Files
intercept/docs/HARDWARE.md
Smittix b0982249c3 Add device debug endpoint and fix RTL-SDR detection issues
- Add /devices/debug endpoint for detailed SDR detection diagnostics
- Add kernel driver blacklisting to setup.sh for Debian/Ubuntu
- Blacklists dvb_usb_rtl28xxu, rtl2832, rtl2830, r820t modules
- Update docs to use correct venv command: sudo -E venv/bin/python

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-01-11 22:14:36 +00:00

208 lines
5.1 KiB
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# Hardware & Advanced Setup
## Supported SDR Hardware
| Hardware | Frequency Range | Price | Notes |
|----------|-----------------|-------|-------|
| **RTL-SDR** | 24 - 1766 MHz | ~$25-35 | Recommended for beginners |
| **LimeSDR** | 0.1 - 3800 MHz | ~$300 | Wide range, requires SoapySDR |
| **HackRF** | 1 - 6000 MHz | ~$300 | Ultra-wide range, requires SoapySDR |
INTERCEPT automatically detects connected devices.
---
## Quick Install
### macOS (Homebrew)
```bash
# Install Homebrew if needed
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
# Core tools (required)
brew install python@3.11 librtlsdr multimon-ng rtl_433 ffmpeg
# ADS-B aircraft tracking
brew install dump1090-mutability
# WiFi tools (optional)
brew install aircrack-ng
# LimeSDR support (optional)
brew install soapysdr limesuite soapylms7
# HackRF support (optional)
brew install hackrf soapyhackrf
```
### Debian / Ubuntu / Raspberry Pi OS
```bash
# Update package lists
sudo apt update
# Core tools (required)
sudo apt install -y python3 python3-pip python3-venv python3-skyfield
sudo apt install -y rtl-sdr multimon-ng rtl-433 ffmpeg
# ADS-B aircraft tracking
sudo apt install -y dump1090-mutability
# Alternative: dump1090-fa (FlightAware version)
# WiFi tools (optional)
sudo apt install -y aircrack-ng
# Bluetooth tools (optional)
sudo apt install -y bluez bluetooth
# LimeSDR support (optional)
sudo apt install -y soapysdr-tools limesuite soapysdr-module-lms7
# HackRF support (optional)
sudo apt install -y hackrf soapysdr-module-hackrf
```
---
## RTL-SDR Setup (Linux)
### Add udev rules
If your RTL-SDR isn't detected, create udev rules:
```bash
sudo bash -c 'cat > /etc/udev/rules.d/20-rtlsdr.rules << EOF
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTRS{idVendor}=="0bda", ATTRS{idProduct}=="2838", MODE="0666"
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTRS{idVendor}=="0bda", ATTRS{idProduct}=="2832", MODE="0666"
EOF'
sudo udevadm control --reload-rules
sudo udevadm trigger
```
Then unplug and replug your RTL-SDR.
### Blacklist DVB-T driver
The default DVB-T driver conflicts with rtl-sdr:
```bash
echo "blacklist dvb_usb_rtl28xxu" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-rtl.conf
sudo modprobe -r dvb_usb_rtl28xxu
```
---
## Verify Installation
### Check dependencies
```bash
python3 intercept.py --check-deps
```
### Test SDR detection
```bash
# RTL-SDR
rtl_test
# LimeSDR/HackRF (via SoapySDR)
SoapySDRUtil --find
```
---
## Python Environment
### Using setup.sh (Recommended)
```bash
./setup.sh
```
This automatically:
- Detects your OS
- Creates a virtual environment if needed (for PEP 668 systems)
- Installs Python dependencies
- Checks for required tools
### Manual setup
```bash
python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt
```
---
## Running INTERCEPT
After installation:
```bash
sudo -E venv/bin/python intercept.py
# Custom port
INTERCEPT_PORT=8080 sudo -E venv/bin/python intercept.py
```
Open **http://localhost:5050** in your browser.
---
## Complete Tool Reference
| Tool | Package (Debian) | Package (macOS) | Required For |
|------|------------------|-----------------|--------------|
| `rtl_fm` | rtl-sdr | librtlsdr | Pager, Listening Post |
| `rtl_test` | rtl-sdr | librtlsdr | SDR detection |
| `multimon-ng` | multimon-ng | multimon-ng | Pager decoding |
| `rtl_433` | rtl-433 | rtl_433 | 433MHz sensors |
| `dump1090` | dump1090-mutability | dump1090-mutability | ADS-B tracking |
| `ffmpeg` | ffmpeg | ffmpeg | Listening Post audio |
| `airmon-ng` | aircrack-ng | aircrack-ng | WiFi monitor mode |
| `airodump-ng` | aircrack-ng | aircrack-ng | WiFi scanning |
| `aireplay-ng` | aircrack-ng | aircrack-ng | WiFi deauth (optional) |
| `hcitool` | bluez | N/A | Bluetooth scanning |
| `bluetoothctl` | bluez | N/A | Bluetooth control |
| `hciconfig` | bluez | N/A | Bluetooth config |
### Optional tools:
| Tool | Package (Debian) | Package (macOS) | Purpose |
|------|------------------|-----------------|---------|
| `ffmpeg` | ffmpeg | ffmpeg | Alternative audio encoder |
| `SoapySDRUtil` | soapysdr-tools | soapysdr | LimeSDR/HackRF support |
| `LimeUtil` | limesuite | limesuite | LimeSDR native tools |
| `hackrf_info` | hackrf | hackrf | HackRF native tools |
### Python dependencies (requirements.txt):
| Package | Purpose |
|---------|---------|
| `flask` | Web server |
| `skyfield` | Satellite tracking |
---
## dump1090 Notes
### Package names vary by distribution:
- `dump1090-mutability` - Most common
- `dump1090-fa` - FlightAware version (recommended)
- `dump1090` - Generic
### Not in repositories (Debian Trixie)?
Install FlightAware's version:
https://flightaware.com/adsb/piaware/install
Or build from source:
https://github.com/flightaware/dump1090
---
## Notes
- **Bluetooth on macOS**: Uses native CoreBluetooth, bluez tools not needed
- **WiFi on macOS**: Monitor mode has limited support, full functionality on Linux
- **System tools**: `iw`, `iwconfig`, `rfkill`, `ip` are pre-installed on most Linux systems