Bettercap: Scan for Nearby Wi-Fi Networks

TL;DR

Yes, Bettercap can show all nearby Wi-Fi networks. This guide explains how to use its net.recon module to scan and display a list of access points (APs) with their details.

Scanning for Wi-Fi Networks with Bettercap

1. Start Bettercap in Monitor Mode: Before you can scan, your wireless interface needs to be in monitor mode. This allows it to capture all Wi-Fi traffic, not just the traffic intended for it.
   • First, identify your wireless interface name (e.g., wlan0). You can use the command:

     iwconfig

   • Then, stop the interface if it’s running:

     sudo ip link set wlan0 down

     (Replace wlan0 with your actual interface name.)

   • Put the interface into monitor mode:

     sudo iwconfig wlan0 mode monitor

   • Start the interface again:

     sudo ip link set wlan0 up

2. Launch Bettercap: Open a terminal and start Bettercap with root privileges.

   sudo bettercap

3. Select the net.recon Module: Once inside Bettercap, navigate to the net.recon module:

   set net.recon on

4. Configure Scan Parameters (Optional): You can adjust how Bettercap scans.
   • To scan for a specific duration in seconds, use:

     net.recon.duration 30

     (This will scan for 30 seconds.)

   • To scan on a specific channel, use:

     net.recon.channel 6

     (This scans only on channel 6.)

5. Start the Scan: Begin the Wi-Fi network scan.

   net.recon start

6. View Results: Bettercap will display a list of detected access points (APs) in real-time, including:
   • BSSID (MAC address of the AP)
   • Channel
   • Encryption type (e.g., WPA2, WEP, Open)
   • ESSID (Network name – SSID)
   • Signal strength
7. Stop the Scan: When you’re finished scanning, stop the net.recon module.

   net.recon stop

8. Return to Managed Mode (Important): After scanning, it’s crucial to return your wireless interface to managed mode so you can reconnect to networks normally.
   • Stop the interface:

     sudo ip link set wlan0 down

   • Switch back to managed mode:

     sudo iwconfig wlan0 mode managed

   • Start the interface again:

     sudo ip link set wlan0 up