TrustRadius Insights
Wireshark, a widely utilized network traffic analysis tool, has proven to be invaluable for various user experiences and use cases. Cyber …
Starting at $0
View PricingOverview
What is Wireshark?
Wireshark is a free and open source network troubleshooting tool.
Recent Reviews
Awards
Products that are considered exceptional by their customers based on a variety of criteria win TrustRadius awards. Learn more about the types of TrustRadius awards to make the best purchase decision. More about TrustRadius Awards
Pricing
Wireshark
Free
On Premise
Entry-level set up fee?
- No setup fee
Offerings
- Free Trial
- Free/Freemium Version
- Premium Consulting/Integration Services
Product Demos
Local and Remote Sniffing with Wireshark
YouTube
Wireshark demo (simple http)
YouTube
Saving Files From Wireshark
YouTube
Brim Demo
YouTube
How to Use Wireshark's Follow TCP Stream Feature
YouTube
Wireshark SIP Capture
YouTube
Product Details
- About
- Tech Details
- FAQs
What is Wireshark?
Wireshark is a free and open source network troubleshooting tool.
Wireshark Technical Details
| Deployment Types | On-premise |
|---|---|
| Operating Systems | Windows, Linux, Mac |
| Mobile Application | No |
Frequently Asked Questions
Wireshark is a free and open source network troubleshooting tool.
Wireshark starts at $0.
Reviewers rate Support Rating highest, with a score of 10.
The most common users of Wireshark are from Mid-sized Companies (51-1,000 employees).
Comparisons
Compare with
Reviews and Ratings
(135)
Community Insights
TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!
- Business Problems Solved
- Pros
- Cons
- Recommendations
Wireshark, a widely utilized network traffic analysis tool, has proven to be invaluable for various user experiences and use cases. Cyber security professionals rely on Wireshark for research and investigation, allowing them to check network traffic from applications and ensure there are no abnormalities. The software's versatility is demonstrated by its utilization in setting up Capture the Flag challenges, making it an engaging tool for recruiting purposes. Additionally, Wireshark is essential for monitoring network traffic and troubleshooting network-related issues, saving time and effort in problem-solving. It enables system administrators and network administrators to dissect network packets in detail, extract relevant network information, and quickly identify and resolve network problems. The software's free and open-source nature provides cost savings without compromising functionality, making it a preferred choice for users. Its graphical interface makes network packet analysis less cumbersome compared to command-line alternatives. Moreover, Wireshark aids in in-depth analysis of TCAP messages, debugging of network data exchange issues, investigating network issues and locating lost IPs on the network, troubleshooting site-to-site VPN tunnels, identifying unusual activity in network traffic, tracking specific users' data for detection of client/server connectivity issues, aiding in networking and security education with real-time lab environments, capturing and analyzing network traffic for automation purposes, verifying protocol usage, troubleshooting firewall ruleset tests, monitoring traffic patterns, locating desired information within the network using powerful filters, identifying handshake issue algorithm compatibility problems with database servers and clients, diagnosing issues with VOIP phone systems causing dropped calls due to packet loss, capturing network traffic for system information management purposes, addressing ping scan DOS attacks on external locations and severe broadcast storms caused by corrupted NIC drivers on the main network. The versatility of Wireshark extends to various organizations where it is used for network design, testing, operation as well as helping technicians analyze network traffic effectively during troubleshooting at client sites.
Affordable Price: Many users appreciate the low cost of Wireshark, as it provides powerful network analysis capabilities without the need for expensive software. Several reviewers have stated that Wireshark offers a good value for its price.
Packet Analysis Capabilities: The ability to capture, log, and analyze packet data is highly valued by users. Many reviewers have mentioned that this feature allows for detailed troubleshooting and monitoring of network traffic in their feedback on Wireshark.
Real-time Network Visibility: Users find the real-time network data visibility provided by Wireshark to be invaluable. Several customers have mentioned that this feature enables them to monitor network activity promptly and identify any issues or anomalies with ease.
Confusing User Interface: Some users have found the user interface of Wireshark to be confusing, suggesting that it can be improved to make it more user-friendly and intuitive.
Steep Learning Curve: The software has a steep learning curve, with new users finding it overwhelming to see all the columns and colors. This can make it challenging for them to navigate and understand the software.
Lack of User-Friendliness: While acknowledging that Wireshark is not primarily designed for those who are not comfortable with this type of software, some users still mention the lack of a more user-friendly interface. They suggest enhancing the UI/UX to make it more intuitive and easier to use.
Users of Wireshark have made several recommendations based on their experience with the software. The most common recommendations include utilizing the free version, seeking help and documentation online, and exploring all features and capabilities.
Many users recommend using the free version of Wireshark as it is considered a great tool for networking systems and packet analysis. Users appreciate its stability and open-source nature.
To effectively use Wireshark, users advise seeking help and documentation online. They suggest following tutorials and reading the new user guide to understand how to navigate the software's features.
Users also recommend spending time exploring all the features and capabilities of Wireshark, although it may seem overwhelming at first. By doing so, users can fully utilize this powerful network sniffing tool, particularly on Linux systems.
