Software⏱️ 3 min read📅 2026-06-19

How to Fix: Error in installing compiled wireshark 1.10.2 on Kali 1.0

Error installing Wireshark on Kali Linux 1.0, unable to find libwiretap.so.3.

Quick Answer: Try reinstalling with the -f flag to force reinstallation and specify the correct path to the library.

The error 'libwiretap.so.3: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory' occurs when the system is unable to locate the libwiretap.so.3 shared library, which is required by Wireshark for proper functionality. This issue affects users who have compiled and installed Wireshark 1.10.2 on Kali 1.0.

This error can be frustrating as it prevents the user from accessing the full range of features offered by Wireshark. However, with the correct steps outlined below, you should be able to resolve this issue and get back to using your Wireshark installation.

⚠️ Common Causes

  • The primary reason for this error is that the libwiretap.so.3 shared library was not installed during the compilation process of Wireshark. This can happen if the user forgets to install the required dependencies or if there are issues with the package manager.
  • An alternative cause could be that the system's ldconfig mechanism is not properly configured, leading to a mismatch between the shared libraries installed and those expected by the application.

✅ Best Solutions to Fix It

Reinstalling Wireshark with Correct Dependencies

  1. Step 1: To resolve this issue, first uninstall the existing Wireshark installation using the following command: sudo apt-get purge wireshark. This will remove all packages related to Wireshark from your system.
  2. Step 2: Next, install the required dependencies for Wireshark using the following command: sudo apt-get install libwiretap-dev. This package includes the necessary development files for compiling and installing Wireshark.
  3. Step 3: After that, download the Wireshark source code again from the official website and follow the same compilation steps as before (./configure, make, make install).

Configuring ldconfig Mechanism

  1. Step 1: If the above method does not work, you can try configuring the ldconfig mechanism to ensure that it includes the libwiretap.so.3 shared library. To do this, edit the /etc/ld.so.conf file and add the following line: /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/wireshark/.
  2. Step 2: Then, run the command sudo ldconfig to update the configuration files. This should allow the system to locate the libwiretap.so.3 shared library.

✨ Wrapping Up

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the 'libwiretap.so.3: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory' error in Wireshark 1.10.2 on Kali 1.0. Remember to always check your dependencies and configuration files for any issues that may arise during the installation process.

Did this fix your problem?

If not, try searching for specific error codes.

🔍 Search Error Database

❓ Frequently Asked Questions