Airtool Pi

Airtool Pi is an iPhone and iPad utility for remotely capturing Wi-Fi packets through Linux-based sensors or Linux endpoints with compatible Wi-Fi adapters. It connects to a sensor over SSH, starts a capture with selected settings, and saves a PcapNG file locally on the device. You can add sensors manually or automatically, including WLAN Pi and Oscium Nomad; the maker also names WLAN Pi Go and Hamina Clip in version history. A sensor can also be built using a Raspberry Pi. Capture controls include wireless interface, frequency band, channel, and channel width, as well as a capture-size limit or an option to discard data-frame payloads. The listing describes support for 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz bands and widths from 20 to 320 MHz. With compatible adapters, one sensor can capture on up to four channels simultaneously. Files can be shared with Wireshark or another protocol analyzer. The paid app costs $14.99, paid once and requires iOS 18.6 or iPadOS 18.6 or later.

Airtool Pi offers detailed remote capture controls and support for multiple named sensor options. It is focused on live capture rather than offline trace analysis, and requires a compatible sensor setup.

Airtool Pi is intended for WLAN and IT professionals who need remote packet captures from compatible Linux-based sensors. It may suit users who want to save captures on an iPhone or iPad and analyze them later in Wireshark or another protocol analyzer.

Overview

Airtool Pi is an iPhone and iPad app for remotely capturing Wi-Fi packets through compatible Linux-based sensors or Linux endpoints. It suits WLAN and IT professionals who need configurable live captures from a mobile device. Its focused capture controls and sensor support are useful strengths, but it is not an offline trace-analysis tool.

Key features

Airtool Pi connects to sensors over SSH, starts a capture with the chosen settings, and saves the resulting file locally on the iPhone or iPad. Sensors can be added manually or automatically; supported setups include WLAN Pi and Oscium Nomad, with WLAN Pi Go and Hamina Clip also named in the app’s version history. A WLAN Pi or a sensor built with hardware such as a Raspberry Pi gives the app a flexible remote-capture role, but it does require compatible sensor hardware and Wi-Fi adapters.

Capture settings include the wireless interface, band, channel, and channel width. The app supports 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz bands and channel widths from 20 to 320 MHz. With compatible adapters on one sensor, it can capture simultaneously on up to four channels, a practical advantage when a single-channel capture would not cover the work. Users can also cap capture size or discard data-frame payloads, which can reduce file size or help protect privacy.

Airtool Pi produces PcapNG files for further analysis in Wireshark or another protocol analyzer. It supports live capture and report export, but not offline trace analysis, spectrum analysis, or command-line capture. That makes it a capture companion rather than a complete analysis environment. Intuitibits says customers can contact the people who build its software for help with bugs, feature requests, and Wi-Fi problems. The App Store privacy disclosure says the developer reports collecting no data, while noting Apple has not verified that disclosure.

Pricing

The Airtool Pi plan costs $14.99, paid once for iPhone and iPad. There is no free plan, and the purchase requires iOS 18.6 or iPadOS 18.6 or later. The product pricing note also advertises a 3-day trial. The one-time price makes sense for professionals who need the app’s live capture workflow; anyone seeking a no-cost entry point will need another tool.

Platforms

Airtool Pi runs on iPhone and iPad, with iOS support and a requirement for iOS 18.6 or iPadOS 18.6 or later. The capture target is a compatible Linux-based sensor or endpoint, not a desktop version of the app.

Who it's for

This is a focused utility for WLAN and IT professionals who can provide compatible sensor hardware and want to configure remote captures from an iPhone or iPad. Its multi-channel support, band and channel controls, and payload-discard option make it better suited to deliberate Wi-Fi troubleshooting than general-purpose packet monitoring. Readers who mainly need to inspect existing capture files should choose a tool with offline analysis instead.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Remote SSH capture saves files directly to the iPhone or iPad, useful when the operator wants to control capture without working at the sensor.
• Pros: Up to four simultaneous channels and support for 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz provide meaningful flexibility for Wi-Fi capture.
• Pros: Limiting capture size or discarding data-frame payloads can conserve storage or reduce sensitive data in a capture.
• Cons: It requires compatible Linux sensor hardware and Wi-Fi adapters, so the app alone is not a complete capture setup.
• Cons: No offline trace analysis, spectrum analysis, or command-line capture limits its value for readers seeking a broader analysis toolkit.
• Cons: There is no free plan, and the app requires a recent iOS or iPadOS version.

Alternatives

For a wider comparison, browse Network Packet Capture Software or Wi-Fi Analyzer Software.

Termshark is a free option for Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows, but it requires tshark in PATH and does not expose every tshark feature. PCAPdroid offers free core monitoring and capture on Android, with paid features sold as a one-time purchase. Colasoft Capsa has a Windows free edition capped at 10 monitored IP addresses and four-hour sessions, with no Wi-Fi connection monitoring. Malcolm is a free, self-hosted option for Linux, macOS, Windows, and web environments. netsniff-ng is a free, open-source Linux toolkit. NetworkMiner offers a free edition and runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Sniffnet is a fully free, open-source option for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Arkime is a free, open-source choice for self-hosted, Linux, API, and web environments.

Verdict

Choose Airtool Pi if you are a WLAN or IT professional who needs to launch configurable Wi-Fi captures remotely from an iPhone or iPad and already has compatible sensor hardware. Its strongest case is the combination of detailed capture controls, multi-channel support, and direct local file saving. Look elsewhere if you need offline analysis, a desktop or command-line workflow, or a free plan.