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LinkSprinter vs Wireshark comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 11, 2024

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
8th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
Network Diagnostics (4th)
Wireshark
Ranking in Network Troubleshooting
2nd
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
63
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Network Troubleshooting category, the mindshare of LinkSprinter is 4.6%, down from 7.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Wireshark is 17.1%, up from 13.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Network Troubleshooting Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Wireshark17.1%
LinkSprinter4.6%
Other78.3%
Network Troubleshooting
 

Featured Reviews

JamesStout - PeerSpot reviewer
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.
Vijay Duggal - PeerSpot reviewer
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.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"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 solution provides switch port and VLAN information."
"Less downtime, quick results and fast repairs saves money and keeps our users happy - This tool helps us do that and more!"
"Wireshark is very good for network engineers; it's free software, you can install it very easily, and there are a lot of features."
"The feature to incorporate Voice over IP (VoIP) incidents into network traffic analysis is valuable. Capturing voice or SIP communication allows for examination of interactions between SIP clients and SIP servers. This helps the team investigate or analyze issues related to call center servers and operators."
"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."
"I have found the most valuable feature you can design your sniffer the way you want to."
"Wireshark helps us to understand network traffic."
"What's best about Wireshark is that it doesn't require installation, supports cards and monitoring permissions, and is sufficient for appending and capturing activities, so you won't need to install other tools and can capture packets at any time from your laptop through Wireshark."
"I can save the traffic and analysis when I want to. Also, it's especially helpful to follow the stream (TCP, UDP, etc.)."
"Wireshark's best feature is that it's adaptive, which means it's the go-to tool for network-related developers, as when the new protocol comes up, it's rapidly applied to the system, so I can just look into the packet."
 

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."
"Built-in help system is not robust."
"I have not used Wireshark to an advanced point where I could provide a detailed opinion on improvements needed."
"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."
"Can be difficult for non packet heads to understand"
"With Wireshark, you cannot download and utilize the packet in automation."
"Cannot be used to diagnose any kind of network intrusions and hacking exploits."
"Wireshark is restricted when any sort of encryption is involved, such as XSL encryption or DLX."
"This product needs to improve the UI."
 

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."
"We are using a freeware version of this solution, so there are no licence costs involved."
"I am using the free version of this solution."
"The tool is free."
"It is free."
"This is an open-source product that can be used free of charge."
"We're using the free version of Wireshark."
"Wireshark is free software, so you don't have to pay any licensing fee. Individual people can use it and then donate to Wireshark."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
University
13%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Healthcare Company
9%
Hospitality Company
8%
University
11%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Healthcare Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business31
Midsize Enterprise11
Large Enterprise27
 

Questions from the Community

Ask a question
Earn 20 points
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?
The speed of the Internet could be improved, especially its performance. Performance can sometimes be a challenge due to numerous factors.
What is your primary use case for Wireshark?
We are using Wireshark for inspecting the vertical line to know the data flow in and out of the cables. This is to determine if there is real traffic flow through the physical connections or not. A...
 

Overview

 

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
Find out what your peers are saying about LinkSprinter vs. Wireshark and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.
893,221 professionals have used our research since 2012.