WireMCP
A Model Context Protocol server that provides LLMs with real-time network traffic analysis capabilities, enabling tasks like threat hunting, network diagnostics, and anomaly detection through Wireshark's tshark.
What is WireMCP?
WireMCP is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to model context protocol server that provides llms with real-time network traffic analysis capabilities, enabling tasks like threat hunting, network diagnostics, and anomaly detection through wireshark'...
A Model Context Protocol server that provides LLMs with real-time network traffic analysis capabilities, enabling tasks like threat hunting, network diagnostics, and anomaly detection through Wireshark's tshark.
This server falls under the Monitoring & Observability category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- A Model Context Protocol server that provides LLMs with real
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx wiremcpConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use WireMCP
WireMCP is an MCP server that brings real-time network traffic analysis directly into AI assistants by wrapping Wireshark's tshark command-line tool. It lets LLMs capture live packets, inspect protocol hierarchies, track TCP/UDP conversations, perform threat intelligence lookups against URLhaus, analyze saved PCAP files, and even scan for credential leaks across captured traffic. Developers and security engineers use it to automate threat hunting, network diagnostics, and anomaly detection from within their AI coding environment.
Prerequisites
- Node.js v16 or higher installed
- Wireshark installed with tshark available in your PATH
- Git to clone the repository
- An MCP client such as Claude Desktop or Cursor
Clone the WireMCP repository
Clone the source repository to a local directory. WireMCP is not published to npm so you must run it from source.
git clone https://github.com/0xkoda/WireMCP.git
cd WireMCPInstall Node.js dependencies
Run npm install to download the required packages before starting the server.
npm installVerify tshark is accessible
WireMCP calls tshark under the hood. Confirm it is installed and on your PATH before configuring the MCP server.
tshark --versionStart the MCP server
Run the index.js entry point directly. Keep this running or let your MCP client launch it via the config below.
node index.jsConfigure your MCP client
Add WireMCP to your MCP client configuration using the absolute path to index.js. Replace /ABSOLUTE_PATH_TO with the real path where you cloned the repo.
WireMCP Examples
Client configuration
Add this block to your claude_desktop_config.json or Cursor MCP settings, replacing the path with your actual clone location.
{
"mcpServers": {
"wiremcp": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/ABSOLUTE_PATH_TO/WireMCP/index.js"]
}
}
}Prompts to try
Use these prompts once WireMCP is connected to your AI assistant.
- "Capture 30 seconds of live network traffic and summarize what protocols and IPs you see."
- "Check all IPs in the last packet capture against the URLhaus threat feed and report any hits."
- "Analyze this PCAP file and tell me if there are any suspicious connections or credential leaks."
- "Show me the TCP conversation statistics for my current network interface."
- "Look for any cleartext credentials in the most recent capture."Troubleshooting WireMCP
tshark not found or permission denied when capturing packets
Install Wireshark with the tshark component and ensure it is on your PATH. On Linux you may need to run 'sudo setcap cap_net_raw,cap_net_admin=eip $(which tshark)' to allow non-root capture.
MCP client cannot connect because the path to index.js is wrong
Use an absolute path in the args array (e.g. /Users/yourname/WireMCP/index.js). Relative paths are not resolved correctly when the client launches the server process.
No packets captured on the chosen interface
Identify the correct network interface name with 'tshark -D' and pass it explicitly when calling the capture_packets tool.
Frequently Asked Questions about WireMCP
What is WireMCP?
WireMCP is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that model context protocol server that provides llms with real-time network traffic analysis capabilities, enabling tasks like threat hunting, network diagnostics, and anomaly detection through wireshark's tshark. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install WireMCP?
Follow the installation instructions on the WireMCP GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with WireMCP?
WireMCP works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is WireMCP free to use?
Yes, WireMCP is open source and available under the MIT License license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Set Up WireMCP in Your Editor
Choose your AI client for step-by-step setup instructions.
Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
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