Different Wireless Network Interface Card (NIC) Modes and How to Enable Monitor Mode? Why do we need Monitor Mode?
Types of Modes of Wireless Network Interface Card (NIC)
Managed Mode:
This is the default mode of NIC. It means that this device will capture those packets only that contain the destination MAC address of this device. In managed mode, the wireless adapter connects to a wireless network as a client. It communicates with an access point (AP) or wireless router and can also send and receive data. This mode is mostly used for the network connectivity.
Monitor Mode:
It is a mode that is used to capture any type of packets that are in a range. It is also called promiscuous mode.
This mode is mostly used for packet sniffing, wireless network discovery, and wireless penetration testing.
Ad-hoc Mode:
It is also called peer-to-peer mode. This mode allows wireless devices to communicate directly with each other without the need for an access point (AP).
This mode is useful for the scenario when someone wants to create temporary networks between devices.
Master/Slave (AP) Mode:
Some wireless network interface cards (NICs) can work as access points. Other wireless devices can connect to these interface cards. In Master/Slave mode, the NIC acts as a Master Access Point (AP) while other devices connected to it for network access act as slaves.
Mesh Mode:
Mesh mode enables wireless NICs to create a mesh network, each device in a network acts as a node that can relay (forward) data to other devices within the same network.
The main use of mesh networks is to extend the wireless coverage over large areas or to create a resilient network.
How to view wireless interfaces of NIC?
Command to view wireless interfaces
iwconfig
How to enable monitor Mode?
To enable monitor mode first, you have to insert a wireless adapter into your Kali Linux if you are using Kali in your virtual environment. But make sure not all adaptors support monitor mode. You have to have a wireless adapter that supports a monitor mode.
Then you have to disable your wireless interface
disabling wireless interface
ifconfig wlan0 down
Killing any process that interferes with using a monitor mode
airmon-ng check kill
Changing the wlan0 interface to monitor mode
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iwconfig wlan0 mode monitor
checking whether the mode is in monitor mode.
iwconfig
You will see that the mode will be in monitor mode
An alternative way to change the network adaptor into monitor mode.
If the above method is not working for you then through this method you can change your network adaptor from managed mode to monitor mode.
First, disable the interface
ifconfig wlan0 down
Check and kill all the processes that can interfere with our device while using it in monitor mode.
airmon-ng check kill
through the above command, you will lose your internet connection.
Enabling monitor mode through airmon-ng
airmon-ng start wlan0 // Syntax: airmon-ng start YourinterFaceName
type iwconfig, you will see that your adaptor mode will be changed into monitor mode.
The interface name will be changed from wlan0 to wlan0mon
Why do we need to enable mode?
Devices on the network communicate with each other using packets, To communicate with each other in a local network, devices use MAC addresses to recognize each other and to send data to each other without any problem. Each packet will have a source MAC and a destination MAC. It flows from the source to the destination.
In a local network, only those devices will receive those packets that contain the destination MAC address of a particular device.
For example:
If Device A is sending a packet to Device B then the packet must contain the destination MAC address of Device B. If the packet does not contain the destination MAC address of device B then Device B cannot receive a particular packet.
An intruder can capture all of the packets that are sent wirelessly even if the packet doesn't contain a destination MAC address. To capture these packets the intruder must change the mode of his/her network interface card to monitor mode.