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tcpdump VS Windows Firewall Notifier

Compare tcpdump VS Windows Firewall Notifier and see what are their differences

tcpdump logo tcpdump

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

Windows Firewall Notifier logo Windows Firewall Notifier

Windows Firewall Notifier (WFN) extends the default Windows embedded firewall behavior, allowing to...
  • tcpdump Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-27
  • Windows Firewall Notifier Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-10-24

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.

Windows Firewall Notifier features and specs

  • Enhanced Control
    Windows Firewall Notifier provides users with real-time notifications and alerts whenever an application attempts to access the network, allowing for granular control over outbound connection attempts.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The tool offers an intuitive and easy-to-use interface that simplifies the process of managing firewall rules and understanding network requests made by applications.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source project, Windows Firewall Notifier allows users to inspect, modify, and customize the software to better suit their personal security needs.
  • Improved Security
    By providing visibility into outbound connections, Windows Firewall Notifier helps to identify and block potentially malicious or unwanted applications from sending data over the network.

Possible disadvantages of Windows Firewall Notifier

  • Initial Configuration
    Setting up Windows Firewall Notifier might be challenging for non-technical users due to its manual configuration requirements, leading to possible frustration or misconfiguration.
  • Potential Overhead
    The constant notifications for every outbound connection attempt can become overwhelming, especially for systems with many active processes, leading to notification fatigue.
  • Limited Support
    As a community-driven open-source project, Windows Firewall Notifier may lack dedicated support and regular updates, which could affect long-term reliability.
  • Compatibility Issues
    There might be compatibility issues with certain Windows updates or specific configurations, which can lead to unexpected behavior or conflicts with existing firewall settings.

tcpdump videos

Tcpdump - Protocol Review 5 (TCP)

More videos:

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

Windows Firewall Notifier videos

How to Install and Configure Windows Firewall Notifier

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to tcpdump and Windows Firewall Notifier)
Monitoring Tools
71 71%
29% 29
Log Management
100 100%
0% 0
Firewall
0 0%
100% 100
Productivity
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 Windows Firewall Notifier

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

Windows Firewall Notifier Reviews

We have no reviews of Windows Firewall Notifier yet.
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing tcpdump and Windows Firewall Notifier, 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.

TinyWall - Lightweight and non-intrusive firewall

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

simplewall - Simple tool to configure Windows Filtering Platform (WFP) which can configure network activity on...

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

GlassWire - Visualize network activity in detail, get notified when new apps access the network, look out for...