AirMagnet Survey vs Wireshark comparison

Read 63 Wireshark reviews

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98% willing to recommend

AirMagnet Survey

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 11, 2024

Wireshark is a network protocol analyzer, while AirMagnet Survey is a wireless site survey software. Wireshark has the upper hand in data analysis with strong community support, whereas AirMagnet Survey excels in wireless-specific features, appealing to users needing detailed Wi-Fi analysis.

Features: Wireshark offers robust packet capture and analysis, depth in protocol inspection, and versatility. AirMagnet Survey provides advanced Wi-Fi planning, validation capabilities, and heatmapping and interference analysis.

Room for Improvement: Wireshark users often cite a steep learning curve, a lack of wireless-specific tools, and a need for enhanced user interface. AirMagnet Survey requires user interface enhancements, addresses occasional stability issues, and improves cost-effectiveness for some users.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Wireshark is generally easy to deploy with solid documentation, supported by community-driven customer service. AirMagnet Survey requires more complex deployment but benefits from responsive professional support, valuable for enterprise environments.

Pricing and ROI: Wireshark, being open-source and free, offers a high ROI for budget-conscious users. AirMagnet Survey, while more expensive, provides value through advanced features and professional support, justifying the investment for specific wireless needs.

To learn more, read our detailed AirMagnet Survey vs. Wireshark Report (Updated: April 2025).

AirMagnet Survey vs. Wireshark

April 2025

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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

AirMagnet Survey

Ranking in Network Troubleshooting

8th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Modeling and Simulation (2nd)

Wireshark

Ranking in Network Troubleshooting

3rd

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Network Troubleshooting category, the mindshare of AirMagnet Survey is 6.3%, up from 5.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Wireshark is 13.2%, up from 12.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Troubleshooting

Featured Reviews

David Olofson

Manager at DD&P Services LLC

It fixes so many problems quickly that we don't regret spending more on high-end tools than most companies

It would be nice to have some more training resources for younger techs. We can use them if we need some assistance, but that usually requires one of us who knows what we're doing to calibrate the programs properly. There's one thing our nXG handhelds do that AirMagnet doesn't do out of the box. The nXG devices can analyze the wired and wireless networks simultaneously and map the networks out. We find it handy. However, if I have that plugged into our older OptiView XG tablets or our laptops, I have no way to analyze both the WiFi and the wired network at the same time and build a single picture with all that data. So far, that's something only our nXG handhelds can do. It would be nice if there were a way to integrate all the network discovery, troubleshooting, and mapping of the WiFi and the wired at the same time. There are almost no products that do that currently. If they managed to do that, they'd probably open up their market pretty quickly.

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Vijay Duggal

Network Specialist at Squarepoint Capital

Provides detailed traffic analysis and helps troubleshoot issues

There is a disadvantage when it comes to sampling intervals. While the solution supports sampling as fine as one millisecond, it requires a copy at that interval. My Python script allows me to achieve a granularity of up to ten microseconds, but I can't go beyond that. When dealing with provisioning on both issues, it would be beneficial if I could go down to the microsecond level, if not the nanosecond. Additionally, I've heard from a colleague that Wireshark might be less effective in the voice domain.

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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

"It allows us to prepare more real designs. Later, we validate them with actual surveys."

"The predictive survey is the most valuable feature. I use it quite often."

"Using the products to ensure the safety of our equipment that we have a lot invested in."

"The AirMagnet Survey allows you to see the list of APs in the live view. It only supports certain adapters, which can be limiting, but it's also beneficial because these adapters are more comparable to real-life devices like laptops. With Ekahau, Sidekick needs to be used for full features, but I find the Sidekick too strong, which can hamper results. Therefore, I prefer AirMagnet's approach because the adapters provide more realistic readings."

"Clear and easy to use maps."

"The heat maps are quite good, and some features are easy to use."

"I would like to rate the product as eight of ten."

"The most valuable feature is the predictive survey. The antennas' RF patterns are reflected correctly on the drawing when preparing predictive heat maps."

More AirMagnet Survey pros

"Wireshark is a good tool to start with network analyzing and packet capturing."

"The initial setup is simple."

"Wireshark's best features are that it lets us see what traffic is in the network and what data should be encrypted."

"The options that are required to get the details for the packet drops are good."

"It has a good syntax to put the commands in and get information out of."

