How to solve this "pip install pypcap" error (both in Windows and Ubuntu Linux)

Question

I get this error:

when I try to install the pypcap library (for Python 2.7.x) on either Windows 7 or Ubuntu 12.04:

The following is the Windows version of the error, but the Linux error is similar, and can post it later:

$ pip install pypcap -U
Collecting pypcap
  Using cached pypcap-1.1.5.tar.gz
    Complete output from command python setup.py egg_info:
    pcap.h not found

    ----------------------------------------
Command "python setup.py egg_info" failed with error code 1 in c:\users\
<username>\appdata\local\temp\pip-build-qjf6rt\pypcap\

Thanks for any pointers or advice on this.

Answer 1

You need the pcap development library.

On linux, try

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install libpcap0.8-dev

I know nothing of Windows.

Link to relevant question.

Answer 2

The c library that pypcap depends on is not installed on your machine.

I suggest using Miniconda to manage your entire Python environment. You can install compiled packages for your architecture to your local conda environment, and then your pip command will succeed.