Wireshark problem. Can't select default interface

Question

I downloaded Wireshark from the Ubuntu 11.10 software center and when I start it and want to select default interface for capture in the list of interfaces are blank. I can't select default interface. Please help me.

Try running wireshark by gksudo wireshark, you will need sudo permissions to capture packets on your network interface. — Nitin Venkatesh, Feb 19 '12 at 08:11
The answers here are more dangerous than the standard "sudo dpkg-reconfigure wireshark-common" approach, which is documented in this question: How do I run WireShark, with root-privileges? - Ask Ubuntu. This question is essentially a duplicate of that one. — nealmcb, Jan 15 '13 at 23:50

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 19 '12 at 08:35

2

Run wireshark with sudo priveleges - gksudo wireshark. You will need super-user permission to capture packets from your network interface.

answered Feb 19 '12 at 08:35

Nitin Venkatesh

22,221

No problem :) Most welcome :) – Nitin Venkatesh Feb 19 '12 at 08:41
1

This is unnecessarily dangerous and problematic, because there are far more exploitable bugs when running the full gui as root, and configuration issues can crop up when a gui program runs as root. See the dpkg-reconfigure solution at How do I run WireShark, with root-privileges? - Ask Ubuntu for a much better option – nealmcb Jan 16 '13 at 00:01
1

I just saw that and have also voted to close this question off as a duplicate of that one. Thanks for pointing this out @nealmcb :) – Nitin Venkatesh Jan 16 '13 at 18:53

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited Nov 07 '12 at 08:01

1

This command string worked in my case. I don't run anything as root if I don't have to.

sudo chgrp your username /usr/bin/dumpcap
sudo chmod 750 /usr/bin/dumpcap
sudo setcap cap_net_raw,cap_net_admin+eip /usr/bin/dumpcap

edited Nov 07 '12 at 08:01

Oyibo

1,919

answered Apr 26 '12 at 22:37

Mack

11
1

Super helpful because this relates to anything using libpcap, not just dumpcap + wireshark. Got me out of a pinch, thanks! – Brannon Sep 24 '15 at 15:58

Wireshark problem. Can't select default interface

2 Answers2