tcpflow vs Packet Capture

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

tcpflow is a Network & Admin solution with tags like tcp, network, monitoring, flows, packets, capture.

It boasts features such as 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 pros including 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.

On the other hand, Packet Capture is a Network & Admin product tagged with packet-capture, network-traffic, network-analysis, wireshark, tcpdump, windump.

Its standout features include Real-time packet capture and analysis, Support for hundreds of protocols and network standards, Powerful display filters for drilling down on specific traffic, Expert Info to explain meaning of network packets, Statistical reports on network usage and metrics, Ability to reconstruct TCP sessions and application streams, Export captured packets in multiple formats (pcap, csv, xml, etc), and it shines with pros like Free and open source, Cross-platform support, Rich feature set for deep inspection and analysis, Extensive protocol support, Large user and developer community.

Feature	tcpflow	Packet Capture
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Network & Admin	Network & Admin

Product Overview

tcpflow

Description: 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.

Packet Capture

Description: Packet capture software intercepts and logs network traffic passing through a network interface. It can help analyze network issues, view raw network packets, monitor bandwidth usage, debug protocols, etc. Popular open-source packet capture tools include Wireshark, tcpdump, and Windump.

Key Features Comparison

tcpflow Features

• 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

Packet Capture Features

• Real-time packet capture and analysis
• Support for hundreds of protocols and network standards
• Powerful display filters for drilling down on specific traffic
• Expert Info to explain meaning of network packets
• Statistical reports on network usage and metrics
• Ability to reconstruct TCP sessions and application streams
• Export captured packets in multiple formats (pcap, csv, xml, etc)

Pros & Cons Analysis

tcpflow

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

Packet Capture

Pros

• Free and open source
• Cross-platform support
• Rich feature set for deep inspection and analysis
• Extensive protocol support
• Large user and developer community

Cons

• Steep learning curve
• Can be resource intensive for large captures
• Limited technical support compared to commercial tools

Pricing Comparison

tcpflow

• Open Source

Packet Capture

• Free
• Open Source