LinkRunner AT Network AutoTester vs. PingPlotter

The tool was recently used to help identify a hardware issue. We were having connectivity problems which was identified with the LinkRunner that has the SFP to test fiber connections. We were able to show the vendor on sight that the link was good and that it was the vendor equipment that had the issue This resulted in them replacing the physical equipment to bring services back online.

This tool is best suited to get a quick read on basic network access across multiple hops. It provides immediate, very valuable feedback. If you know your stuff, there are other tools that handle the rest you need: packet capture, port scans, etc. We are all looking for that multi-tool, but this is perfect for the basic need of knowing where in the network a problem might be.

• Identify the exact switchport a given line is plugged in to.
• View the length and viability of any category or fiber optic cable.
• It acts as a premade packet capture device, simple enough to walk someone through deploying while I'm offsite.
• In the event LLDP based identification of a port fails, it has the ability to blink a switchport allowing for manual identification.

Incentivized

Independently Invited by TrustRadius

A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info

• Monitor traffic in network
• Measure stops when contacting network locations such as websites
• Measures the lag and latency it takes to contact network locations
• Gives you both induvidual measurements as well as good oversight
• identifies when network lag or disconnect occurs

• It could be updated for Mgig or 10Gb.
• Some devices should have SFP+ modules capabilities
• Could be combined with other tools

• Being able to export data would have been helpful for a larger analysis.
• It is a robust program and probably more than we needed for a small business; some options that were better aligned with our budget would have been good.
• As a non-technical person in the networking space, I found the data helpful for communicating, but not always easy to understand.

The network tester is one of the easest devices I have ever used. It does have capabilities that other testers simply don't have. Being able to identify the switch port it is plugged into, the address of the switch, the switch name, along with the VLAN has helped on so many occasions

I installed it and it just started working. I realized I could then tweak it to show what I needed but didn't have to spend a long time configuring it before use, editing YAML files etc. Maybe that's fine for a network professional, but I only need this software if something goes wrong, and then need it to work quickly out of the box.

Incentivized

Invited by the Vendor

A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info

I have not had much contact with the PingPlotter support, only one time have I went to them and it was a positive experience. The questions I had were answered quickly and professionally. I have no issue with the experience I had with the Support team. This was from before and after the purchase of the product.

Incentivized

Independently Invited by TrustRadius

A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info

There is little to no competition in this field. If you need to do any type of advanced network monitoring/identification (or use 10G) then you're going to own a Fluke. While Ideal does have a couple of devices that appear to be the closest competitor, the differences are still extremely evident.

Incentivized

Independently Invited by TrustRadius

A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info

I used Ping.app and UptimeLog.app on the Mac. These both provided different aspects. These two had a menubar to show me green or red for multiple connections. UptimeLog showed me very clearly when my connectivity was on or off and for exactly how long

• Drastic decrease in diagnosis time.
• The certainty coming from the diagnostic process with the Fluke leads to less guessing and quicker fixes.
• With multiple departments involved in the process of connecting devices to the network, the Fluke helps us to quickly certify a switch closet worth of cable and create error free documentation.

Incentivized

Independently Invited by TrustRadius

A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info

• Great ROI, troubleshooting time has been reduced by 90%
• Network Discoveries used to take 2 to 3 hours and were inconsistent - now it is a matter of minutes
• lacks integration into our MSP toolkit, and we now use it as a stand alone product

Incentivized

Independently Invited by TrustRadius

A de minimis incentive was given to thank the reviewer for their time. The incentive was not used to bias or drive a particular response, nor was the incentive contingent on a positive endorsement. More Info