LinkSprinter vs Wireshark comparison

NetAlly and Wireshark are both solutions in the Network Troubleshooting category. NetAlly is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.0, while Wireshark is ranked #4 with an average rating of 9.2. NetAlly holds a 6.1% mindshare in NT, compared to Wireshark’s 12.7% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of NetAlly users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 98% of Wireshark users who would recommend it.

LinkSprinter

Read 3 LinkSprinter reviews

709 Views
652 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Wireshark

Read 63 Wireshark reviews

2,479 Views
992 Comparison Views

98% willing to recommend

LinkSprinter

Wireshark

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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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: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

LinkSprinter vs. Wireshark

December 2025

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Helped 881,082 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 (3rd)

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 January 2026, in the Network Troubleshooting category, the mindshare of LinkSprinter is 6.1%, down from 8.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Wireshark is 12.7%, down from 13.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Troubleshooting Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Wireshark	12.7%
LinkSprinter	6.1%
Other	81.2%

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.

Read full review

DonniUgalde

Senior I.T. Systems Engineer at Pro Techs MSP

Provides visibility into the network, and the GUI is easy to use

I wish the filters were a little bit more prepopulated. It would have been easy to hit a drop-down and select a filter. If I only wanted to look at DCP, UDP, or IP, it would be easy to filter it out. Advanced network knowledge is required to get a lot out of the tool. However, it's very easy to install and deploy. It would be nice if there were some handheld Android devices with a Wireshark-specialized application that would allow us to mirror a Cisco port. Then, we can just plug into the port and click the green start button, and it will start ingesting the packet capture. Then, we won’t be using a laptop. The only downside is that we must have a laptop and connect a network cable. Some new laptops don't have network ports, so we have to get another adapter. Having an all-in-one device, like NetAlly or Fluke, and some of their network devices would be cool.

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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 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."

"What's best about Wireshark is that it doesn't require installation. It supports cards and monitoring permissions and is sufficient for appending and capturing activities. You won't need to install other tools to use Wireshark, so this saves you time. You can capture packets at any time from your laptop through Wireshark."

"The solution is easy to install and use."

"I use the filters very often, to determine what type of traffic I am looking for. The use of filter allows traffic to be segmented so that a value can be looked at individually apart from the other traffic."

"I can save the traffic and analysis when I want to. Also, it's especially helpful to follow the stream (TCP, UDP, etc.)."

"It gives us the ability to pinpoint problems and to communicate network problems with software and hardware vendors."

"I have found the most valuable feature you can design your sniffer the way you want to."

"Wireshark helps us to understand network traffic."

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

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."

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

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

"The initial setup depends upon the basics. You need to have a clear understanding of the basics."

"The decryption of encrypted packets could be better."

"The Wireshark search function shows green for a correct search and red for an incorrect search. If there were a way to provide a description about what a search - and the similar ones which are available - can do, while a person is typing it, it would make the product easier to use and simultaneously decrease the learning curve."

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

"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."

"Whenever we select one of the packets, in terms of the number of bytes, for example, there are three planes, and in the detailed plane, I have to count the number of bytes manually."

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."

"The tool is free."

"I am using the free version of this solution."

"It is an open-source solution."

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

"Wireshark is open-source and free of charge."

"It's free."

More Wireshark pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Healthcare Company

16%

University

11%

Financial Services Firm

Hospitality Company

University

10%

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Government

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.

See all answers

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.

See all answers

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.

See all answers

Comparisons

LinkRunner vs LinkSprinter

Compared 55% of the time

NetAlly EtherScope nXG vs LinkSprinter

Compared 15% of the time

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Network Diagnostics

January 2026

Download LinkSprinter product report

Buyer's Guide

Wireshark

January 2026

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.

Wireshark

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

Buyer's Guide

LinkSprinter vs. Wireshark

December 2025

Free Report: LinkSprinter vs. Wireshark

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