3.2 Installing the Bluetooth Low Energy Sniffer Capture Tool Plugin to Wireshark

The Bluetooth Low Energy Sniffer software is installed as an external capture plugin in Wireshark.

To add the Bluetooth Low Energy Sniffer capture tool plugin to Wireshark, complete the following steps:
  1. Install the required Python modules:
    1. Download Microchip_BLE_Sniffer_Package.zip and open a command window in the Microchip_BLE_Sniffer_Package\extcap folder.
    2. Install the Python dependencies listed in requirements.txt (located in Microchip_BLE_Sniffer_Package\extcap) by issuing one of the following commands:
      • Windows with Python launcher: py -3 -m pip install -r requirements.txt
        Figure 3-5. Windows with Python launcher
      • Windows without Python launcher: python -m pip install -r requirements.txt
        Figure 3-6. Windows Without Python Launcher
      • Linux/macOS: python3 -m pip install -r requirements.txt
        Figure 3-7. Linux/macOS
    3. Close the command window/terminal.
  2. Copy the Bluetooth Low Energy Sniffer capture tool into the Wireshark folder for personal external capture plugins:
    1. Open Wireshark as an administrator.
    2. Go to Help>About Wireshark (on Windows or Linux) or Wireshark>About Wireshark (on macOS).
      Figure 3-8. Wireshark Home
    3. Select the Folders tab.
    4. Double-click on the location for the Personal Extcap path to open this folder.
      Figure 3-9. Wireshark Folder
    5. Copy the contents of the Microchip_BLE_Sniffer_Package\extcap\ folder to the Personal Extcap path (step 2.d).
      Figure 3-10. Extcap Folder
  3. Ensure that the Bluetooth LE Air Sniffer files are running correctly:
    1. Plug the Bluetooth LE Air Sniffer USB dongle into the USB port of the computer. Wait for the hardware drivers to be loaded before continuing. You can also click “Skip obtaining driver software from Windows Update” to speed up the driver installation process.
    2. Open a command window in the Wireshark folder (by typing cmd on the folder path) for the personal external capture pluginsʼ folder path illustrated in Figure 3-10.
    3. Run the Bluetooth LE Air Sniffer tool to list available interfaces.
    Windows: BLE_Air_Sniffer.bat --extcap-interfaces
    Figure 3-11. Windows
    macOS: ./BLE_Air_Sniffer.sh --extcap-interfaces
    Figure 3-12. macOS
    Note:

    If there is a permission denied error, run the below command in the directory where BLE_Air_Sniffer.sh is located. The command to add execute permissions to the script is

    chmod +x BLE_Air_Sniffer.sh.

  4. Enable the Sniffer capture tool in Wireshark:
    1. Refresh the interfaces in Wireshark by selecting Capture>Refresh Interfaces or pressing F5 on the keyboard.
    2. The Sniffer for Bluetooth LE is displayed as one of the interfaces on the Wireshark capture screen.
      Figure 3-13. Wireshark Window
    3. Select View>Interface Toolbars>Sniffer for Bluetooth LE to enable the Bluetooth Low Energy Sniffer interface.