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Monitor mode is a special operating state for wireless network adapters that allows the card to capture every 802.11 frame in range — not just frames addressed to it — without associating with any access point. It is a prerequisite for tools like hcxdumptool and airodump-ng that need to passively observe or actively inject WiFi traffic. setup-wifi.sh automates the full activation sequence: detecting your adapter, stopping any processes that would interfere (such as NetworkManager and wpa_supplicant), enabling monitor mode with airmon-ng, and reporting the new interface name so you can use it immediately.
Activating monitor mode and capturing WiFi traffic on networks you do not own or have explicit written authorization to test is illegal in most jurisdictions. Use this script only on your own network, networks where you have authorization, or dedicated practice platforms.

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Prerequisites

WPA2 Launch Mode Required

The container must be started with ./run-kali.sh wpa2. The --privileged flag that mode adds is what allows the container to reach into the host kernel’s wireless driver stack. Without it, airmon-ng will fail silently.

Compatible USB WiFi Adapter

You need a USB WiFi adapter that explicitly supports monitor mode and packet injection. Plug it into the host before starting the container.
AdapterChipsetNotes
Alfa AWUS036NHAAtheros AR9271Excellent Linux support, highly recommended
TP-Link TL-WN722N v1Atheros AR9271Only v1 supports injection; v2/v3 do not
Panda PAU09Ralink RT5572Dual-band, good driver support
The vast majority of internal laptop WiFi cards do not support monitor mode. Even cards that appear in iw dev may lack the necessary driver capabilities. Always verify with iw list before troubleshooting further.

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Usage

setup-wifi.sh
The script takes no arguments. Run it inside the container after launching with ./run-kali.sh wpa2.

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What the Script Does

1

Detect wireless interfaces

The script runs iw dev and extracts all interface names:
iw dev 2>/dev/null | awk '$1=="Interface"{print $2}'
If no interfaces are found, it exits with an error and reminds you to verify the USB connection and that you used ./run-kali.sh wpa2.
2

Select the target interface

  • One interface found: it is selected automatically — no prompt.
  • Multiple interfaces found: you are prompted to type the name of the interface to configure (e.g., wlan0).
3

Kill conflicting processes

NetworkManager, wpa_supplicant, and other network daemons hold the wireless card open and prevent monitor mode from activating. The script stops them all:
airmon-ng check kill
4

Activate monitor mode

airmon-ng puts the selected interface into monitor mode and creates a new virtual interface (typically wlan0mon):
airmon-ng start <interface>
The script then waits 2 seconds for the interface to be fully registered.
5

Confirm the new interface name

The script queries iw dev again, filters for any interface whose name contains mon, and prints the result:
iw dev 2>/dev/null | awk '/Interface/{print $2}' | grep mon
On success you will see output similar to:
🎉 ¡ÉXITO! Modo Monitor activado.
Tu nueva interfaz es: wlan0mon
⚠ Úsala con hcxdumptool o aircrack-ng.
If no mon interface appears, the adapter does not support monitor mode with its current driver.

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Verifying Monitor Mode

After setup-wifi.sh completes, confirm the interface is in the correct state: 
iwconfig
# Expected output includes:
# wlan0mon  IEEE 802.11  Mode:Monitor  Frequency:2.437 GHz
Check that the driver advertises monitor mode support: 
iw list | grep -A 10 "Supported interface modes"
# Must include "monitor" in the list
Check that the USB adapter is visible to the kernel: 
lsusb
# Your adapter should appear, e.g.:
# Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0cf3:9271 Qualcomm Atheros Communications AR9271 802.11n

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After Setup: Using the Monitor Interface

Once monitor mode is active, pass the interface name (e.g., wlan0mon) to your capture tool: 
# Capture with hcxdumptool (specific channel)
hcxdumptool -i wlan0mon -o /root/pentest/handshakes/captura.pcapng --active -c 6

# Scan all nearby networks with airodump-ng
airodump-ng wlan0mon

# Scan and filter to a specific BSSID and channel
airodump-ng -c 6 --bssid AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF -w /root/pentest/handshakes/captura wlan0mon
After capturing a handshake, convert it to Hashcat format and crack it with auto-crack-wpa2.sh:
hcxpcapngtool -o /root/pentest/handshakes/captura.hc22000 \
              /root/pentest/handshakes/captura.pcapng
auto-crack-wpa2.sh -q /root/pentest/handshakes/captura.hc22000

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Troubleshooting

No WiFi interfaces found

Cause: The USB adapter was not connected before the container started, or the container was not launched with --privileged (i.e., you used ./run-kali.sh normal).Fix: Plug in the adapter, then relaunch with ./run-kali.sh wpa2.

Monitor mode interface not created

Cause: The adapter’s driver does not support monitor mode, or the driver was not loaded.Fix: Run iw list | grep -A 5 "Supported interface modes" inside the container. If monitor is missing from the list, the adapter is not compatible — you need a different card.

airmon-ng fails silently

Cause: Container was not started in privileged mode.Fix: Exit the container and relaunch with ./run-kali.sh wpa2.

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