Kismet vs TamoGraph Site Survey

Kismet is a free, open-source wireless sniffer, intrusion detection system, wardriving tool, and packet capture tool. Depending on hardware and driver support, it can capture Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Bluetooth LE, Zigbee, wireless sensor, airplane beacon, and power meter data. It runs headless as a standalone capture and wireless intrusion detection system, or with a web interface. Linux and macOS are supported directly; Windows use is through WSL. Remote capture forwards capture types over TCP sockets or websockets for centralized collection. Kismet’s kismetdb logfile combines packets, device records, location, and runtime data in an SQLite3-based file. A REST-like API offers JSON records, streaming pcap-ng, and websocket publish-subscribe endpoints. WIDS alerts can be connected through REST APIs, syslog, and some SIEM tools. The project says stationary use is most effective for WIDS; mobile or channel-hopping operation can reduce accuracy and coverage. Its macOS adapter support is limited, and WSL cannot access local hardware interfaces for packet capture, though remote capture is supported. The downloads page lists 2025-09-R1 as the latest stable release.

TamoGraph Site Survey analyzes existing Wi-Fi networks and helps plan new wireless deployments. It supports passive, active, predictive, and spectrum surveys, with heat maps for signal levels, interference, access point coverage, data rates, and network issues. The software can locate access points and show their channel, maximum data rate, vendor, and encryption type. Reports can be exported in PDF, HTML, and ODT formats. Supported Wi-Fi standards include 802.11be, 802.11ax, 802.11ac, and legacy standards. Predictive models include access points from Cisco, Aruba, Extreme Networks, and Fortinet; spectrum surveys require compatible USB-based analyzers. TamoGraph is available for Windows and macOS, and Windows requires a compatible wireless network adapter. The Standard license costs $1,499 as a one-time purchase and omits RF modeling, GPS support, and report customization. Pro costs $1,999, paid once. A 30-day trial is available, but there is no free plan.