Wireshark · Wireshark-users: Re: [Wireshark-users] For Mark

[Guy Harris <guy@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Dec 2, 2008, at 8:56 AM, Faraz Hasan wrote:

> I am using WireShark on Windows. Is there absolutely no way to  
> capture wireless traffic without anything more than a PC connected  
> to the net!

There are ways:

	1) make sure your Personal Computer is a PowerBook or MacBook and run  
OS X on it;

	2) if it's not a Mac, run Linux or {Free,Net,Open,DragonFly}BSD on it  
(you can perhaps also do that if it's a Mac, but it's not necessary);

	3) if you have to run Windows, run Windows Vista (or perhaps Windows  
Server 2008) and use Microsoft Network Monitor 3.1 or later, rather  
than a WinPcap-based application such as Wireshark.

> Further, what are the limitations if AirPcap adaptor is not used?

You probably won't be able to capture traffic other than traffic to  
and from your machine, and you will only be able to capture data  
frames, not management or control frames.