LinkSprinter vs NetAlly EtherScope nXG comparison

LinkSprinter and NetAlly EtherScope nXG are both solutions in the Network Diagnostics category. LinkSprinter is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.0, while NetAlly EtherScope nXG is ranked #3 with an average rating of 9.0. LinkSprinter holds a 9.1% mindshare in ND, compared to NetAlly EtherScope nXG’s 8.2% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of LinkSprinter users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of NetAlly EtherScope nXG users who would recommend it.

LinkSprinter

Read 3 LinkSprinter reviews

155 Views
55 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

NetAlly EtherScope nXG

Read 23 NetAlly EtherScope nXG reviews

157 Views
48 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

LinkSprinter

NetAlly EtherScope nXG

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 11, 2024

LinkSprinter and NetAlly EtherScope nXG are tools for network testing. NetAlly EtherScope nXG stands out due to its advanced features and extensive diagnostics, despite its higher price point.

Features: LinkSprinter offers ease of use, portability, and quick setup. NetAlly EtherScope nXG provides comprehensive diagnostics, detailed analytics, and extensive deployment options.

Room for Improvement: LinkSprinter could benefit from enhanced test capabilities, longer battery life, and feature expansion. NetAlly EtherScope nXG requires improvements in firmware updates, additional training resources, and optimization in support.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: LinkSprinter is recognized for quick setup and reliable customer service. NetAlly EtherScope nXG, while versatile in deployment, has mixed reviews on customer service responsiveness.

Pricing and ROI: LinkSprinter is competitive in pricing with quick ROI and appeals to budget-conscious buyers. NetAlly EtherScope nXG, though expensive, is considered a worthwhile investment due to its extensive capabilities, offering higher returns for users requiring advanced features.

To learn more, read our detailed LinkSprinter vs. NetAlly EtherScope nXG Report (Updated: March 2025).

Buyer's Guide

LinkSprinter vs. NetAlly EtherScope nXG

March 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 842,296 peers since 2012

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

LinkSprinter

Ranking in Network Diagnostics

4th

Ranking in Network Troubleshooting

5th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

NetAlly EtherScope nXG

Ranking in Network Diagnostics

3rd

Ranking in Network Troubleshooting

4th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Network Diagnostics category, the mindshare of LinkSprinter is 9.1%, up from 8.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NetAlly EtherScope nXG is 8.2%, up from 7.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Diagnostics

Featured Reviews

JamesStout

IT Director at JVS Consulting

A small, convenient tool that is very stable, but needs to have a longer battery life

They could make it easier to set up originally, because the initial setup can be quite hit and miss. It is also quite battery intensive, so it might last a bit longer if it had a lithium battery. You're always having to replace the batteries, so it would be good if it could be USB-charged or something like that.

Read full review

Doug Dickerson

Manager at Northwestern

Handheld form factor, intuitive interface that is easy to use, helps us quickly troubleshoot network problems

It would be helpful if this product interfaced with AirWave. The battery life should be improved. The real negative to the product is the horrible battery life. We had hoped for it to be able to deliver configurations to our network switches, and I think they're developing something for that. However, it doesn't do that now. We were hoping that we would, as we replace or refresh network components, be able to use this tool to push a config file to the switch. For example, the Aruba switches that we're deploying come with a Bluetooth function where we can push configs from our phones. It would be much more convenient to use this device, rather than using our personal cell phones to do it. I think that the capability is there, but it just hasn't been figured out yet.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The solution provides switch port and VLAN information."

"The tool fits in your pocket, so it's easy to carry and you don't have to have a big bag of tools."

"One of the key measurements that we use out of the device is the channel utilization measurement, how much traffic is on the air in a given channel. That's the most valuable feature for us. The ability to make a very fast measurement of how much traffic is on the air is a key value. Otherwise we'd have to do a packet capture and do some analysis. It speeds up our testing."

"The most valuable features are LANBERT, Discovery, and AirMapper. AirMapper is the best. Both Discovery and AirMapper are very easy to use because you can view all the problems on a single screen. If you quickly need more details about your network, then AirMapper is the best."

