Wireshark MCP
Wireshark Packet Analyzer with MCP Integration This project integrates the MCP (Message Communication Protocol) server with Wireshark to analyze and interact with network packets. The tool enables packet capture, analysis, and management using MCP wh
What is Wireshark MCP?
Wireshark MCP is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to wireshark packet analyzer with mcp integration this project integrates the mcp (message communication protocol) server with wireshark to analyze and interact with network packets. the tool enables pac...
Wireshark Packet Analyzer with MCP Integration This project integrates the MCP (Message Communication Protocol) server with Wireshark to analyze and interact with network packets. The tool enables packet capture, analysis, and management using MCP wh
This server falls under the Security and Monitoring & Observability categories on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- Wireshark Packet Analyzer with MCP Integration This project
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx wiresharkmcpConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Wireshark MCP
WiresharkMCP integrates Wireshark's packet capture and analysis capabilities with the Model Context Protocol, enabling AI assistants like Claude to interact with live network traffic and captured packet data. The project consists of a Python MCP server that manages communication with Wireshark and a Lua extension that runs inside Wireshark for real-time packet dissection. Security engineers and network analysts can use it to ask natural language questions about traffic patterns, protocol behavior, and network anomalies without manually writing Wireshark display filters.
Prerequisites
- Python 3.10+ installed on your system
- Wireshark installed (version 3.0+ recommended) with Lua scripting enabled
- Administrator or root privileges for live packet capture on network interfaces
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop
Clone the repository
Clone the WiresharkMCP repository to get both the Python server and the Lua Wireshark extension.
git clone https://github.com/shubham-s-pandey/WiresharkMCP.git
cd WiresharkMCPInstall Python dependencies
Install the required Python packages for the MCP server component.
pip install -r requirements.txtInstall the Lua extension into Wireshark
Copy the Lua plugin file to Wireshark's plugins directory so it loads automatically at startup.
# macOS
cp wireshark_mcp.lua ~/.config/wireshark/plugins/
# Linux
cp wireshark_mcp.lua ~/.local/lib/wireshark/plugins/
# Windows
copy wireshark_mcp.lua "%APPDATA%\Wireshark\plugins\"Launch Wireshark with the plugin active
Start Wireshark normally. The Lua extension will load automatically and begin buffering packet data for the MCP server to consume.
Configure Claude Desktop to use the Python MCP server
Add the WiresharkMCP Python server to your Claude Desktop configuration file.
Start a packet capture and query via Claude
Begin capturing on a network interface in Wireshark, then use Claude to ask questions about the captured packets.
Wireshark MCP Examples
Client configuration
Configure the WiresharkMCP Python server in Claude Desktop.
{
"mcpServers": {
"wireshark": {
"command": "python",
"args": ["/path/to/WiresharkMCP/server.py"]
}
}
}Prompts to try
Examples of network analysis queries you can ask Claude once Wireshark is capturing.
- "List all available network interfaces I can capture on"
- "What protocols are present in the current capture?"
- "Show me all DNS queries made in the last 60 seconds"
- "Are there any TCP retransmissions or connection resets in the capture?"
- "Summarize the top 5 source IP addresses by packet count"Troubleshooting Wireshark MCP
Lua plugin not loading in Wireshark
Verify Lua scripting is enabled in Wireshark by checking Help > About Wireshark > Wireshark. The 'with Lua' line must be present. Ensure the .lua file is in the correct plugins directory and Wireshark has read permission on it.
Packet capture fails with permission denied
On Linux, run `sudo setcap cap_net_raw,cap_net_admin=eip $(which dumpcap)` to grant capture privileges without requiring root. On macOS, use `sudo` or add your user to the `access_bpf` group.
MCP server reports no data from Wireshark
Ensure Wireshark is actively capturing on an interface before querying via Claude. The Lua extension buffers packets in real time — check that the plugin loaded correctly by looking for Wireshark startup messages in the Lua console (Tools > Lua > Console).
Frequently Asked Questions about Wireshark MCP
What is Wireshark MCP?
Wireshark MCP is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that wireshark packet analyzer with mcp integration this project integrates the mcp (message communication protocol) server with wireshark to analyze and interact with network packets. the tool enables packet capture, analysis, and management using mcp wh It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Wireshark MCP?
Follow the installation instructions on the Wireshark MCP GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with Wireshark MCP?
Wireshark MCP works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Wireshark MCP free to use?
Yes, Wireshark MCP is open source and available under the GPL-3.0 license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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