# Starting packetbeat: 2016/01/08 12:13:43.009060 packetbeat.go:195: CRIT Initializing sniffer failed: Error creating sniffer: Pfring sniffing is not compiled in

**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/starting-packetbeat-2016-01-08-12-13-43-009060-packetbeat-go-195-crit-initializing-sniffer-failed-error-creating-sniffer-pfring-sniffing-is-not-compiled-in/38721
**Category:** Beats
**Tags:** packetbeat
**Created:** [January 8, 2016, 12:19pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/starting-packetbeat-2016-01-08-12-13-43-009060-packetbeat-go-195-crit-initializing-sniffer-failed-error-creating-sniffer-pfring-sniffing-is-not-compiled-in/38721 "2016-01-08T12:19:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 4

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![andrewkroh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/andrewkroh/32/3784_2.png) [@andrewkroh](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/andrewkroh)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2016, 7:56pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/starting-packetbeat-2016-01-08-12-13-43-009060-packetbeat-go-195-crit-initializing-sniffer-failed-error-creating-sniffer-pfring-sniffing-is-not-compiled-in/38721/4 "2016-01-08T19:56:20Z")

</div>

I was completely wrong on that one. Sorry. 😞

I should have checked the code first. Packetbeat does need compiled with pf\_ring support and the release build doesn't do this. When [building](https://github.com/elastic/beats/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md#setting-up-your-dev-environment) you have set the `havepfring` tag (`go build -tags havepfring`) and need to have the pf\_ring headers installed.

Can you open a bug in the elastic/beats project for this.

---

_[View the full topic](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/starting-packetbeat-2016-01-08-12-13-43-009060-packetbeat-go-195-crit-initializing-sniffer-failed-error-creating-sniffer-pfring-sniffing-is-not-compiled-in/38721)._