"Among those features that are important are the AutoTest to create a profile and then see that the network connection is in line with that profile. Also, the LANBERT test to have an idea about the quality of the cable. It is often the case that you have no reports on the cable infrastructure, so this test is also very valuable for us."

"The most valuable part is absolutely being able to assess existing WiFi networks quickly. You get very powerful details of networks, details that you couldn't see unless you had multiple pieces of software and hardware. This does it all in one thing."

"Being able to do a Wi-Fi walk-around survey with a handheld tool is one of the most valuable features of NetAlly EtherScope nXG."

"I like EtherScope's WiFi scanning, heat map, and load testing. It's an excellent tool that sets you straight, so you don't need to beat around the bush or wait for other people. It's easy to share the reports with other people."

"When it comes to that remote troubleshooting perspective of being able to survey an area to see if there are problems, make adjustments, and then have that same individual resurvey that same area, I don't have to send people to a week long class on how to use the device. I know I am getting consistent results, which can verify near real-time, and whether or not the changes that I have implemented solve the problem."

"The solution’s AirMapper Site Survey app is extremely easy to use. We give it to the technicians and send them out to go do that function. We hand it to the technician who goes onsite, then they take a photo of the overall area of a floor plan and are able to go do that site survey without almost any instruction from any engineer. So, it is very usable for beginner-type techs."

More NetAlly EtherScope nXG pros

Cons

"The solution should improve cable testing."

"They could make it easier to set up originally, because the initial setup can be quite hit and miss."

"NetAlly EtherScope nXG's reporting and table qualification could be improved."

"For my usage, I thought the training would be maybe an hour, but I ended up having to spend an additional four to eight hours just to make sure I could adequately translate the data. So, using the tool was not that difficult, but translating the data is where there is a breakdown in what you are demonstrated and what you can actually do."

"We have had to use a battery pack unit, bringing it with us, when we are doing long testing or a lot of testing. It is like a mini computer, so it does use a lot of battery life."

"The main area for improvement that stands out is the lack of a microburst dashboard, which some other vendors offer. However, NetAlly has carved out its niche by focusing on comprehensive network analysis up to layer seven, including automatic network mapping with tools like CyberScope. While there may be some features missing compared to competitors, NetAlly remains strong in its specialized market, providing robust solutions like EtherScope for detailed customer scans, despite being on the pricier side."

"AirMapper is very quick and easy once everything is on there, but I would like to see an improvement on how you get things on there. Currently, rather than being able to build up buildings or a site of things, every map is an individual piece. We should be able to set up an AirMapper survey easily and more effectively. At the moment, we just have separate floor plans. It'd be great to be able to build a building and tell where different floors are so that if it hears an AP on the floor below, it doesn't put two APs, one on that floor and one on the other floor, and it knows that there are two floors here. One is on top of the other, and it won't put the AP at both places. It would put it on one of the floors where it would be strongest. This would be one of the biggest improvements."

"The battery life could be better. There have been a couple of times that I used it and put it down, then I went to pick it up and the battery was dead. So, I need to take the power cord with me in order to continue using it."

"I use the NetAlly site and one of the things I don't like about the topology map, something I wish I could fix, is that the map kind of jiggles if you don't adjust any of the settings."

"If I could reset it remotely, meaning reboot the unit, that would be helpful. One time, the test would not respond; the script would lock up. I had to go and manually reboot it. If I could have sent a command to reboot and it would have automatically connected to the wireless, that would have made it perfect. That was the only thing that it did not do."

More NetAlly EtherScope nXG cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product is a little bit overpriced."

"You pay for the device, but you don't have to pay for the app."

"It is worth it. The cost benefit of Link-Live is massive because it is included with the cost of the device and the licensing. A lot of people miss that part of it. It is not just the device that you get but it is the ability to look at all of that data later on. You're not having to do all of that on the device. You can just be there, use the device, and then look at the data from the comfort of your office or home afterward."

"The pricing was a little bit high, but I understand that when you are getting multiple tools."

"For the average network shop, the cost is a bit high. In a lot of organizations, people don't share test devices between teams. Generally, you need a device for the network team and a device for the system team, the security team, etc. While the cost is a little on the high side, that is offset by the regular updates and continued improvements that NetAlly adds to the device. Those improvements continue to increase the perceived value of the device."

