FAQ

This page collects some of the most common questions about Sniffnet, divided by topic:

• Features and functionalities
• Platforms
• Usage problems

Features and functionalities

What are the main differences between Sniffnet and Wireshark?

Compared to Wireshark, Sniffnet is a more lightweight and user-friendly packet analyzer, designed to be straightforward to use for both beginners and professionals.
In terms of number of functionalities, Wireshark is much richer, being it developed by a large team of developers for more than 20 years.
New features are constantly being added to Sniffnet, although its main focus will remain on the ease of use: it includes the key features necessary to keep track of your traffic without introducing the complexity that characterises Wireshark and other network monitoring tools.

How many packets per second can Sniffnet handle?

The precise number of packets per second that Sniffnet can handle depends on the hardware and the operating system you are using.
On an average machine, Sniffnet should be able to read and display more than 100k packets per second smoothly.
More information about this topic can be found in issue #489, where I plan to share more accurate benchmarks.

Does Sniffnet support import and export of packet capture files?

Since version 1.3.0, Sniffnet supports exporting PCAP files.
Importing PCAP files is not supported yet, but it is a planned feature (see #283).

Does Sniffnet still produce the textual report file?

Since version 1.3.0, Sniffnet doesn't produce anymore the textual report file that characterised previous versions of the app.
Instead, now Sniffnet allows exporting files in PCAP format, a popular and standardised format for network captures which makes it easier to parse, read, and interpret traffic data.
Moreover, an interactive version of the old textual report is now included the Inspect page of the app, where you can sort and filter it according to various criteria.

Does Sniffnet support ICMP traffic?

Yes, since version 1.3.0 Sniffnet supports ICMP traffic.
The specific types of ICMP messages exchanged by each network connection can be seen clicking on the respective entry of the table in the Inspect tab.

Can Sniffnet be used as a firewall?

This is not possible. Sniffnet currently doesn't allow you to block network traffic.
The filters available in the initial page of the app are only relative to what the interface displays, not to what the network adapter receives.

Can I use Sniffnet to see which applications/processes are generating network traffic?

Process identification is not supported yet, but it's a planned feature (see #170).

Can I inspect packet payloads with Sniffnet?

You cannot visualize the packets' payload in-app, but you can export a packet capture file with Sniffnet and then open it with Wireshark to inspect the payloads if you need to.

Can Sniffnet be used to monitor a remote host?

No, it can't. Sniffnet is designed to monitor the network traffic of the machine it is running on.

Platforms

Can I use Sniffnet on the web?

Currently, Sniffnet is only available as a Desktop application, compatible with all the major operating systems.
Web support is planned (see #57) but unluckily this is not a feature that will be implemented in the short term.

Can I use Sniffnet on Windows 7?

Windows 7 and Windows 8 no longer receive security updates or support from Microsoft.
Sniffnet is not tested on these operating systems, and it's not guaranteed to work correctly.

Can I use Sniffnet on my mobile device?

No, you can't. Sniffnet is not available for mobile devices, and mobile support is not planned.

Is a Flatpak or AppImage of Sniffnet available to install the app on Linux?

Sniffnet packages for Linux are only in available in DEB and RPM format.
Help to create other kinds of Linux packages is welcome and warmly appreciated (see #252).
Alternatively, you can build Sniffnet from source or use the package manager of your distribution to install it (if available).

Usage problems

Font size and application window are too large, how can I fix the problem?

Open the application's settings, go to the General tab, and adjust the zoom value as needed.

Country flags are shown as black rectangles, how can I fix the problem?

This and other graphical issues can be fixed by setting the ICED_BACKEND environment variable to tiny-skia.

The graphical interface keeps glitching, how can I fix the problem?

This and other graphical issues can be fixed by setting the ICED_BACKEND environment variable to tiny-skia.