LinkSprinter vs Wireshark comparison

Read 63 Wireshark reviews

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98% willing to recommend

LinkSprinter

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 11, 2024

Wireshark and LinkSprinter are used for network analysis and diagnostics. Wireshark is favored for its pricing and support, while LinkSprinter is preferred for its superior features, justifying the cost.

Features: Wireshark provides comprehensive protocol analysis, a wide range of filters, and detailed analysis capabilities. LinkSprinter offers portability, ease of use, and quick diagnostic capabilities.

Room for Improvement: Wireshark needs a more intuitive layout, better performance with high data volumes, and easier setup. LinkSprinter requires expanded testing capabilities, more detailed reports, and improved customer support.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Wireshark requires installation and setup but benefits from extensive online resources and community support. LinkSprinter offers instant deployment and straightforward operation but has mixed feedback on manufacturer support.

Pricing and ROI: Wireshark is open-source and free, providing excellent ROI. LinkSprinter requires an initial investment but offers a quick ROI for its convenience and speed in diagnostics.

To learn more, read our detailed LinkSprinter vs. Wireshark Report (Updated: September 2025).

LinkSprinter vs. Wireshark

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Helped 868,759 peers since 2012

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

LinkSprinter

Ranking in Network Troubleshooting

5th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Diagnostics (4th)

Wireshark

Ranking in Network Troubleshooting

4th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Network Troubleshooting category, the mindshare of LinkSprinter is 7.1%, down from 9.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Wireshark is 13.0%, up from 12.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Troubleshooting Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Wireshark	13.0%
LinkSprinter	7.1%
Other	79.9%

Network Troubleshooting

Featured Reviews

JamesStout

IT Director at JVS Consulting

A small, convenient tool that is very stable, but needs to have a longer battery life

They could make it easier to set up originally, because the initial setup can be quite hit and miss. It is also quite battery intensive, so it might last a bit longer if it had a lithium battery. You're always having to replace the batteries, so it would be good if it could be USB-charged or something like that.

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Vijay Duggal

Network Specialist at Squarepoint Capital

Provides detailed traffic analysis and helps troubleshoot issues

There is a disadvantage when it comes to sampling intervals. While the solution supports sampling as fine as one millisecond, it requires a copy at that interval. My Python script allows me to achieve a granularity of up to ten microseconds, but I can't go beyond that. When dealing with provisioning on both issues, it would be beneficial if I could go down to the microsecond level, if not the nanosecond. Additionally, I've heard from a colleague that Wireshark might be less effective in the voice domain.

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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

"The solution provides switch port and VLAN information."

"The tool fits in your pocket, so it's easy to carry and you don't have to have a big bag of tools."

"The filter option provided by Wireshark is its most valuable feature...Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."

"It helps in analyzing if something looks suspicious, such as a brute force attack or scanning from somewhere."

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

"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."

"Wireshark's best feature is that it's adaptive, which means it's the go-to tool for network-related developers."

"It's easy to troubleshoot issues because there's a large online community."

"The session-level filtering features are valuable."

"Wireshark helps us to understand network traffic."

More Wireshark pros

Cons

"The solution should improve cable testing."

"They could make it easier to set up originally, because the initial setup can be quite hit and miss."

"Big trace files (more than 1,000,000 packets) can be slow, but then you can use "TraceWrangler" (also free) to help with slicing and dicing the data."

"Wireshark could be improved with a delay option when getting data automatically."

"You need some basic knowledge to work with Wireshark. Maybe it could be more user-friendly just for new users. Just for the new generation."

"Wireshark could make the filtering rules easier to apply and offer a drag-and-drop option as opposed to type and text."

"It is not an easy program. You will need to study to use it to its full capabilities (follow a course)."

"Wireshark gets stuck when it is a larger file."

"The solution’s user interface could be improved."

"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."

More Wireshark cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"You pay for the device, but you don't have to pay for the app."

"The product is a little bit overpriced."

"I've never personally had to pay for it, making it a highly valuable internet resource that's accessible for use. While they offer some paid versions, our firm has utilized the free version for the past three years."

"It is free to download and install. It runs on multiple platforms, so how can you go wrong?"

"It is an open-source solution."

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

"This is an open-source product that can be used free of charge."

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

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

"It is free."

More Wireshark pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Healthcare Company

19%

University

Hospitality Company

Computer Software Company

University

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Hospitality Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	31
Midsize Enterprise	11
Large Enterprise	27

Questions from the Community

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What do you like most about Wireshark?

The GUI is easy to use.

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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.

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What needs improvement with Wireshark?

The speed of the Internet could be improved, especially its performance. Performance can sometimes be a challenge due to numerous factors.

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Comparisons

LinkRunner vs LinkSprinter

Compared 100% of the time

Product Reports

Network Diagnostics

Download LinkSprinter product report

Download Wireshark product report

Overview

The LinkSprinter Pocket Network Tester verifies the functionality of copper Ethernet links and identifies errors in less than 10 seconds. The tester reveals network connectivity status and port information while ensuring documentation for every link. The comprehensive AutoTester measures PoE voltage, performs a switch test, and confirms the DHCP server is running and responsive. The tester also verifies gateway/router, internal IP service, and cloud reachability. When paired with the secure Link-Live Cloud Service, the Network Tester automatically uploads results and allows annotation of results enabling job supervisors to easily manage the progress of deployment and troubleshooting tasks assigned to their team.

NetAlly

Wireshark is the world's foremost network protocol analyzer.

Sample Customers

Cisco, Marriott, Sands Expo, Valparaiso University, Memorial Hermann Health Care System, Mount Sinai, Cox Enterprises, George Washington University, University of Iowa.

Comversion, ADP, Talbots

LinkSprinter vs. Wireshark