tcpdump vs tcpflow

Struggling to choose between tcpdump and tcpflow? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

tcpdump is a Network & Admin solution with tags like packet-capture, network-traffic, commandline.

It boasts features such as Packet capture and network traffic monitoring, Capture filters for selective packet capture, Reading packets from files for offline analysis, Output to console, files, or other programs, Decoding of various network protocols and pros including Free and open source, Available for multiple platforms, Powerful command line interface, Wide protocol support, Allows inspection of raw network traffic, Lightweight and fast.

On the other hand, tcpflow is a Network & Admin product tagged with tcp, network, monitoring, flows, packets, capture.

Its standout features include Captures TCP traffic flows from live network interfaces or packet capture files, Reassembles TCP streams and stores application-layer data, Stores TCP metadata like sequence numbers, acknowledgments, window advertisements, Supports BPF filters for selective capturing, Outputs flows in various formats like ASCII, CSV, JSON, Can extract files based on signatures, Has a library API for programmatic access, and it shines with pros like Open source and free, Lightweight and fast, Powerful BPF filtering capabilities, Extensible via plugins, Portable across platforms, Can extract files and media, CLI and library API available.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

tcpdump

tcpdump

tcpdump is a command-line network monitoring and data acquisition tool used to capture packet data flowing over a network. It can intercept and log traffic passing over a digital network or part of a network.

Categories:
packet-capture network-traffic commandline

Tcpdump Features

  1. Packet capture and network traffic monitoring
  2. Capture filters for selective packet capture
  3. Reading packets from files for offline analysis
  4. Output to console, files, or other programs
  5. Decoding of various network protocols

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Available for multiple platforms

Powerful command line interface

Wide protocol support

Allows inspection of raw network traffic

Lightweight and fast

Cons

Command line only, no GUI

Steep learning curve

Manual analysis of captures required

Does not do automated intrusion detection

Requires root/admin rights on most OSes


tcpflow

tcpflow

tcpflow is an open source tool for capturing TCP traffic flows. It works by capturing packets from network interfaces or packet capture files, reassembling TCP streams, and storing application-layer data with relevant TCP metadata.

Categories:
tcp network monitoring flows packets capture

Tcpflow Features

  1. Captures TCP traffic flows from live network interfaces or packet capture files
  2. Reassembles TCP streams and stores application-layer data
  3. Stores TCP metadata like sequence numbers, acknowledgments, window advertisements
  4. Supports BPF filters for selective capturing
  5. Outputs flows in various formats like ASCII, CSV, JSON
  6. Can extract files based on signatures
  7. Has a library API for programmatic access

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Open source and free

Lightweight and fast

Powerful BPF filtering capabilities

Extensible via plugins

Portable across platforms

Can extract files and media

CLI and library API available

Cons

Limited to TCP flows only

No fancy GUI

Steep learning curve

Need to process outputs for analysis

Not a full packet analyzer