Easy packet capture
Simple, but powerful. Choose an interface, start recording, and keep packet capture calm even when the network is busy.
TCP Viewer vs Wireshark
TCP Viewer vs Wireshark for Mac packet capture
TCP Viewer is a focused, Mac-native alternative for everyday capture. Wireshark remains the stronger choice for deep, cross-platform analysis.
Download TCP Viewer for MacOnly Apple Silicon - macOS 15+
Side-by-side
Compare TCP Viewer and Wireshark
Both inspect packets. The main difference is how much analysis depth and setup you want in your daily Mac workflow.
Area
TCP Viewer
Wireshark
Native macOS
TCP Viewer
Designed and built for macOS 26, with a Mac-first look and feel that is easy to use every day.
Wireshark
A powerful cross-platform desktop app with a dense interface designed for advanced network analysis.
Capture all interfaces
TCP Viewer
Capture activity across all available network interfaces in one place, so important traffic is less likely to be missed.
Wireshark
Can capture from many interfaces, with an advanced setup for broad network investigation.
Detailed packets
TCP Viewer
Built on top of Wireshark, so you get familiar, Wireshark-grade packet details in a native Mac app.
Wireshark
Provides its full packet analysis workspace with extensive detail for specialist work.
Display by apps / domains
TCP Viewer
Groups traffic by app and domain, turning a busy capture into clearer conversations to scan.
Wireshark
Shows packet rows and lets you use filters to find the addresses and protocols you need.
Advanced filters
TCP Viewer
Build focused multi-rule filters in a clear form, so everyday checks do not require complex filter syntax.
Wireshark
Offers a powerful filter language for precise, detailed analysis.
TCP Viewer MCP
TCP Viewer
Connect Codex or another MCP client to check capture status, explore interfaces, and find packets with a plain-language request. Available with TCP Viewer PRO.
Wireshark
Does not include a built-in MCP connection.
Choose by workflow
A focused Mac workflow or a full analysis workstation?
Choose based on the work you do most often. Neither tool needs to replace the other.
Choose TCP Viewer when you need
- Daily capture and triage in a native Mac interface.
- Grouping traffic by app or domain before opening packet details.
- Opening, filtering, and exporting PCAP or PCAPNG files with less setup.
- Letting an MCP client check capture state and search packets.
Choose Wireshark when you need
- Deep protocol analysis, statistics, and expert information.
- Advanced capture and display filters with precise field expressions.
- Following many protocol stream types beyond TCP.
- Cross-platform workflows shared by network and security teams.
They can work together
Use TCP Viewer for a quick Mac capture, then export the relevant packets to Wireshark when the investigation needs deeper protocol analysis or team collaboration.
Official sources checked for this comparison
Powered by Wireshark
See packet details like Wireshark
TCP Viewer is built on Wireshark's packet analysis engine. Explore decoded protocols, field values, and raw bytes in a native Mac interface.
- Expand the protocol tree to inspect each layer of a packet.
- Select a field to highlight its matching bytes in the hex view.
- Search and copy details from live captures or saved PCAP files.
TCP Viewer is distributed under GPL v2 or later, in line with Wireshark's license. See the open-source acknowledgements.
TCP Viewer MCP
Ask your AI agent about the packets
Connect TCP Viewer to Codex or another MCP client. Check capture status, explore interfaces, and find the packets that matter with a plain-language prompt.
Available with TCP Viewer PRO.
Saved captures
Open PCAP and PCAPNG files by drag and drop
Bring an existing capture into TCP Viewer and preview the packets right away, with no fresh recording session required.
Drag in a trace
Drop PCAP or PCAPNG files straight onto TCP Viewer.
Preview immediately
Open the packet list and decoded detail view without a live capture.
Keep the workflow native
Review saved evidence in the same Mac-first packet interface.
Drop capture.pcapng to preview
Follow TCP Stream
Read the whole TCP conversation
Get the familiar Wireshark Follow TCP workflow in a focused, Mac-native window—reassembled, direction-aware, and easy to trace back to the source packets.
- Reassemble one TCP conversation instead of reading payloads packet by packet.
- Keep both directions together, or isolate Client → Server and Server → Client.
- Switch between readable text and exact hex bytes without leaving the stream.
- Search the transcript, count matches, and move to the previous or next result.
- Reveal a transcript record in the packet table, then inspect its matching bytes.
Inspect without the clutter
Whatever you capture, TCP Viewer keeps the important traffic readable. Filter noise, open decoded fields, and save evidence for the next debug session.
Grouped traffic
Group packets by domain or client
Collapse busy captures into readable conversations by domain or client, then jump straight to the traffic that matters.
Protocol filters
Quickly filter TCP, UDP, DNS, and more
Tap protocol chips to focus the packet list without rebuilding a complex filter every time the capture changes.
Export captures
Save evidence as PCAP or PCAPNG
Package the exact packets you need into standard capture files for Wireshark, teammates, or the next debug session.
Export selected packets
Capture range
AllFilteredSelected
Packets1,284
Duration02:16
ProtocolsTCP, DNS, TLS
File format
.pcapngFull metadata.pcapClassic format
Filename
filtered-capture.pcapng
Packet detail
Read Wireshark-grade packet data
Open decoded fields, protocol trees, byte ranges, and field values with Wireshark-grade depth in a focused Mac interface.
Open source
TCP Viewer is open source.
Read the source, build the app yourself, or contribute on GitHub. TCP Viewer uses the GPL v2 or later license.
GPL v2 or laterPublic GitHub repoContributions welcome