Installing nRF Util plugins

You can install nRF Util plugins as external capture plugins in Wireshark using the dedicated subcommand of the command that provides the plugin.

The subcommand copies a shim executable to Wireshark's external capture plugin (extcap) directory.

Tip: Locating the extcap directory

To check the path to the extcap directory:

a. Open Wireshark.

b. Go to Help > About Wireshark (on Windows or Linux) or Wireshark > About Wireshark (on macOS).

Help > About Wireshark menu

c. Select the Folders tab.

d. Look for Personal Extcap path and double-click the path.
If the directory does not exist, Wireshark asks you if you want to create it.

e. Click Yes to confirm.

The extcap directory can also be located by running the plugin installation subcommand and inspecting nRF Util's log.

Complete the following steps, depending on the plugin you want to install:

Install the nRF Util command that provides the plugin:
```
nrfutil install ble-sniffer
```
This command installs the ble-sniffer command and the firmware files required for the sniffer device.
Run the following command:
```
nrfutil ble-sniffer bootstrap
```
This command copies the capture tool into Wireshark's directory for personal external capture plugins.

On Linux, you can verify that nRF Sniffer for Bluetooth LE is working as intended in Wireshark by listing sniffer interfaces in the terminal:

wireshark -D

You should see some output resembling the following:

...
xx. /dev/ttyACM0-4.0 (nRF Sniffer for Bluetooth LE)

Install the nRF Util command that provides the plugin:
```
nrfutil install ble-sniffer
```
This command installs the ble-sniffer command and the firmware files required for the sniffer device.
Run the following command:
```
nrfutil ble-sniffer bootstrap
```
This command copies the capture tool into Wireshark's directory for personal external capture plugins.

Install the nRF Util command that provides the plugin:
```
nrfutil install trace
```
This command installs the trace command.
Run the following command:
```
nrfutil trace install-trace-plugin
```
This command copies the capture tool into Wireshark's directory for personal external capture plugins.