how to Enable Monitor Mode on Kali Linux ?
What is Kali Linux Monitor Mode?
Monitor Mode is supported by most wireless networks, but not universally supported. Most of the wireless adapters can be switched to Monitor mode using command line configurations in a Linux environment. Monitor Mode allows the wireless adapter to view the traffic on wireless networks, not currently associated with it. It uses a sniffer to capture traffic, from any wireless network in areas without any restriction. Monitor Mode allows capturing the packets that are not alone directed to the device but also to other devices connected to the network.
How to Use Kali Linux Monitor Mode?
Below are the uses of Kali Linux Monitor Mode:
1.In the case of an Ethical Hacker as a user, Monitor Mode is used in capturing relevant data to see if the router has any vulnerability.
2.It is used to check if the network has a vulnerability to any attacks.
3.It hence provides crucial information on each device, and be used for observing high volumes of network and traffic.
How to Enable WiFi Monitor Mode in Kali Linux?
There are 3 ways to enable Monitor Mode, let us check on a few:
1. Enabling monitor mode using airmon-ng
The first step is to get information on the wireless interface, which can be done using the below command.
Command:
sudo airmon-ng
Kali Linux Monitor Mode Interface
Note: Commands will also work without sudo as prefix.
If we want to kill any process that may interfere with using Adapter in Monitor Mode, the below command can be used.
Command:
sudo airmon-ng check
Adapter in Kali Linux Monitor Mode
It will list out the processes that cause trouble.
Command:
sudo airmon-ng check kill
list out the processes that cause trouble
It will kill the processes that cause trouble. To enable Monitor Mode, use the below command.
Command:
sudo airmon-ng start wlan0
Enabling Kali Linux Monitor Mode
Monitor Mode is enabled without any interference.
Command:
sudo iwconfig
Helps to create wlan0mon as below.
enabled without any interference
To stop Monitor Mode, use the below command.
Command:
sudo airmon-ng stop wlan0mon
To restart the network, use the below command.
Command:
sudo systemctl start NetworkManager
2. Enabling monitor mode using iw
The iw is used for WiFi configuration, or to obtain information about the WiFi network or information about other commands.
To check interface information, use the below command.
Command:
sudo iw dev
To check traffic, the user will have to switch to Monitor Mode. Switch iw to Monitor Mode using the below commands.
Command:
sudo ip link set IFACE down
sudo iw IFACE set monitor control
sudo ip link set IFACE up
IFACE has been replaced now with wlan0.
Then check the wireless interface once again using the sudo iw dev command.
3. Enabling monitor mode using iwconfig
Check the interface name with the below command.
Command:
sudo iwconfig
Then enable the Monitor mode with the below commands.
Command:
sudo ifconfig IFACE down
sudo iwconfig IFACE mode monitor
sudo ifconfig IFACE up
IFACE has been replaced now with wlan0.
Command:
sudo ifconfig wlan0 down
sudo iwconfig wlan0 mode monitor
sudo ifconfig wlan0 up
To Disable Monitor Mode, use the below commands.
Command:
sudo ifconfig wlan0 down
sudo iwconfig wlan0 mode managed
sudo ifconfig wlan0 up
Finally, to turn off the network manager which prevents Monitor Mode.
Command:
sudo systemctl stop NetworkManager