Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Wireshark VS Kismet

Compare Wireshark VS Kismet and see what are their differences

Wireshark logo 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.

Kismet logo Kismet

Kismet is an 802.11 layer2 wireless network detector, sniffer, and intrusion detection system.
  • Wireshark Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-11
  • Kismet Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-12-24

Wireshark features and specs

  • Comprehensive Protocol Support
    Wireshark supports a vast number of protocols out of the box, allowing for detailed inspection and analysis of network traffic.
  • Free and Open-Source
    Wireshark is free to use and its source code is openly available, enabling customization and community-driven improvements.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Wireshark runs on various operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it accessible to a wide audience.
  • Rich Feature Set
    It offers features like live capture, offline analysis, deep inspection of hundreds of protocols, and powerful display filters for granular traffic analysis.
  • Strong Community Support
    A large and active community provides extensive documentation, tutorials, and support forums, making it easier for users to troubleshoot and learn.

Possible disadvantages of Wireshark

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Due to its extensive feature set and technical nature, Wireshark can be challenging for beginners to master.
  • Resource Intensive
    Live traffic capture and analysis can consume considerable system resources, which may affect performance, especially on less powerful machines.
  • Security Risks
    Running packet capture tools like Wireshark on production systems carries inherent security risks, as it could potentially expose sensitive data.
  • Interface Complexity
    The user interface, while powerful, can be overwhelming and non-intuitive for new users, making navigation and finding specific features difficult.
  • Limited Support for Encrypted Traffic
    Wireshark has limited capabilities when it comes to analyzing encrypted traffic, as decryption support requires additional setup and access to encryption keys.

Kismet features and specs

  • Open Source
    Kismet is open-source software, allowing users to examine the source code, customize the tool according to their needs, and contribute to its development.
  • Platform Compatibility
    Kismet works on various platforms, including Linux, macOS, and Windows (through WSL), making it versatile and accessible to a wide range of users.
  • Wireless Network Detection
    Kismet can detect and capture traffic from a variety of wireless networks (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.), making it useful for network monitoring and security auditing.
  • Passive Sniffing
    Kismet is capable of passive sniffing, allowing it to detect networks and devices without emitting any signals that might alert the target.
  • Extensive Plugin Support
    Kismet supports plugins and external tools, enabling users to extend its functionality and integrate it with other network security tools.

Possible disadvantages of Kismet

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Kismet can be complex to set up and use, particularly for those who are not familiar with networking and wireless security concepts.
  • Limited Windows Support
    While Kismet can be used on Windows via the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), it is primarily designed for Unix-based systems, which may limit its usability on Windows.
  • Hardware Dependency
    Kismet requires compatible wireless network adapters to function properly, which might necessitate additional hardware purchases.
  • Potential Legal Issues
    Using Kismet for unauthorized network monitoring can be illegal in many jurisdictions. Users must ensure they have permission to monitor the networks they are testing.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running Kismet can be resource-intensive, particularly on devices with limited processing power or memory, potentially affecting system performance.

Analysis of Wireshark

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Wireshark is considered an excellent tool for network analysis. Its open-source nature, regular updates, and strong community support further enhance its reputation as a reliable and robust tool.

Why this product is good

  • Wireshark is widely regarded as a leading network protocol analyzer due to its comprehensive features, user-friendly interface, and extensive protocol support. It allows users to capture and examine data packets in real-time, making it invaluable for diagnosing network issues, performing security audits, and educational purposes.

Recommended for

  • Network administrators looking to troubleshoot connectivity issues.
  • Security professionals conducting penetration tests and analyzing network traffic for vulnerabilities.
  • Students and educators who need a practical tool to learn about network protocols and behaviors.
  • IT professionals managing complex networks who require detailed traffic analysis.

Analysis of Kismet

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Kismet (kismetwireless.net) is generally considered a good tool for network monitoring and wireless security auditing.

Why this product is good

  • Open source
    Kismet is an open-source tool, which means it's freely available and can be modified to suit specific needs.
  • Community support
    The tool has a robust community and support base, ensuring regular updates and improvements.
  • Comprehensive features
    It offers a wide range of features for wireless network monitoring, including packet sniffing, device tracking, and intrusion detection.
  • Multi-platform support
    Kismet is compatible with multiple platforms, including Linux, macOS, and Windows, making it accessible to a broad range of users.

