Wireshark – The NPF driver isn’t running
As soon as I opened my wireshark, the message popped up: “The NPF driver isn’t running…
As a local administrator do this:
net start npf
Now go back and open WireShark. Everything will be ok π
By Jared Heinrichs 43 Comments
As soon as I opened my wireshark, the message popped up: “The NPF driver isn’t running…
As a local administrator do this:
net start npf
Now go back and open WireShark. Everything will be ok π
Scott says
Your post has been found. I thank you for this information, as it worked quite well.
~Scott
Filipe says
Is there anyway to run this at startup?
Joao says
Thanks!
Tim says
I’ve tried doing this, but when I do it gives me this message “System error 5 has occured. Access is denied”
I am using Win7 Pro in administrator mode, and I even used the run program with control+alt+enter to make sure I was in admin command prompt. What else can I do?
Sarah says
Tim, make sure you are running Wireshark itself as administrator.
tom says
click on the shortcut, select properties, select run as administator. when she starts npf will start also.
Nik says
Run command prompt as admin not as user admin. you need to be in the C:/windos/system32/ directory to run the ‘net start npf’ command as admin
Lazfroc says
@Tim
You can start the driver by hand before starting Wireshark and stop it afterwards.
Using Wireshark running in a user account could look like:
Start the NPF driver:
runas /u:administrator “net start npf”
Start Wireshark as a user and work with it, including capturing, until the specific job is finished.
Stop the NPF driver again:
runas /u:administrator “net stop npf”
AntΓ³nio Santos says
Thank you!
Diana says
Running it as an admin worked for me.
Thanks.
Chris says
Ran the program in administrative mode. Worked fine. Loaded all drivers and everything.
Herjan says
Thanks for the solution!
Simple but effective π
J-Rock says
Thanks!!
Aashish says
Hi,
I am new at using Wireshark. I need to trace packets from a darwin streaming server using VLC at the client. TCP connection establishment, RTP data packets and RTCP packets and things like that. I have setup the darwin server and also the Wireshark. Any suggestions on how should I proceed.
Jared Heinrichs says
For beginners I would try and look at this article: http://portforward.com/networking/wireshark.htm
Tshego says
Running as Administratoe worked for me….
Thank you very much
nacron says
Thanks so much!! Effective and fast solution!!!
ahsan says
thanks tom. its working the way you said.
dMan says
thanks tom and sarah
vRussell says
Thanks a lot! That’s exactly what I am looking for!
wahyu says
Thanks a lot. it is really works like magic π
Gui says
Install Winpcap
SSK says
Thanks man, it worked great
thokchom sanjeet says
it worked after running as admin thanks!
Araneda says
it works. Thanks
Eteng Socrates says
Thanks alot. It worked for me too.
Anny says
The thing is that you must run it as administrator
Ibrahim Aziz says
Yes, this worked great.
Raj says
i i am using windows 7 ultimate
i cant understand “net start npf”
i run this but it showing me search result
please help me.
Jared Heinrichs says
“net start npf” is needed to be run from a command prompt. Right click a shortcut to the command prompt and tell it to run as an administrator. A little black command prompt window will open. type those three words exactly how you see them including the spaces. It will work.
Walt says
Where ever you all may be .. Thanks dudes! net stat npf worked for me
Jared Heinrichs says
You’re welcome. You should check out the rest of my site and maybe add my RSS feed to your reading π Have a good one.
Rajesh says
By running as an administrator i am able to find the interfaces but the packet sniffing does not show up, kindly share your thoughts.
SomeOne says
Thanks, it worked π
Orlando Canino says
Works OK. Win 7, installed Wireshark, worked fine the first time the program is runned. Turn off the PC, turn on, start Wireshark and since then message “NPF driver not found” is shown.
Tried : “net start npf” from command prompt, but doesnt work, says “Access denied”.
Right click on shortcut, properties, enable “run as admin”, ok. Then click on shortcut and goes OK.
Thanks says
Thanks a lot
Fiona says
I just reinstalled my pc, then the WireShark didn’t work for me …even after doing what you suggested…cmd said server invalid
Simon J says
The way that worked for me was:
Right Click on Short Cut, Properties, Compatability Tab, where it says Privilege Level, tick “run this program as an administrator”.
Bhabani says
ThanX guys…. U guys are such a help… I have been looking for this soln for quite sometime
William says
worked 100%.
Anders says
Was to lazy to think for myself, googled and found this sollution which worked out nicely. Thanks!
azziporah says
`net start npf` works for me, thanks!
Still wondering, what is npf anyway?
It’s nowhere in services.msc, nor `wmic service list`.
Reda says
thanks it worked for me