MDK3 requires your wireless adapter to be in monitor mode. This is distinct from managed mode (used for connecting to networks).
Step 1: Identify your wireless interface
iwconfig
Look for wlan0, wlan1, or wlx....
Step 2: Kill interfering processes Airgeddon, NetworkManager, and wpa_supplicant can cause conflicts.
sudo airmon-ng check kill
Step 3: Enable monitor mode using airmon-ng (part of aircrack-ng) mdk3 install kali linux
sudo airmon-ng start wlan0
This typically creates a new interface named wlan0mon.
Alternatively, use iw (manual method):
sudo ip link set wlan0 down
sudo iw dev wlan0 set type monitor
sudo ip link set wlan0 up
Now verify: sudo iw dev wlan0 info should show type monitor.
Step 4: Test injection Before running MDK3, ensure your card can actually inject. MDK3 requires your wireless adapter to be in monitor mode
sudo aireplay-ng -9 wlan0mon
A successful test shows “Injection is working!”
sudo apt install mdk3 -y
The official Kali repositories contain mdk3. Update your package list and install: Look for wlan0 , wlan1 , or wlx
sudo apt update
sudo apt install mdk3 -y