v2.4: a terminal UI for tshark - with packet search and profiles
    Hello fellow command-line devotees - termshark v2.4 is now available via github. Termshark is a terminal user-interface for tshark that tries to imitate the look and feel of Wireshark. The motivation is for when you're ssh-ed somewhere and want to study some network packets without the hassle of copying them back to your desktop. This release adds Wireshark-like packet search (ctrl-f to open) and profiles, like... Source: almost 3 years ago
  • termshark v2.4: a terminal UI for tshark - now featuring packet search and profiles
    Hello everyone - I made a new release of termshark: version 2.4. Termshark is my attempt at a terminal UI for tshark that shamelessly copies the look and feel of Wireshark. The motivation for termshark is for when you're ssh-ed somewhere, want to look at some packets quickly, but it's a pain to copy pcaps back to your desktop. This version adds a Wireshark-like packet-search (ctrl-f to open) and user profiles -... Source: almost 3 years ago
  • termshark v2.4: a terminal UI for tshark - now featuring packet search and profiles
    Hi everyone - I published termshark v2.4 yesterday on github. Termshark is a terminal UI for tshark that I've tried to make look similar to Wireshark. It's written completely in Go and so compiles down to a single executable for each platform. Github has pre-compiled binaries for Linux, macOS, Windows and the BSDs. The motivation for termshark is for when you have a pcap or a source of packets you want to check... Source: almost 3 years ago
  • termshark v2.3: a TUI for tshark - with configurable columns and magic wormhole!
    Hello command-line colleagues - termshark v2.3 is now up on github. Termshark is a terminal user-interface for tshark that copies the look of Wireshark in 80x32. For this release, I've added configurable columns and a way to transfer the open capture file using magic-wormhole. Termshark can be convenient but for any non-trivial analysis, you need to get the pcap open in Wireshark. If you tend to ssh from within... Source: almost 4 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing tcpdump and Termshark, you can also consider the following products

Wireshark - Wireshark is a network protocol analyzer for Unix and Windows. It lets you capture and interactively browse the traffic running on a computer network.

SmartSniff - SmartSniff is a packet sniffer that capture TCP/IP packets and display them as sequence of conversations between clients and servers.

PCAPdroid - PCAPdroid is an android app to capture the phone traffic and analyze it remotely (e.g. via Wireshark). The traffic can be easily downloaded from a remote device thanks to the integrated HTTP server, or streamed to a remote UDP receiver.

Ettercap - Ettercap is a suite for man in the middle attacks on LAN.

netcat - Netcat is a featured networking utility which reads and writes data across network connections...

Pirni Pro - A page about iPhone Software.