Academy's Bluetooth LE Fundamentals, Lesson 6: Problems with enabling the nRF Sniffer Capture Tool in Wireshark

[Jacek Majda]

I have installed the Wireshark 3.6.1, 64 bit on my Windows 10 PC and I followed the steps listed under "Installing the nRF Sniffer Capture Tool", namely:

1. I installed the Python requirements by opening a command window and navigating to the folder: sniffer_software/extcap, and then by typing the following command:

python -m pip install -r requirements.txt.

2. I copied the nRF Sniffer Capture Tool into Wireshark by copying the contents of of the sniffer_software/extcap folder into the folder: c:\Users\....\Roaming\Wireshark\extcap

3. I tried to enable the nRF Sniffer Capture Tool in Wireshark by

3.1 Refreshing the Interfaces in Wireshark, by selecting: Capture>Refresh Interfaces

3.2 By selecting: View>Interface Toolbars>nRF Sniffer for Bluetooth LE - as can be seen on the attached screenshot.

Once I did that, I was supposed to see that the nRF Sniffer is displayed as one of the interfaces on the Wireshark capture screen - but this did NOT happen.

I then tried to perform Step 3 activities in installing the nRF Sniffer Capture Tool to make sure that the nRF Sniffer files can be run correctly - as advised by the "Note".

So, I took these steps:

(a) I opened a command window in Wireshark's folder: Wireshark\extcap

(b) I run the nRF Sniffer Tool to list available interfaces by typing: nrf_sniffer_ble.bat --extcap-interfaces, in the wireshark\extcap folder

And I saw a series of strings, as expected.  I attach that "List of strings" for your info.

I then tried again to enable the nRF Sniffer Capture Tool in Wireshark by:

3.1 Refreshing the Interfaces in Wireshark, by selecting: Capture>Refresh Interfaces

3.2 By selecting: View>Interface Toolbars>nRF Sniffer for Bluetooth LE - (as can be seen on the attached screenshot).

However, I still could not see that the nRF Sniffer is displayed as one of the interfaces on the Wireshark capture screen.

How can this problem be resolved?

Regards,

JM

Screenshot 24 April 2023.docx

List of strings 24-April-2023.docx

[Einar Thorsrud]

Hi,

I do not see the list of interfaces in the screenshot (as a menu covers it), but the rest of the information here all seems good. Which nRF DK/Dongle have you connected to the computer and are using as the sniffer (both type and version)? How have you connected it to the computer? And have you flashed it with the appropriate sniffer firmware (from the same zip as the other sniffer components)?

[Jacek Majda]

Hi,

I am using my nRF52840 DK Version 3.0.0 as the nRF DK that is running the nRF Sniffer Firmware that I flashed into it.

I am now able to see the "nRF Sniffer for Bluetooth LE Com13" displayed as one of the interfaces on the Wireshark Capture screen.

However, when I try to run the nRF Sniffer by:

1. Turning my DK running the nRF Sniffer firmware ON and placing it between two devices that are communicating over Bluetooth LE.

2. In Wireshark, under Capture, double-clicking on the hardware interface: "nRF Sniffer for Bluetooth LE Com port"

I get a message with several Wireshark-Interface Options for  nRF Sniffer for Bluetooth NE Com 13, as can be seen on the attached Screenshot_1-25-April-2023.

But whichever option I choose, I am getting the message: "No packets captured", as can be seen on the attached Screenshot_2-25-April-2023.

This is all happening while I use the nRF USB on my nRF 52840DK Version 3.0.0.

When instead of the nRF USB, I try to use the standard USB on my nRF52840 DK Version 3.0.0, I get the following messages: 

1. nRF Sniffer for Bluetooth LE could not find interface: COM13

2. Error by extcap pipe: FIFO does NOT exist

as can be seen on the  attached Screenshot_3-25-April-2023.

How can this problem be resolved?

Regards,

JM

Screenshot_1-25-April-2023.docx

Screenshot_2-25-April-2023.docxScreenshot_3-25-April-2023.docx

[Einar Thorsrud]

Hi,

You need to use the nRF USB port on the bottom part of the DK as shown here:

Using the USB port on the left side (with the debugger as a USB-USB bridge) will not work with the lastest DK revisions.

The question is why you don't capture any packets when using the nRF USB port, and fort that I do not have any immediate suggestions. There are some suggestions here which are worth considering, though most are only relevant when using UART (via the onboard debugger)  and not USB. By the way, which version of Python are you using?

[Jacek Majda]

Hi,

I tried one more time to capture packets when using the nRF USB port, and this time it worked 100%.

So the problem has been resolved.

JM