Overall, users consider Wireshark an excellent network packet analyzer that caters to the needs of both network engineers and beginners in network engineering. However, some users caution obtaining security approval before using the software. While they acknowledge that Wireshark may provide more information than expected, they still regard it as a valuable tool for their networking needs.
Attribute Ratings
Reviews
(1-25 of 29)Companies can't remove reviews or game the system. Here's why
November 02, 2022
Must have tool to work in or with Networks!
- Identifying bugs in the network has never been smooth and near-perfect.
- Wireshark has made sure our equipment and software is working properly via analyzing network data.
- Analysis of IP packets and Sip call flaws has saved us a lot of time and confident result.
October 31, 2022
The king of software for capturing and analyzing network traffic
- Essential for getting data from the network to improve security every day
- It's free and has an immediate financial return
October 31, 2022
Great open-source tool with a powerful toolset
- I loved the tool
- Never spend any money so cannot really talk about ROI
- It did save me time which can be a positive ROI
October 31, 2022
Indispensable tool
- The impact has been very positive, helping our technical department to find out the continuous service drops in a client.
October 31, 2022
To Wireshark or not
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
- Minimal cost upfront
- Solution to solve multiple concerns
- Wireshark has improved ROI by offering a no-cost option to network issue resolution, as opposed to hiring expensive outside consultants.
October 29, 2022
WireShark
- Has Saved us time
- Makes troubleshooting easier
- Easy to use
October 29, 2022
Exactly what we need for our business
- Helping resolve issues quickly
October 29, 2022
Wireshark is the industry standard tool - search no alternative.
- Increases SOC / Network team performance
- Troubleshooting takes less time
- Security investigations takes less time
October 29, 2022
Quick to deploy and powerfull for deep dive on network
- Found ongoing issues that could not be diagnosed by other means
- Given full view of what is going on in real time
October 29, 2022
The best packet analyzer to monitor the application traffic.
- Reduced the time on troubleshooting.
- Easy to debug the network cards
- Application monitoring
October 28, 2022
Wireshark...a must-have for an IT toolbox
- For us, Wireshark is free so no ROI. However, it's valuable enough that I would pay for it.
- Because it is free and easy to implement, it's a no-brainer to use.
July 27, 2021
Simple Easy Open Source Packet Analyzer
- It is Easy to Use and Setup is very Easy
- The data captured can be shared with different teams for further troubleshooting and working on a resolution to the issue.
- Easy to Analyze the data, create own filters with easy to use expressions.
July 27, 2021
Wireshark Is A Must Have for Network Admins
- Wireshark has allowed us to find the source of unusual/unexpected communications
- Wireshark has helped us find causes of poor performance
- Wireshark can tell us if there is potential malware trying to communicate to the outside world.
- Save Time Solving Network Issues In-House
- Prevented Potential Script and Software Issues
- Beefed Up Security at our Business by Analyzing Packets made by Rouge Software
July 27, 2021
Must have in any security professional's toolbox
- We have a great tool to provide confidence in our application purchases.
- We are able to inspect how our code is working when it is making network requests.
July 27, 2021
Wireshark, a network engineer's secret weapon
- Diagnosis and resolve complex network issues
- Reduce amount of time technician spends troubleshooting issue
- Reduced tech time results in more favorable billing to our clients
July 21, 2021
I haven't needed to look further than Wireshark
- time saving: detailed output allowed us to diagnose where the issue was
- I can't put a dollar amount on Wireshark's value or the ROI it has provided. Still, it has been an invaluable tool that has saved many, many hours of frustration when it comes to analyzing network traffic.
September 13, 2019
Powerful, Easy to use, Exactly what you need!
- It has helped identify hardware malfunction issues that were leading to network downtime.
- It has helped identify security issues on a network that helped in preventing an attack.
- It has helped me get an overview coming into a network with no documentation so I could streamline our documentation and make our support process more efficient.
September 05, 2019
A staple in the network troubleshooting toolbelt
- Packet Capture files can take lots of effort to sift through. Sometimes running multiple packet captures are required in order to catch the troubling behavior.
- Packet Captures are extremely in-depth and can be used in troubleshooting as well as teaching.
- Wireshark is a great way for network engineers to show the problem is elsewhere when the network is being blamed.
July 18, 2019
Wireshark the best friend for network engineers
- Wireshark is the most important tool for any network engineer like me to perform the daily work. One of the examples is to troubleshoot the network issues raised from customer complain, helps to narrow down the root cause the get the issue fixed.
July 02, 2019
Dissect your Network Packets with Wireshark!
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
- If your systems are not working, then of course it is one of the biggest impact on the business
- Imagine you are not able to send an email because of a network issue. This will definitely become a huge hindrance in your business
- Wireshark helps you with these types of problems and lets your business run smoothly
February 11, 2019
Wireshark is Solid :-)
- I am a student so I had no decision making process here and I was not part of the initial start-up.
September 25, 2018
Wireshark is free for those who like to snoop without limitations
- Wireshark continues to have a positive effect/impact on our business because we don't necessarily have to hire an outside consultant to read our captures.
- Wireshark, being free of charge, allows us to use a very advanced tool at no cost.
- All packet analysis tools are non-trivial to learn and to use. Wireshark is perhaps the simplest of all that I've seen. It is mostly intuitive and well-designed.