Zigbee Tools Wireshark

Table of Contents

• 1. Overview
• 2. Sniffer File Format
  • 2.1. CUBX File
  • 2.2. ISD File
• 3. Using Wireshark
  • 3.1. Frequently Used Zigbee Filters
    • 3.1.1. MAC Layer Filter
    • 3.1.2. NWK Layer Filter
    • 3.1.3. APS Layer Filter
  • 3.2. Customize Color

---

1. Overview

Sniffer is a useful tool to analyze Zigbee network issues. Currently, there are three typical sniffer tool in the industry:

• Ubiqua Protocol Analyzer
• Wireshark
• Network Analyzer in Simplicity Studio

Ubiqua Protocol Analyzer is a commercial software and it's pretty expensive. Network Analyzer can only be used in Simplicity Studio. Furthermore, Network Analyzer is pretty slow when analyzing big sniffer files. Wireshark is an open-sourced software and free to everyone, and it's also possible to add plugins to decode custom file format. It's much much faster than Network Analyzer to analyze big files.

In this page, we will introduce how to analyze Zigbee network issues with Wireshark.

2. Sniffer File Format

Usually we met three files types of sniffer file:

• .cubx file
• .dcf file
• .isd file

Currently, Wireshark can open .dcf file directly.

2.1. CUBX File

.cubx file is the capture file format used by Ubiqua Protocol Analyzer. There is a Wireshark plugin which can be used to decode .cubx file in Wireshark. Below is the steps of using this plugin:

1. Download Wireshark 3.2.5 of newer version from Wireshark download page, then install it.
2. Download Wireshark cubx plugin, copy the DLL file to the plugin directory of your Wireshark installation. e.g. C:\Program Files\Wireshark\plugins\3.2\wiretap.
3. Start Wireshark and you can open the .cubx file with it.

2.2. ISD File

ISD file is not supported by Wireshark right now, but it's possible to write a Wireshark plugin to support it.

3. Using Wireshark

3.1. Frequently Used Zigbee Filters

3.1.1. MAC Layer Filter

Filter	Value	Description
wpan.frame_type	Beacon Command Data Beacon
wpan.dst_pan	16-bit number
wpan.dst16	16-bit number
wpan.src16	16-bit number

3.1.2. NWK Layer Filter

Filter	Value	Description
zbee_nwk.frame_type	Data Command
zbee_nwk.dst	16-bit number	only filter dest Node ID
zbee_nwk.src	16-bit number	only filter src Node ID
zbee_nwk.addr	16-bit number	filter both dest and src Node ID
zbee_nwk.dst64	64-bit hex	filter dest Eui64
zbee_nwk.src64	64-bit hex	filter src Eui64
zbee_nwk.addr64	64-bit hex	filter both dest and src Eui64
zbee_nwk.cmd.id	8-bit number	1 - Route Request 2 - Route Reply 3 - Network Status 4 - Leave 5 - Route Record 6 - Rejoin Request 7 - Rejoin Response 8 - Link Status 9 - Network Report 10 - Network Update 11 - End Device Timeout Request 12 - End Device Timeout Response
zbee_nwk.cmd.status	8-bit number	0x0D - Address Conflict 0x0F - PAN ID Update

3.1.3. APS Layer Filter

Filter	Value	Description
zbee_aps.type	Data Command
zbee_aps.dst	8-bit number	Destination Endpoint
zbee_aps.src	8-bit number	Source Endpoint
zbee_aps.cluster	16-bit number	Cluster
zbee_aps.profile	16-bit number	Profile
zbee_aps.cmd.id	8-bit number	0x05 - Transport Key 0x06 - Update Device 0x07 - Remove Device 0x08 - Request Key 0x09 - Switch Key 0x0E - Tunnel 0x0F - Verify Key 0x10 - Confirm Key

3.2. Customize Color

Wireshark allows users to customize the display specific packets with a specific color. Below are the steps of customizing color:

1. In menu "View", select "Coloring Rules", you will see a dialog about coloring. First add a rule, set its name and filter, then pickup a color you want.
   
   
   
2. In menu "View", toggle the item "Colorize Packet list" to toggle whether you want to show the color or not.