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Lightning Dissector

Lightning Dissector is an open-source Lua Wireshark plugin for analyzing communications between Bitcoin Lightning Network nodes. It can decrypt messages from c-lightning, lnd, Eclair and Ptarmigan when their documented key-log or development setup is available.

Explore the practical guide ↓

Independent OpenViST project profile, based on linked sources.

Lightning Dissector — OpenViST project profile in Developer Tools.
OpenViST project illustration. See the linked sources for product details.
Understand the project

Practical overview

When it fits

Use it when you need to inspect Lightning node communications in Wireshark and can obtain the relevant decryption keys or configure a supported node implementation.

Who it is for

  • Lightning Network developers examining node-to-node protocol traffic.
  • Node operators investigating communications from a supported implementation.

Documented uses

  • Inspect Lightning Network node traffic in Wireshark.
  • Analyze decrypted Lightning messages using key logs from a supported implementation.
  • Extend analysis to another BOLT implementation by supplying key-log output or developing a SecretManager.
Before you choose

Requirements & limits

  • Installation requires Lua 5.2, LuaRocks, Lua libraries and headers, and libpcre.
  • The listed c-lightning and lnd integrations are marked beta in the README and use development branches.
  • Port 9735 is analyzed by default; other test ports must be configured in Wireshark.
  • Large BOLT messages may require a Wireshark source patch.

Check current requirements in the official documentation. Source-based guidance does not mean OpenViST has run or independently tested this project.

Source-based practical guide

Install the plugin in Wireshark

Place Lightning Dissector in Wireshark’s user plugin directory using the repository’s documented Lua 5.2 installation process.

Before you start

  • Wireshark
  • Lua 5.2 and LuaRocks configured for Lua 5.2
  • Lua library and headers
  • libpcre

Steps

  1. Clone the lightning-dissector repository recursively and change into its directory.

  2. Run luarocks --local make.

  3. Create ~/.config/wireshark/plugins if it does not exist.

  4. Link ~/.luarocks/share/lua/5.2/lightning-dissector/wireshark-plugin.lua into that directory as lightning-dissector.lua.

Expected outcome

The plugin file is placed in Wireshark’s documented user plugin directory.

Guide limitations

  • The README warns that large BOLT messages may require a patch to Wireshark’s source code.
  • The guide covers plugin installation, not capture or decryption configuration.
Documentation 1 ↗
Evidence and transparency

Sources & review

Official repository ↗
Source record details
Source availability
Active
Sources checked
17 October 2026
Original website title
nayutaco/lightning-dissector · Official homepage title · retained in its source language
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