Auvik Network Management (ANM) vs Wireshark comparison

Auvik Network Management (ANM)

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 11, 2024

Wireshark and Auvik are both well-regarded in the network analysis field, yet they cater to different needs. Wireshark is praised for its detailed packet analysis, while Auvik excels in network monitoring and management.

Features: Wireshark offers in-depth packet analysis, invaluable for troubleshooting at a granular level, detailed filtering capabilities, and a wide protocol support. Auvik provides robust network mapping, comprehensive monitoring capabilities, and automated network topology generation.

Room for Improvement: Wireshark can be overwhelming due to its complexity and steep learning curve, lacks an intuitive user interface, and requires significant expertise for effective use. Auvik could benefit from more detailed reporting features, faster troubleshooting tools, and more customization options for dashboards.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Wireshark, being open-source, presents deployment challenges and lacks dedicated customer service, relying on community support. Auvik's cloud-based deployment simplifies implementation and receives positive feedback for its dedicated and responsive customer service.

Pricing and ROI: Wireshark is free, making it attractive for those on a tight budget. Auvik users find value in its pricing due to extensive features and time saved on network management, providing a good ROI despite the cost.

To learn more, read our detailed Auvik Network Management (ANM) vs. Wireshark Report (Updated: September 2026).

Auvik Network Management (ANM) vs. Wireshark

September 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Auvik Network Management (ANM)

Ranking in Network Troubleshooting

2nd

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

221

Ranking in other categories

Network Monitoring Software (2nd), IT Infrastructure Monitoring (6th), Cloud Monitoring Software (6th), Network Traffic Analysis (NTA) (2nd)

Wireshark

Ranking in Network Troubleshooting

1st

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Network Troubleshooting category, the mindshare of Auvik Network Management (ANM) is 4.9%, up from 3.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Wireshark is 16.7%, up from 13.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Troubleshooting Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Wireshark	16.7%
Auvik Network Management (ANM)	4.9%
Other	78.4%

Network Troubleshooting

Featured Reviews

reviewer2349501

Manager, Technical Services at a computer software company with 11-50 employees

Real-time network visibility has transformed how we pinpoint LAN bottlenecks and resolve issues faster

The only area for improvement is pricing. Otherwise, the tool is great. I think the pricing is acceptable. If you are working with resellers, it makes it a little bit difficult sometimes for the reseller to be able to make too much, as the margin is not all that significant. However, we are not getting rid of Auvik Network Management (ANM). That is the only thing in my opinion that Auvik Network Management (ANM) can do a little bit better on—maybe just the pricing—but it is a great tool. We are not replacing it with anything and we are not removing it at all. It is a great tool, and we are able to monitor our own internal network as well as that of our customers. In most cases, we have not had any complaints about neither from my techs or from myself about its functionality, as it works really.

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reviewer2837244

It System Engineer at a manufacturing company with 5,001-10,000 employees

Packet analysis has improved real-time troubleshooting and simplifies mapping complex data flows

The best features that Wireshark offers are everything. Every time I look into Wireshark, I find something new. The ability to capture real-time packets and understand how the packet is working and moving through how many hops and to how many points it reaches makes it a wonderful tool. The specific feature I use most is capturing packets of real-time communication and seeing how the packet is working. I rely on all the filters it has to check the protocols and see the communication between one end and another end and what the hops in between are, and if there is a proxy, how it behaves. Everything helps us check out the issue and troubleshoot it. I do not have anything additional to add about the features; everything looks really fine. The graphics are also good, and you can change its graphical features, making it a pretty nice tool. You can also use it with the PCAP file, which is really nice. Wireshark has positively impacted my organization by giving us the ability to capture packets and see into the network how it is working and what we can clarify about the network, specifically how we can remove many hops in the communication channels. A specific example of a measurable outcome is that we have a few switches in our network that, when we use Wireshark analysis, we find should not be needed or can be replaced with automatic switches instead of manual switches, such as switches which do not have any active features and only passive switches. That has saved us a lot of time.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"A simple site view with the associated devices populating as things to add to or remove from the network is valuable. It's also nice to have it integrated with our ticketing system to create tickets in certain cases for devices that go down or have some high-level alerts, such as high CPU or overtemperature."

"I don't worry about the scalability of the solution because it is quite a broad, scalable, modern platform."

"The benefit outweighs the cost because we're able to see everything in one central location."

"The ability to trace cables is the most valuable feature. The solution provides link detection and port detection features with the switches. It's invaluable to have the ability to see where one device is connected and identify the exact port without having to trace any cables."

"The most valuable feature is the alerting system."

"If you are looking to manage your network, Auvik Network Management (ANM) is a very good tool."

"I like how Auvik gives us a quick overview of the overall situation."

"Despite the sluggishness of the interface, it has definitely provided a significant amount of value for us."