"If you're in the networking world, this product makes great sense very quickly, if you're going to use it more than a few times a week... If you are just looking at a handheld device unit for specific, wireless or wired testing and not much else, the cost may be a little more prohibitive than what you have in your budget."

"As a business owner, it was a high price. However, it was well worth it. We have gotten our money out of it and continue to get our money out of it. For the price and usability, it is definitely worth it. The Wi-Fi survey capabilities alone justifies the price. Having all the other tools in it really adds to that."

"NetAlly EtherScope nXG is priced too much and needs to come down by about 15 percent of its current price."

"It's very expensive. I wish I could buy a few more and give them to all the people who could use it, or perhaps send it to a client, given that some of its features are easy to use. But sending something worth $8,000 or $9,000 is nerve-racking. It would be nice that if it were a lot less expensive."

"We paid for the additional maintenance on it (for an extra year) to get that extra coverage. This was the first time that we had this solution in-house, and it was pretty pricey. So, we wanted to make sure that anything went wrong, then we could get it repaired."

More NetAlly EtherScope nXG pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Network Diagnostics solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

842,296 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Healthcare Company

18%

University

Computer Software Company

Government

10%

Healthcare Company

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about LinkSprinter?

The solution provides switch port and VLAN information.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for LinkSprinter?

The product is a little bit overpriced. It probably needs to be 10 to 20 percent cheaper.

See all answers

What needs improvement with LinkSprinter?

The solution should improve cable testing.

See all answers

What do you like most about NetAlly EtherScope nXG?

Being able to do a Wi-Fi walk-around survey with a handheld tool is one of the most valuable features of NetAlly EtherScope nXG.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for NetAlly EtherScope nXG?

In terms of pricing, EtherScope isn't cheap. It's a significant investment, and not a budget option.

See all answers

What needs improvement with NetAlly EtherScope nXG?

The main area for improvement that stands out is the lack of a microburst dashboard, which some other vendors offer. However, NetAlly has carved out its niche by focusing on comprehensive network a...

See all answers

Comparisons

LinkRunner vs LinkSprinter

Compared 67% of the time

Wireshark vs LinkSprinter

Compared 19% of the time

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Network Diagnostics

March 2025

Download LinkSprinter product report

Buyer's Guide

NetAlly EtherScope nXG

March 2025

Download NetAlly EtherScope nXG product report

Also Known As

No data available

EtherScope nXG, EtherScope, netAlly EtherScope, OptiView XG

Overview

The LinkSprinter Pocket Network Tester verifies the functionality of copper Ethernet links and identifies errors in less than 10 seconds. The tester reveals network connectivity status and port information while ensuring documentation for every link. The comprehensive AutoTester measures PoE voltage, performs a switch test, and confirms the DHCP server is running and responsive. The tester also verifies gateway/router, internal IP service, and cloud reachability. When paired with the secure Link-Live Cloud Service, the Network Tester automatically uploads results and allows annotation of results enabling job supervisors to easily manage the progress of deployment and troubleshooting tasks assigned to their team.

NetAlly

Multi-technology, all-in-one handheld network tester that enables engineers and technicians to get more done faster, from deployment to maintenance and documentation of their ever-changing Wi-Fi and Ethernet access networks.

The Etherscope nXG is the the industry’s first handheld analyzer for Wi-Fi 6/6E surveying (with AirMapper™ Site Survey), troubleshooting, and analysis.

NetAlly

Sample Customers

Cisco, Marriott, Sands Expo, Valparaiso University, Memorial Hermann Health Care System, Mount Sinai, Cox Enterprises, George Washington University, University of Iowa.

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

LinkSprinter vs. NetAlly EtherScope nXG

March 2025

Free Report: LinkSprinter vs. NetAlly EtherScope nXG

Find out what your peers are saying about LinkSprinter vs. NetAlly EtherScope nXG and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

842,296 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our LinkSprinter vs. NetAlly EtherScope nXG report.

See our list of best Network Diagnostics vendors and best Network Troubleshooting vendors.

We monitor all Network Diagnostics reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.