Wireshark 2.4.3 & Sniffer 2.0 Beta - Minor issues

[MANGO]

Hi, I'm testing

• nrf_sniffer_2.0.0-beta-1_51296aa

• 64-bit Windows 10 PC

• J-Link v6.16c

• 64-bit Wireshark 2.4.3

• PCA10031(v1.1.0, 2016.22, nRF51422 based dongle)

• PCA10040 (flashed as NUS example to generate packets)

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- The good scenario

The LED LD1 shows the status of the dongle.

I observed that if the LD1 indicates purple only, Wireshark can detect the COMx interface.

After I select COM6, LD1 starts to blink like this. A white color was added periodically.

Looks like this indicates that the dongle is capturing packets.

So I can sniff packets with the dongle.

- Close Wireshark 2 and rerunning it

When LD1 was blinking, Wireshark 2 captured packets. I closed and reopened Wireshark 2.

Sadly, Wireshark cannot detect COM6 unless I plug the dongle out and connect it back.

- ETC: Timed out message

I connected my dongle and the PCA10040 which is flashed with the NUS (Nordic UART Service) example.

My iPhone was able to detect the PCA10040's advertisement.

Whereas Wireshark sometimes shows the above log message; Packet read timed out.

The dongle couldn't sniff anything when this message appears.

- ETC: Error by extcap pipe

or

When LD1 is white, Wireshark 2 cannot detect COMx interface.

However, in some cases, it detects COMx interface. When I start sniffing it, the above Python error is thrown.

Added 1/31 : After connection, Wireshark 2 doesn't capture discovery/characteristic packets

I flashed the modified BLE UART example; if the central sends data, the nRF52 echoes back.

I connected the Dongle at the USB hub to show this demo; the result was same if I connect the dongle at the back of my desktop directly.

After pairing, Wireshark 2 doesn't update captured packets anymore.

However, after disconnecting both devices, the ADV packets are captured.

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In short

1.Do I always have to turn off and on the dongle before running Wireshark 2?

Without this off/on process, Wireshark 2 fails to find the COMx interface, regardless when the PCA10040 (COM5) was disconnected.

2.Is there a reason for observing the timed out message?

3.Although I have connected the dongle to the DELL' monitor's USB hub, is the hub a reason for creating that Python exception?

I wish to know the reason for this problem, too.

-Regards, MANGO

[SRA]

Great post the gifs are very helpful! (What did you use for that?)

Here are the things I learned...

1. pyserial - The guide is HORRIBLE at mentioning this, its in the required software but never mentions it again. pip install pyserial, but make sure you are using python 2.7.x to do this. I had to manually install pip because my 2.7 installer wouldn't do it.

2. Do almost everything as Admin. Right click and run Wireshark as admin, install py27 as admin, etc.

3. I'm using 6.22g of Segger and yea, exact same issues.

4. I've tried the nrf51 Dongle and nrf52DK. I at least have gotten partial results on the 51D, nothing on the 52.

5. The guide isn't clear at all about the EXTCAP folders, but it's fairly obvious where the files go.

6. If running python --version returns 3.x, try removing 3.x from your PATHS and making sure only 2.7 is in there. Whatever version comes up is the one the .bat file that wireshark loads will try and use.

7. When I DID get connections up and logging - albeit flaky - with the nrf51Dongle, I could log adv, con_req, and negotiation but it WOULD NOT show any discovery or characteristics. So even "working" it's really not working.

Short story is, I'm giving up for now. 2.0 Beta is CLEARLY not ready. I spent all morning on it and the best I got was still unusable. Waiting on next version.

[MANGO]

Thanks, @SRA. I used this webpage to convert video files to gif.

In the past, as shown here,

many users wanted the Wireshark 2 support.

Though we have waited quite long, the devteam is working on the thing we wanted. So I just want to appreciate their efforts, stay positive, and point out some issues from the beta version.

Come to think of it, I only tested the advertising/scan request packets. Didn't notice that the sniffer cannot log characteristics.

I will test that on my side, too.

By the way, does your nRF51 dongle (PCA10031) becomes hot, so hot that you let go of your fingers as soon as you touch the dongle?

I don't have an IR temperature measurement to show you the temperature, but my dongle goes quite hot while running the sniffer.

-Regards, MANGO

[SRA]

Warm yes, hot no. But mine is only rarely working. I’ll be interested to know if you are getting characteristic data with the new sniffer.

[dcollier8]

I have wireshark 2.4.4 installed, and dont see any interfaces toolbar option in the view dropdown menu. Anyone seeing this issue ?

[MANGO]

Hi, Don Collier. I had the same issue, too.

Main Reason: nrf_sniffer.bat (in Windows) / nrf_sniffer.py wasn't executed correctly.

Reason why: You can see the details in my previous question. Take a look and hope it helps.

After that is executed correctly, you can see the View - Interface Toolbars - nRF Sniffer from Wireshark 2.

-Regards, MANGO