How to Install GNU Radio, gr-gsm, and Wireshark for GSM Analysis

by Gadget Pi
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Tutorial
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If you’re interested in GSM signal analysis, you’ll need three essential tools: GNU Radio, gr-gsm, and Wireshark. This tutorial will guide you through the installation of each tool, making it easy to get started with analyzing GSM signals. Whether you’re using Linux or Windows, we’ve got you covered!

What You Need

A Linux-based system (Ubuntu recommended for simplicity).
A software-defined radio (SDR) device like HackRF, USRP, or RTL-SDR.
Basic knowledge of command-line usage.

Step 1: Installing GNU Radio

GNU Radio is an open-source toolkit that allows you to create software-defined radios (SDR). It’s an essential platform for working with radio frequencies and analyzing wireless signals.

Instructions for GNU Radio Installation

Update your System:
```
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
```

Install Required Dependencies:

sudo apt install git cmake g++ libboost-all-dev libusb-1.0-0-dev python3-numpy python3-mako python3-sphinx python3-lxml doxygen libfftw3-dev libgsl-dev libqwt-qt5-dev pyqt5-dev-tools python3-click python3-click-plugins python3-zmq python3-scipy python3-requests python3-yaml

Download GNU Radio: Visit the official GNU Radio Installation page for detailed instructions.
Install GNU Radio with APT (Recommended for most users):
```
sudo apt install gnuradio
```

After the installation, verify that GNU Radio is installed correctly:

gnuradio-companion

Step 2: Installing gr-gsm for GSM Analysis

gr-gsm is a GNU Radio out-of-tree module that allows you to capture and decode GSM signals. This module is perfect for analyzing GSM networks in combination with GNU Radio.

Instructions for gr-gsm Installation

Install gr-gsm:
```
sudo apt install gr-gsm
```
Verify Installation:
```
grgsm_livemon
```

Step 3: Installing Wireshark for Packet Analysis

Wireshark is a powerful packet analyzer that can be used to decode and inspect the captured GSM packets from gr-gsm.

Instructions for Wireshark Installation

Download Wireshark: Visit the Wireshark Download page and select the appropriate version for your operating system.
Install Wireshark via APT on Ubuntu:
```
sudo apt install wireshark
```
Verify Wireshark Installation: Run wireshark in the terminal or search for Wireshark in your applications menu.

Step 4: Capturing and Analyzing GSM Signals

Now that you have GNU Radio, gr-gsm, and Wireshark installed, you can start capturing GSM signals:

Start gr-gsm with a Live Monitor:
```
grgsm_livemon -f 945.2e6
```
Replace 945.2e6 with the frequency that corresponds to your local GSM band.

Pipe Output to Wireshark:

grgsm_livemon -f 945.2e6 | tee >(wireshark -k -i -)

Analyze Packets in Wireshark: Use Wireshark’s filtering features to focus on GSM-related protocols. Look for messages like GSMTAP, which represent GSM traffic.

Conclusion

By following this tutorial, you’ve set up a complete GSM analysis environment using GNU Radio, gr-gsm, and Wireshark. This setup is perfect for anyone interested in exploring GSM protocols, understanding how mobile networks operate, and conducting security research.

Disclaimer

Be mindful of legal restrictions in your area when analyzing wireless signals. Always respect privacy and obtain proper authorization before capturing data on a live network. Unauthorized use of this knowledge can lead to legal consequences.