Recommended for

  • Network administrators
  • Security professionals
  • Wireless network enthusiasts
  • Penetration testers

Wireshark videos

Wireshark Tutorial for Beginners

More videos:

  • Review - Monitor Network Traffic with Wireshark - Review
  • Review - Wireshark 101: CloudShark Review - HakTip 144

Kismet videos

KISMET PURE VITAMIN C PRIMER REVIEW

More videos:

  • Review - Kismet - 2 Minute Review
  • Review - Newton Kismet Main Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Wireshark and Kismet)
Monitoring Tools
82 82%
18% 18
Log Management
85 85%
15% 15
Performance Monitoring
100 100%
0% 0
Network & Admin
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Wireshark and Kismet. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

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

Wireshark Reviews

9 Best Angry IP Scanner Alternatives Reviewed 2021 (Free & Paid)
The beauty in Wireshark is that your network scans can be as broad or as granular as you make them. With a few clicks, you can begin capturing a snapshot of all packet traffic across your local area network. It can be overwhelming at first to see every single packet across a network, but Wireshark makes isolating specific events simple with its color coding and filtering...
10 Best WireShark Alternatives for Android Devices in 2021
If you are well enough into network communication, you must know about WireShark. WireShark is the most popular network analyzer for PC. You can use WireShark to see anything on your network that’s not encrypted. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have an Android app, however, you can still track, monitor, or capture network packets on your Android devices using our best list of...
Source: techreen.com
11 Best Wireshark Alternatives in 2020
Wireshark is a widely used network monitoring and WiFi troubleshooting tool. However, with Wireshark tool is that you can only gather information from the network but cannot send this information.
Source: www.guru99.com
5 Best Wireshark alternative packet sniffers
Wireshark & Alternative tools FAQs ⭐Can Wireshark do deep packet inspection or do I need something else?⭐Is Wireshark a vulnerability scanner?⭐Is Wireshark good at port scanning?⭐Which tool is a command line alternative to Wireshark?
Comparing Charles Proxy, Fiddler, Wireshark, and Requestly
Although thousands of developers around the globe use Wireshark and Charles Proxy, they fail to occupy the top side in the design aspect. Wireshark’s interface is robust and detailed but can be intimidating for beginners. While Charles Proxy has a more approachable interface compared to Wireshark, it might seem cluttered to some users. Fiddler’s UI is information-rich and...
Source: dev.to

Kismet Reviews

5 Best Wireshark alternative packet sniffers
Kismet’s data collector doesn’t probe networks like other packet sniffers, so intrusion detection systems can’t spot its activities. This makes it a powerful tool for hackers who have access to a computer that is connected to the network. Standard network monitoring systems will spot the presence of the device on which Kismet is running, but won’t see that the program is...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Wireshark seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 11 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.

Wireshark mentions (11)

  • Wifi problematic, wired connections seem okay. Help?
    Https://wireshark.org, opening that, go to edit preferences and enable "IP network" in the name resolution area, to show website names instead of only IP addresses. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Eeros in bridge mode with wired home
    To prove this, download wireshark Https://wireshark.org/. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Lose internet when downloading large files
    Give that a try and I'll re-recommend for a second time, to run and watch Wireshark: Https://wireshark.org. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Performance scores for Google Lighthouse/Insights seem to be very inaccurate
    Https://www.gap.com/ returned a performance score of 10/100, with a time to interactive score of 36.1 seconds! Https://www.patreon.com/ returned a score of 18 Https://wireshark.org/ returned a score of 28, with "unused javascript" taking 14.9 seconds to load. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Is there a way to programatically turn off Downtime on a child device?
    I tried using Wireshark to figure out which URL is being called but my knowledge here is VERY limited and I couldn’t figure it out. Source: about 3 years ago
View more

Kismet mentions (0)

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

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Wireshark and Kismet, you can also consider the following products

Zabbix - Track, record, alert and visualize performance and availability of IT resources

Vistumbler - Vistumbler is a wireless network scanner for Windows Vista and Windows 7. Features:

Datadog - See metrics from all of your apps, tools & services in one place with Datadog's cloud monitoring as a service solution. Try it for free.

Homedale - With Homedale you can search for Wi-Fi / WLAN Access Points and monitor their signal strength.

SolarWinds NPM - Advanced network monitoring for on-premises, hybrid, and cloud. Download a FREE 30-day trial of SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor (NPM) today!

inSSIDer - inSSIDer Essential makes it easy to maintain small business WiFi.