Wireshark

Softonic review

Free and powerful network analyzer

Wireshark is a free and open-source packet sniffer that analyzes your network to highlight performance and security issues. The Windows program can analyze network traffic from Wireless, Ethernet, VLAN, and Bluetooth. As a standard protocol analyzer, the program offers its features for free to both businesses and individuals. Moreover, all of these functions aren’t limited to Windows. Wireshark for Mac is also available. 

What kind of tool is Wireshark?

Many vulnerabilities go unnoticed in a home or office network. However, security breaches can cause you to lose your clients, work, and personal details. When you capture packets and analyze them, you can understand the health and security status of your entire network. Consequently, packet sniffing is also something hackers use to find and exploit flaws in the network. 

Wireshark download is an open-source network protocol analyzer that gives you an edge over hackers. The software program works by capturing packets of a network. While the network can be from your home, office, or the internet, a packet is a data unit for an Ethernet or WiFi network. Once packets are captured, Wireshark analyzes each unit to highlight security breaches and other vulnerabilities. 

What is Wireshark used for?

As mentioned above, Wireshark is used to capture and analyze traffic. It does this with the help of all the latest features, functionalities, and protocols. In fact, according to the company, it is one of the most used network protocol analyzers in the world. And the great part is that the open-source software is available for free for both personal and commercial use. 

The easy-to-use Windows application lets users customize certain parts of the applications. This means that developers can perform analysis and tests on a range of network types, dissectors, and signatures. Moreover, all the information captured is easily savable on the platform, such that other applications using or analyzing network traffic have easy access to this data interpretation. 

Additionally, Wireshark for Windows comes with all the features that you would expect in another paid tool. If you wish to analyze your home network or want to provide your IT department with a powerful network analyzer, without making a purchase, Wireshark can be a good option. With its help, you can monitor all aspects of your network and fix any performance or security issues the program highlights. 

Organized interface

When you download Wireshark for Windows and launch it for the first time, you may find the interface to be a little old. However, once you get used to the application, you will find that it nicely packs all of the available features in an organized manner. That said, there are times when you will get a prompt to update the tool, and following the process may seem tedious. 

Nevertheless, the moment the program is active, it starts capturing data packets. It displays the traffic in frames, along with additional details about the source of the traffic, its destination, as well as the corresponding time for each. It also mentions the protocol that the data packet used, along with its size. You can see all detailed information on the panel towards the bottom. 

Impressive features

With multiple details at hand, you understand the entire route of any particular packet. However, with so much traffic coming in, you may find it essential to have some filters. This is why users can take advantage of filters provided by Wireshark, as well as a component called expressions. The former lets you include or exclude entries from your search, and configure the filter section so you can focus on specific information.

Available on the dashboard of Wireshark download, the Expressions bar lets you find desired results by comparing certain packets. With it, you can avoid the manual search you would have needed to go through different frames to find a particular entry. The program also lets you add colors to packets, so you can keep a track of them whenever you open Wireshark. 

Other than capturing network traffic and analyzing it to highlight any issues, Wireshark for Windows also provides users with detailed statistics that also include HTTP responses as well as requests. By clicking on the menu available in the statistics section, you can see a tree with hierarchical information that shows the traffic between two points or IP addresses and protocols. This information can also be reduced using filters. 

Additionally, when you install Wireshark, you will come across a section called Expert Information. This section is reserved to log all the issues found in your network. While all logs don’t necessarily mean trouble, they can be used to keep track of any anomaly that you come across. All in all, Wireshark and all its features are quite reliable and are backed by a community of users constantly updating the program.

Additional functionalities

With the help of Wireshark, you can explore your network live or from data saved from previous sessions. The application also provides users with VoIP Analysis and lets them use both Read or Write capture formats. Additionally, the software also supports encryption functionality, and all information can be exported to a local device in a CSV, XML, PostScript, or text document. Its capabilities aren’t limited to WiFi or Ethernet networks. You can use it to analyze network traffic of VLANs, USB, and Bluetooth devices. 

Is it illegal to use Wireshark?

No. Wireshark is legal to use. The program is supported by a community of experts who are constantly extending it to provide more features. However, it is illegal to use the program to monitor networks over which you have no authorization. 

Are there any alternatives?

With the help of Wireshark, you can easily dissect your network to find any faults or corrupt data packets. While the tool is popular, with Wireshark tutorials and blogs available all over the internet, it does have competition. If you would like to check out alternatives, you should explore Ethereal, Nessus, WinPcap, and Microsoft Network Monitor. 

Should I download Wireshark?

Whether you’re running an enterprise-level business or want to analyze your home network, you should download Wireshark. 

The program offers a range of useful features that can help you monitor and inspect all aspects of network traffic.