Since Wireshark is totally open source, there’s no solid support structure. What makes Wireshark unique is also what makes it kind of problematic. In contrast, the additional tools I recommend below make a good thing better. A lot of monitoring software falls short when it comes to scalability, but the folks over at Wireshark have managed to come up with a program that doesn’t need a whole bunch of extra add-ons to get the bare minimum of functionality. What is Wireshark used for? It’s designed for anyone who needs to monitor their network activity, from home users to enterprise IT teams. The free version you download of Wireshark is the full version-no demo versions with reduced functionality here. Wireshark is unique because it’s totally free and open source, making it not only one of the best packet analyzers out there, but also one of the most accessible. The interface is user-friendly and easy to use once you know the basics of capturing packets. This is great for users who want to generate statistics based on this data or change it into a handy graph. Once these packets are broken down, you can use them for real-time or offline analysis. Wireshark, formerly known as Ethereal, is a popular network analysis tool to capture network packets and display them at a granular level.

How to Use Wireshark to View Network Statisticsįinal Thoughts on Wireshark What Is Wireshark? How to Use Wireshark to Monitor Network Traffic How to Read Wireshark And Analyze Wireshark Capture Packets Hint: the secret to unlocking all the insights available from Wireshark is using it alongside a compatible network analysis tool, like my favorite, Network Performance Monitor. Throughout the tutorial, I’ll work in some frequently asked questions and shortcuts to make navigating this software a breeze.Īt the end of the tutorial, I’ll let you in on the secret to getting better data analysis from Wireshark. You’ll learn the ins and outs of analyzing packets, using filters, and turning the information you get into usable data. I’m going to cover this software from start to finish, all the way from downloading the application to accessing advanced features. This Wireshark tutorial will teach you everything you need to know about how to start using Wireshark to get the most out of your network.

Wireshark protocol filter example