More Auvik Network Management (ANM) pros

"I use this free, open-source solution daily for packet analysis, and the packet details pane is particularly valuable."

"If you're dealing with troubleshooting network, voice issues, or network operations, having a tool like Wireshark to dive into packet details is important. The initial setup is straightforward. Anyone starting out or looking to deploy it on your personal PC or machine can do it easily."

"Being able to dissect email data and figure out what is inside email messages was the most valuable feature. Such a feature is pretty helpful for an ongoing forensic investigation or when there is a potential insider threat that you are trying to investigate. It allows you to see the network activity of the users you are investigating. It also gives you more visibility into your network. It was very easy to set up. There is a lot of information out there on Google and YouTube about how to use it. There is also community support. If you have any trouble, it is pretty easy to find an answer online. You will have to do some digging only if you have a very specific use case."

"For example, while debugging through food issues, we can draw the graph of the data captured in the solution and see how the throughput is moving."

"It has good basic features."

"The initial setup is simple."

"The drill-down available for packet analysis is great, as it gives a network security engineer insight into what is going on at the packet level and enables better troubleshooting."

"Wireshark is a very useful tool."

More Wireshark pros

Cons

"The network map and dashboard of Auvik Network Management (ANM) are a little bit tricky at the beginning, so people aren't trying to just steal a copy."

"I believe Auvik Network Management could improve by providing more support for firewall devices, as this would greatly enhance its capability."

"I would like to see some better training or public resources. It's not just Auvik's fault. Our company has a responsibility to explain the toolset and everything it can do. Many of our engineers don't realize how powerful it is. Due to a lack of documentation about Auvik's capabilities, so much can go over the heads of engineers who don't spend much time with it."

"I did not have the chance to go through all the aspects or services that Auvik Network Management provides, but what I dealt with was good, and there was not much to complain about. However, its pricing was a little bit higher."

"Auvik could have better compatibility with more devices. The devices that we're using are essential within our network infrastructure. It would be great to access the full range of features that some of the other ones do, such as the device configuration backups and the configuration change alert."

"If I could make a wish list of things that I would like to see from Auvik, I would definitely love to see more vendor integration with specific manufacturers. They've got that integration with Cisco, but it would be awesome to also have that with other major brands, such as HP, Dell, and Lenovo. It should have integration with more vendors, and in general, being able to quickly and easily access vendor-specific tools from the portal would be amazing."

"Sometimes it's a little bit slow to load, but I can't think of anything else that could be improved."

"The pricing model could also be improved, as the unlimited selection isn't unlimited. The billing work on the build devices and components, and I've tried to set up the solution in a few different configurations, resulting in multiple build devices each time. Therefore, I question the cost-effectiveness for a business of our size."

More Auvik Network Management (ANM) cons

"Wireshark could be improved with a delay option when getting data automatically. It could also work faster."

"It needs the ability to follow multiple interfaces for specific traffic from different network zones/virtual networks. It would help to understand how any packet is going through the network."

"Wireshark can be improved if it provides the accessibility of capturing packets from one device that is installed in the network without needing the port-mirrored facility."

"The Wireshark search function shows green for a correct search and red for an incorrect search."

"Wireshark is also used for hacking which is a security breach."

"One con is that this software is only an observer, not an interactive component of the network, meaning you cant change anything with it."

"Wireshark is restricted when any sort of encryption is involved, such as XSL encryption or DLX."

"I was unable to use Wireshark on Windows, and I couldn't capture it, as I'm unsure how to configure the wireless card into monitoring mode on Windows."

More Wireshark cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"They charge for switches and some networking hardware, but everything else is free."

"Compared to Auvik's competitors, its pricing is largely in line with SolarWinds."

"Auvik is fairly priced. The cost is what we expected considering network management. The benefits outweigh the cost for us."

"I believe that Auvik is one of the most expensive tools, but it is also the best."

"The pricing is reasonable, neither exceptionally cheap nor excessively expensive—it aligns well with what I anticipated."

"The pricing for Auvik Network Management (ANM) is great; it is comparable to other solutions, and for what it does, it actually provides more value for the money than some of the other major competitors."

"From a client perspective, pricing is always an issue. Nobody wants to pay more than necessary. You need to be aware of the number of billable managed products, because they will greatly increase the cost of Auvik..."

"The price is reasonable."

More Auvik Network Management (ANM) pricing and cost advice

"It's a stand-alone tool. If there is a commercial license for it I am unaware of it."

"It is an open-source solution."

"Wireshark is an open-source product, so it's free to use."

"It is free."

"The solution is open source so is free."

"Wireshark is free of charge, and there's no license involved."

"We're using the free version of Wireshark."

"It's free."

More Wireshark pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Outsourcing Company

14%

Construction Company

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

University

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Construction Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	160
Midsize Enterprise	33
Large Enterprise	27

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	31
Midsize Enterprise	11
Large Enterprise	29

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Auvik?

