1. Using pktstat with Bash
[a real-time look at interface activity]
Presented by Dave Mawdsley,
DACS Member, Linux SIG Member
January 21, 2015

2. What is pktstat? From the man page:1
From the man page:
“The pktstat program displays a real-time summary of packet activity on an interface. Each line displays the data rate associated with different classes of packets.”

3. Install pktstat with Ubuntu2
Install pktstat with Ubuntu
Installing pktstat is easy.
Since the administrative utility is in the Ubuntu repositories, using terminal, issue the command:
sudo apt-get install pktstat

4. A Useful First Command with pktstat3
A Useful First Command with pktstat
Next to study the computer's input/output via wireless, issue the command:
sudo pktstat -i wlan0
Follow this with shift + ? to get the bottom menu.

5. 4
A Screenshot
I used Firefox to visit The New York Times and got:

6. Another Example Next I decided to investigate traffic on port 80 with:5
Next I decided to investigate traffic on port 80 with:
sudo pktstat -n -i wlan0 "port 80"

7. 6
A Few pktstat Options pktstat [-1BcFlnpPtT] [-a abbrev] [-A file] [-i interface] [-k keeptime] [-m maxbps] [-w waittime] [filter-expr] Best to read man pktstat for complete details I used the bottom menu and pressed the w key and gave the dialog 10. (keep the screen for 10 seconds)

8. Using pktstat with Bash11
Using pktstat with Bash
[a real-time look at interface activity]
This OpenOffice.org Presentation
pktstat.odp' can be downloaded from