"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 strongest feature of this solution, is the ability it gives us to carry out deep-packet inspections on our network, particularly when a function isn't performing as it should."

"Wireshark helps us to understand network traffic."

More Wireshark pros

Cons

"But it's definitely a more expensive solution than other ones."

"When you conduct an active survey and then want to use it for design work, it's actually not very useful."

"AirMagnet Survey needs to support Wi-Fi 6E otherwise they can lose to the competition. They also need to allow better grouping of SSIDs to one AP, removing the need to filter manually. At the moment, you can filter by channel or SSID, but grouping all those SSIDs together is a difficult task."

"It would be nice to have some more training resources for younger techs. We can use them if we need some assistance, but that usually requires one of us who knows what we're doing to calibrate the programs properly."

"The user interface needs a lot of improvement. The auto-placement of access points is not accurate."

"AirMagnet Survey doesn't cover certain devices in the system."

"The throughput should be more advanced in the future. They need to add more versions of WiFi than just one."

"Printouts are JPEG printouts. The AirMagnet software is proprietary. I can't send my customers a file, because it is AirMagnet file, even for building projects. I can only send JPEGs or screenshots of heat maps."

More AirMagnet Survey cons

"I would like to see Wireshark improve the ease of application of the command. The command is very powerful, but not easy to apply."

"It needs the ability to follow multiple interfaces for specific traffic from different network zones/virtual networks. It would help to understand how any packet is going through the network."

"I would like better control of bandwidth from the service provider."

"Its user interface was a little less friendly. They can make its user interface a little bit more friendly. It is for technical people, and most of the technical people would be able to figure it out, but it would be good to improve its user interface. They can maybe build artificial intelligence into it. Currently, it takes a lot of manpower to analyze and dissect all the data."

"Wireshark's UI isn't easy to handle and doesn't have as nice a view as Omnipeek."

"The product has been using the same GUI for many years."

"In the future, it would be nice to see color coding. It is just black and white."

"DNS could be improved."

More Wireshark cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"This product is very expensive."

"For technical support, you need an annual license, but it is not worth it."

"There is an annual cost of the solution. There are some additional charges, such as support and maintenance."

"The moment we began needing more of the vendor's support, the cost became very high; we switched to another solution."

"The tool's pricing is medium."

"The pricing needs improvement."

"The licensing of AirMagnet Survey is different when compared to Ekahu. It is a third of the cost of Ekahau but there are no dedicated laptops to the Sidekick. AirMagnet allows you to license an adapter and share that adapter."

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

"We are using a freeware version of this solution, so there are no licence costs involved."

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

"It is free to download and install. It runs on multiple platforms, so how can you go wrong?"

"Wireshark is free software, so you can download it and use it for free with no licensing fees."

"We're using the free version of Wireshark."

"The solution is open source so is free."

"It is free."

More Wireshark pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Educational Organization

Government

Manufacturing Company

University

11%

Computer Software Company

11%

Government

10%

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about AirMagnet Survey?

We use the solution for Wi-Fi and networks.

What needs improvement with AirMagnet Survey?

AirMagnet Survey needs to support Wi-Fi 6E otherwise they can lose to the competition. They also need to allow better grouping of SSIDs to one AP, removing the need to filter manually. At the momen...

What is your primary use case for AirMagnet Survey?

We use AirMagnet Survey, for site verifications after the wireless system has been installed. We conduct pre and post-install surveys with it. We have reduced the use since now our customers requir...

What do you like most about Wireshark?

The GUI is easy to use.

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.

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.

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Product Reports

Download AirMagnet Survey product report

AirMagnet Survey

April 2025

Download Wireshark product report

March 2025

Overview

AirMagnet Survey PRO enables network professionals to design, deploy, and validate Wi-Fi 6 networks for optimal performance, security, and compliance. It also calculates the ideal quantity, placement, and configuration of APs for a successful wireless LAN deployment. AirMagnet Survey PRO goes beyond simply verifying RF coverage by plotting actual end-user network performance in terms of connection speed, throughput, and packet statistics by allowing you to use any Wi-Fi adapter or AirMapper™ Site Survey on the AirCheck™ G2 and EtherScope® nXG. Survey PRO helps you get Wi-Fi installations right the first time, preventing costly rework and user complaints.

NetAlly

Wireshark is the world's foremost network protocol analyzer.

Sample Customers

Houston Methodist Hospital, Love's Travel Stops

Comversion, ADP, Talbots