The reason I give it an eight, rather than a nine or ten, relates to the premium price of Auvik Network Management (ANM). If the price were lower, my expectations would not be so high, and I would ...

What needs improvement with Auvik?

Regarding the features of Auvik Network Management (ANM), I believe that the primary improvement needed focuses on ensuring the live topology map is as accurate and easy to understand as possible, ...

What is your primary use case for Auvik?

My main use case for Auvik Network Management (ANM) is to have full visibility, so when I have Auvik Network Management (ANM) deployed with my customer, especially the full license, which includes ...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Wireshark?

Wireshark is priced at a medium range, not too high, not too low. The pricing could be more flexible, and they might make it more expensive. That said, compared to other products, it is competitive.

What needs improvement with Wireshark?

Wireshark can be improved if it provides the accessibility of capturing packets from one device that is installed in the network without needing the port-mirrored facility. They could provide somet...

What is your primary use case for Wireshark?

Wireshark's main use case is capturing packets and reviewing the data flow over the network. Regarding my main use case for Wireshark, it is a great tool and would be one of the best tools availabl...

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Product Reports

Auvik Network Management (ANM)

November 2026

Download Auvik Network Management (ANM) product report

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October 2026

Overview

Auvik Network Management offers competitive pricing for essential network and infrastructure device management, providing robust features valued by enterprises.

Auvik Network Management delivers comprehensive network visibility and management through intuitive auditing, alerting, and discovery functionalities. It eases troubleshooting, automates configuration backups, and includes a user-friendly interface for effective monitoring and management. With real-time alerts and customizable notifications, IT operations are streamlined, while remote access capabilities enhance time efficiency. ANM supports integration with other platforms, effectively maintaining device inventories and visualizing network topology.

What are the key features of Auvik Network Management?

Auditing: Offers comprehensive network audits, ensuring accuracy and efficiency.
Network Discovery: Simplifies the process of identifying network components.
Alerting Modules: Provides real-time alerts and customizable notifications.
Configuration Backups: Automates backups, safeguarding configurations.
Remote Access: Streamlines network management from any location.

What benefits should users expect when evaluating Auvik Network Management?

Enhanced Network Visibility: Offers detailed insights into network operations.
Time Efficiency: Remote access and automated features save valuable time.
Proactive Issue Identification: Real-time monitoring aids in identifying issues quickly.
Integration Support: Works cohesively with other platforms, easing management.
Operational Efficiency: Automates management tasks for improved productivity.

In industries such as IT management and network administration, Auvik Network Management is predominantly utilized for overseeing and maintaining network infrastructures across multiple locations. It offers capabilities for monitoring network topology, receiving alerts on device downtimes, and managing performance metrics. Users employ its features for proactive issue identification, and auditing, helping maintain oversight of networks containing switches, routers, and firewalls. Auvik provides remote access and automated backups, which contribute to enhanced operational efficiency and network visibility.

Auvik

Wireshark offers robust packet analysis through comprehensive filtering and color-coding features, adaptable across platforms due to its open-source nature. It supports real-time and offline packet captures, multiple protocols, and easy installation, making it a favored tool for network experts.

Renowned for its traffic decryption capabilities and detailed traffic insights, Wireshark provides deep packet inspection and a simple GUI. Ideal for network troubleshooting, it allows users to view VoIP traffic and perform advanced customizations. While Wireshark's interface can be complex and challenging for newcomers, its powerful features make it invaluable in identifying network issues, inspecting protocols, and understanding data flow across wired and wireless environments. Users seek more intuitive filters, better Windows and non-laptop support, as well as features like real-time evolution and graphical analysis tools to enhance usability. Wireshark's wide application includes security research, protocol analysis, and application performance baselining, supporting both on-premises and cloud-based operations.

What are Wireshark's standout features?

Filtering and Color-Coding: Enables detailed packet analysis.
Real-Time and Offline Captures: Supports both capture modes for comprehensive network monitoring.
Traffic Decryption: Provides detailed insights into encrypted traffic.
Deep Packet Inspection: Delivers granular network data examination.
GUI Simplicity: Ensures ease of use despite complex capabilities.

What benefits and ROI should users evaluate?

Network Troubleshooting: Streamlines identification and resolution of network issues.
Protocol Inspection: Facilitates in-depth examination of network communication protocols.
Traffic Monitoring: Ensures effective monitoring of network traffic in real time.
Security Research: Assists in uncovering malicious traffic and vulnerabilities.
Application Performance: Aids in baselining and optimizing app performance.

Wireshark is implemented across industries to manage and troubleshoot networks, analyze traffic flow, and ensure secure, efficient communication. It supports research and security operations, providing insights into protocol usage and application performance across physical and virtual environments. Its deployment spans education, telecommunications, finance, and healthcare, underpinning connectivity and data integrity.

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Comversion, ADP, Talbots