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SmartSniff vs Wireshark: catalog facts
SmartSniffWireshark
Free

Freeware from NirSoft; free to redistribute as long as nothing is charged.

Free

Free and open source. The foundation is funded by sponsors, training and certification.

Windows Windows, macOS, Linux
  • Shows traffic as readable client-server conversations
  • Can capture without installing a driver via Raw Sockets
  • Dissectors for hundreds of protocols, so the packet contents are readable rather than hex
  • Display filters that cut a huge capture down to one conversation
  • Official system requirements list Windows versions up to Windows 8
  • Raw Sockets mode misses outgoing UDP and ICMP packets and is unreliable on some systems
  • Capturing on most systems needs elevated privileges or a driver such as Npcap
  • The interface assumes you already know roughly what you are looking for
Downloadable app Downloadable app
Closed source Open source
License: Freeware License: GPL-2.0
No account needed No account needed
Not stated if it works offline Works offline

Checked October 8, 2026

Checked September 20, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.