Kismet

Kismet is a cool open-source app that acts as a wireless network sniffer, detector, and intrusion detection system. It works on Linux, BSD, Microsoft Windows, and Mac OS X. So no matter what OS you're using, Kismet has got you covered!

What Does Kismet Do?

This handy tool runs in any terminal emulator and has a modular architecture that supports any wireless card that can handle raw monitoring mode (rfmon). Basically, it's a command-line sniffer for 802.11 b/g/n/a network traffic.

Easy Network Detection

Kismet is designed to find networks easily by detecting standard named networks and collecting packets passively. It can even spot hidden Wi-Fi networks! Plus, it uncovers non-beaconing wireless networks just by looking at data traffic.

Key Features of Kismet

• Network Sniffing: It can sniff 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, and 802.11a wireless networks.


• File Logging: Supports standard PCAP file logging from tools like Wireshark or Tcpdump.


• WEP Decoding: Can decode WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) in real-time.


• SSID Decloaking: Able to reveal hidden SSIDs (Service Set Identifications).

User-Friendly Interface

The app allows channel and multi-card hopping and integrates with third-party tools through its XML-based logging feature. You can also export network packets in real-time using built-in Tun/Tap virtual network drivers.

Getting Started with Kismet

The first time you run Kismet, it'll ask if you want to connect automatically to the Kismet server or a remote one. You can also enable or disable logging before starting up the server.

Simplified Network Sorting

The command-line interface is super easy to use! You can sort networks based on type, channel, encryption status, BSSID, SSID, signal strength, and packet count—both ascending and descending order!

Diverse View Modes Available

You have different view modes available under the View menu! Check out the network list, client list, GPS info, battery status, general information about the connection status or even packet graphs directly from the Windows menu.

If you're ready to dive into wireless networking with Kismet—grab it here!