From e52cd355e7d890dbc6b91879b66bd717b89973c5 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Robert McMahon <rjmcmahon@rjmcmahon.com>
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2026 15:44:16 -0800
Subject: [PATCH] Change duration argument to time and add timestamps to sample
 packets

- Change CLI argument from -d/--duration to -t/--time
- Add timestamps with milliseconds to sample packets output
- Update all documentation examples to use --time/-t
- Format timestamps as HH:MM:SS.mmm for better readability

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
---
 wifi_monitor.py | 38 +++++++++++++++++++++++++-------------
 1 file changed, 25 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-)

diff --git a/wifi_monitor.py b/wifi_monitor.py
index 5c517b1..8317fa3 100755
--- a/wifi_monitor.py
+++ b/wifi_monitor.py
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ Replaces the bash script with a pure Python solution.
 
 Usage:
     # Live capture from interface:
-    sudo python3 wifi_monitor.py --interface wlan0 --channel 36 --duration 10
-    sudo python3 wifi_monitor.py -i wlan0 -c 36 -d 10 --keep-pcap
-    sudo python3 wifi_monitor.py --interface wlan0 --channel 36 --duration 10 --full-packet
+    sudo python3 wifi_monitor.py --interface wlan0 --channel 36 --time 10
+    sudo python3 wifi_monitor.py -i wlan0 -c 36 -t 10 --keep-pcap
+    sudo python3 wifi_monitor.py --interface wlan0 --channel 36 --time 10 --full-packet
 
     # Read from pcap file:
     python3 wifi_monitor.py --pcap /tmp/capture.pcap
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import sys
 import tempfile
 import time
 from collections import Counter, defaultdict
+from datetime import datetime
 
 # Third-party imports
 from scapy.all import RadioTap, rdpcap, sniff, wrpcap
@@ -409,6 +410,14 @@ class CaptureAnalyzer:
     """Analyzes packet captures and generates statistics."""
     def __init__(self, parser):
         self.parser = parser
+    
+    @staticmethod
+    def _format_timestamp(pkt):
+        """Format packet timestamp as HH:MM:SS.mmm."""
+        if hasattr(pkt, 'time') and pkt.time:
+            dt = datetime.fromtimestamp(pkt.time)
+            return dt.strftime("%H:%M:%S.%f")[:-3]  # Truncate to milliseconds
+        return "N/A"
 
     def analyze(self, packets, duration):
         """Analyze captured packets and generate statistics."""
@@ -464,8 +473,10 @@ class CaptureAnalyzer:
                 duration_val = pkt[Dot11].Duration if hasattr(pkt[Dot11], 'Duration') else "N/A"
 
             plcp = "yes" if pkt.haslayer(RadioTap) else "no"
+            
+            timestamp = self._format_timestamp(pkt)
 
-            print(f"  Frame {i+1}: RA={ra_str}, TA={ta_str}, type={frame_type}, {encrypted}, dur={duration_val}, PLCP={plcp}{retry}")
+            print(f"  Frame {i+1}: time={timestamp}, RA={ra_str}, TA={ta_str}, type={frame_type}, {encrypted}, dur={duration_val}, PLCP={plcp}{retry}")
         print()
 
     def _print_ra_ta_pairs(self, packets):
@@ -684,7 +695,7 @@ class PacketCapture:
         print("=== Testing Monitor Mode with scapy ===")
         print(f"Interface: {interface}")
         print(f"Channel: {channel}")
-        print(f"Duration: {duration} seconds")
+        print(f"Time: {duration} seconds")
         print()
 
         monitor = WiFiMonitor(interface, channel)
@@ -738,7 +749,8 @@ class PacketCapture:
                 ra_str = ra if ra else "N/A"
                 ta_str = ta if ta else "N/A"
                 plcp = "yes" if pkt.haslayer(RadioTap) else "no"
-                print(f"  Frame {i+1 if i > 0 else test_count}: RA={ra_str}, TA={ta_str}, PLCP={plcp}")
+                timestamp = self.analyzer._format_timestamp(pkt)
+                print(f"  Frame {i+1 if i > 0 else test_count}: time={timestamp}, RA={ra_str}, TA={ta_str}, PLCP={plcp}")
 
         print(f"\nTest capture results:")
         print(f"  Packets captured: {test_count}")
@@ -826,14 +838,14 @@ Examples:
   # Live capture with defaults (wlan0, channel 36, 10 seconds):
   sudo python3 wifi_monitor.py
 
-  # Live capture with specific interface, channel, and duration:
-  sudo python3 wifi_monitor.py --interface wlan0 --channel 36 --duration 10
+  # Live capture with specific interface, channel, and time:
+  sudo python3 wifi_monitor.py --interface wlan0 --channel 36 --time 10
 
   # Short form:
-  sudo python3 wifi_monitor.py -i wlan1 -c 11 -d 5
+  sudo python3 wifi_monitor.py -i wlan1 -c 11 -t 5
 
   # Save captured packets to pcap file:
-  sudo python3 wifi_monitor.py -i wlan0 -c 36 -d 10 --keep-pcap
+  sudo python3 wifi_monitor.py -i wlan0 -c 36 -t 10 --keep-pcap
 
   # Analyze existing pcap file:
   python3 wifi_monitor.py --pcap /tmp/capture.pcap
@@ -863,11 +875,11 @@ Examples:
             help='WiFi channel (default: 36)'
         )
         parser.add_argument(
-            '--duration', '-d',
+            '--time', '-t',
             type=int,
             default=10,
             metavar='SECONDS',
-            help='Capture duration in seconds (default: 10)'
+            help='Capture time in seconds (default: 10)'
         )
 
         # Flags
@@ -908,7 +920,7 @@ Examples:
         else:
             # Live capture mode
             self.config.wifi_interface = args.interface
-            return ('live', args.interface, args.channel, args.duration)
+            return ('live', args.interface, args.channel, args.time)
 
 
 def main():