Wireshark Download Npcap [new] Jun 2026

To capture live network traffic on Windows, Wireshark relies on , a modern packet capture library developed by the Nmap Project

Npcap is a packet capture driver (or library). It sits between the Windows operating system and Wireshark. When you start a capture in Wireshark, it talks to Npcap. Npcap then talks to the network driver, instructing it to copy every packet it sees—not just the ones meant for the PC—and pass them to Wireshark. wireshark download npcap

While Wireshark is the most famous user of Npcap, understanding Npcap’s standalone capabilities can supercharge your toolkit. To capture live network traffic on Windows, Wireshark

Outdated wireless drivers or incompatible Npcap raw 802.11 settings. Wireshark relies on

This is where comes in.