T&M Wireless Sniffer Basics: Zigbee, WiFi, Bluetooth, GSM, LTE, IoT
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This page covers the basics of wireless sniffers with a block diagram and its benefits. It also lists manufacturers of wireless sniffers used for various technologies including WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z-Wave, LTE, GSM, and IoT wireless packet analysis.
Figure 1 depicts a wireless sniffer used to sniff WiFi signals in a WLAN/WiFi network. As shown, it can be used to sniff or analyze WLAN packets exchanged between an AP (Access Point) and STAs (Stations).
There are two types of analyzers:
- Offline Analyzers: These are used to analyze offline stored data. They are standalone applications and don’t require any RF hardware. They can be installed on any desktop or laptop.
- Online Analyzers: These run on hardware consisting of RF components, ADCs, memory, and other necessary hardware. They are used to analyze over-the-air (OTA) wireless packets. Therefore, an online application with the required hardware is known as a wireless sniffer, which analyzes OTA packets.
Wireless Sniffer Architecture
Typically, a wireless sniffer is composed of an RF receiver, ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter), memory, and a microprocessor/microcontroller.
- RF Receiver: Converts the received RF signal to a baseband signal.
- ADC: Converts the baseband signal from its analog form to digital.
- Memory: The microprocessor/microcontroller writes the digital data into memory.
- Microprocessor/Microcontroller: Analyzes the samples stored in memory using an appropriate baseband application, according to the standard device requirements (e.g., WLAN, Zigbee, Bluetooth).
For example, to sniff WiFi signals, a WiFi-based wireless sniffer is needed. To sniff Bluetooth signals, a Bluetooth-based wireless sniffer is needed, and so on.
Manufacturers of Wireless Sniffers (Zigbee, WiFi, Bluetooth, GSM, LTE, Z-Wave)
The following table lists wireless sniffers for WiFi, Bluetooth, LTE, GSM, Zigbee, and Z-Wave.
| Wireless Sniffer Type | Company/Vendor/Manufacturer |
|---|---|
| Bluetooth and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Sniffer | Adafruit, Perytons, Nordic Semiconductor, Frontline Test Equipment, Inc., Texas Instruments |
| WiFi sniffer which analyzes wlan packet | TamoSoft, Fluke Networks, Savvius Inc., CACE Technologies (Part of Riverbed Technology), ACRYLIC |
| LTE sniffer | Pacific Rim Mobile Technologies (Model: AQ-M800), ntop (nProbe for 2G, 3G, LTE), GL Communications Inc., Accedian Networks, Wireshark |
| Zigbee sniffer | TI, Perytons, ATMEL |
| Z-Wave sniffer | Sigma Designs |
Benefits of wireless sniffers
Following are some of the advantages of wireless sniffers used for various standards including IEEE and 3GPP.
- Network Traffic Analysis : Captures and analyzes wireless packets for troubleshooting and optimization.
- Security Monitoring : Detects unauthorized access points, rogue devices, and network vulnerabilities.
- Performance Optimization : Identifies congestion, interference, and latency issues for better network performance.
- Wireless Protocol Debugging : Helps developers analyze and refine communication protocols like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Zigbee.
- Intrusion Detection : Assists in identifying hacking attempts, packet injections, and suspicious activities.
- Compliance Auditing : Ensures networks meet security and regulatory standards.
- Real Time Monitoring : Provides live packet capture and deep packet inspection for proactive network management.
- User Behavior Analysis : Helps in understanding traffic patterns and improving wireless service delivery.
Conclusion
A wireless sniffer is a powerful tool for network security, performance monitoring, and troubleshooting. By capturing real time data, it enhances network reliability, detects security threats, and ensures efficient wireless communication across various applications.
