MCP clients

This server speaks stdio MCP. Any host that can launch a local process with:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "wireshark": {
      "command": "/absolute/path/to/python",
      "args": ["-m", "wireshark_mcp"],
      "env": {
        "TSHARK_PATH": "/absolute/path/to/tshark"
      }
    }
  }
}

…can use it. Absolute paths avoid “command not found” issues.

Use python -m wireshark_mcp setup to generate the block for your machine.

Cursor

Project file: .cursor/mcp.json
User file: ~/.cursor/mcp.json (or %USERPROFILE%\.cursor\mcp.json)

After editing, reload the window or toggle the server in Settings → MCP.

Optional Cursor Agent Skill ships at .cursor/skills/wireshark-mcp/SKILL.md. Other hosts can ignore it.

Claude Desktop

Prefer Settings → Developer → Edit Config inside the app so you open the file Claude actually reads. Fully quit and reopen the app after saving.

python -m wireshark_mcp setup --client claude-desktop

Claude Code

Same mcpServers schema as Claude Desktop.

python -m wireshark_mcp setup --client claude-code-user
# or
python -m wireshark_mcp setup --client claude-code-project

VS Code / GitHub Copilot

Often .vscode/mcp.json. Some builds nest servers under an servers key — if your VS Code docs differ, paste only the inner command / args / env values into the shape your build expects.

python -m wireshark_mcp setup --client vscode

Windsurf / other forks

Most accept the same Claude/Cursor-style mcpServers JSON. Use:

python -m wireshark_mcp setup --client print

and paste into that product’s MCP settings.

Generic / custom agents

Any framework that can spawn:

/path/to/python -m wireshark_mcp

with env TSHARK_PATH=... over stdio is enough. No Cursor-specific APIs are required for tools to work.

Naming

The setup CLI writes the server key as wireshark. You may rename the key (wireshark-pyshark, etc.); only the object body matters to the protocol.