---
name: "hcidump"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "bluez-hcidump"
version: "5.82-1.1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/hcidump"
---

# hcidump(1)

Parse HCI data

## NAME

hcidump - Parse HCI data

## SYNOPSIS

**hcidump** -h

**hcidump** \[OPTIONS ...\] \[FILTERS\]

## DESCRIPTION

**[hcidump(1)](/hcidump/1.md)** reads raw HCI data coming from and going to a Bluetooth device (which can be specified with the option **-i**, default is the first available one) and prints to screen commands, events and data in a human-readable form. Optionally, the dump can be written to a file rather than parsed, and the dump file can be parsed in a subsequent moment.

## OPTIONS

- **-i** *\<hciX\>*

  Data is read from *hciX*, which must be the name of an installed Bluetooth device. If not specified, and if **-r** option is not set, data is read from the first available Bluetooth device.

- **-l** *\<len\>,* **--snap-len=***\<len\>*

  Sets max length of processed packets to *len*.

- **-p** *\<psm\>,* **--psm=***\<psm\>*

  Sets default Protocol Service Multiplexer to *psm*.

- **-m** *\<compid\>,* **--manufacturer=***\<compid\>*

  Sets default company id for manufacturer to *compid*.

- **-w** *\<file\>,* **--save-dump=***\<file\>*

  Parse output is not printed to screen, instead data read from device is saved in *file*. The saved dump file can be subsequently parsed with option **-r**.

- **-r** *\<file\>,* **--read-dump=***\<file\>*

  Data is not read from a Bluetooth device, but from *file*. *file* is created with option **-t**, **--timestamp** prepend a time stamp to every packet.

- **-a, --ascii**

  For every packet, not only is the packet type displayed, but also all data in ASCII.

- **-x, --hex**

  For every packet, not only is the packet type displayed, but also all data in hex.

- **-X, --ext**

  For every packet, not only is the packet type displayed, but also all data in hex and ASCII.

- **-R, --raw**

  For every packet, only the raw data is displayed.

- **-C** *\<psm\>,* **--cmtp=***\<psm\>*

  Sets the PSM value for the CAPI Message Transport Protocol.

- **-H** *\<psm\>,* **--hcrp=***\<psm\>*

  Sets the PSM value for the Hardcopy Control Channel.

- **-O** *\<channel\>,* **--obex=***\<channel\>*

  Sets the RFCOMM channel value for the Object Exchange Protocol.

- **-P** *\<channel\>,* **--ppp=***\<channel\>*

  Sets the RFCOMM channel value for the Point-to-Point Protocol.

- **-D** *\<file\>,* **--pppdump=***\<file\>*

  Extract PPP traffic with pppdump format.

- **-A** *\<file\>,* **--audio=***\<file\>*

  Extract SCO audio data.

- **-Y, --novendor**

  Don't display any vendor commands or events and don't show any pin code or link key in plain text.

- **-h**

  Prints usage info and exits

## FILTERS

filter is a space-separated list of packet categories: available categories are *lmp*, *hci*, *sco*, *l2cap*, *rfcomm*, *sdp*, *bnep*, *cmtp*, *hidp*, *hcrp*, *avdtp*, *avctp*, *obex*, *capi* and *ppp*. If filters are used, only packets belonging to the specified categories are dumped. By default, all packets are dumped.

## RESOURCES

 \<http://www.bluez.org\>

## REPORTING BUGS

 \<linux-bluetooth@vger.kernel.org\>

## AUTHOR

Maxim Krasnyansky \<maxk@qualcomm.com\>, Marcel Holtmann \<marcel@holtmann.org\>, Fabrizio Gennari \<fabrizio.gennari@philips.com\>

## COPYRIGHT

Free use of this software is granted under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public Licenses (LGPL).