Wireshark is a computer program that analyzes all aspects of the protocols UDP, TCP, ICMP, and IPX and that has been developed by and for professionals trying to meet the requirements of those who work with these solutions. Not only that, but this tool will also allow you to access all the important information that any file stored on your hard disk can provide.

It happens that the best solution we have for our connections to work as they should is often related to the analysis of the different data packages we use. This allows us to be sure that there are no problems with the network traffic, so you must take it into account if you are noticing lately that your connections are not working as they used to.

This network diagnostic tool stands out within its segment for being one of the ones that can offer us the greatest compatibility, considering that it has support for almost 500 completely different protocols between them. Besides that, you should consider that it will also allow you to work with data you obtained from a specific network session and those obtained from previous packets.

Speaking of the different formats supported by Wireshark, we have to highlight the tcpdump standard, thanks to which we can access a separate graphical interface that allows us to solve session errors TCP. And being an open-source system, this application adds several additional tools that make it more complete and, in some respects, more convenient than others.

Wireshark's control mechanism is extremely simple since all you have to do if you want to start or stop a data packet collection is to press Ctrl + E, thus recording each piece of information you are interested in. Each time you perform this combination, you will be storing new data.

As soon as you have closed the data collection, the program will show you all the crucial details to be considered. First of all, the IP address will appear together with the DNS. But also others will appear, such as the mentioned UDP, TCP, ICMP, and IPX. As not all similar programs show all this information from the beginning, here is one of its important advantages.

What if I don't have an Internet connection at some point during the day? Then don't worry, since you can capture data in real-time online and then leave all this information for offline analysis. This is another substantial difference between Wireshark and some similar online-only applications.

And don't forget that you can also improve your user experience by using a vital series of plugins offered by the program, which allow you to download only the additional functions you are interested in without overloading the system.

The different programs' interface is another feature we like to analyze separately. In the case of Wireshark in particular, we must say that although it is not too modern and, at times, looks too much like the default scanning system of Windows; it is sufficient for this type of task. We say even more: we prefer that the interface be as simple as possible for utilities like these, and this app's interface complies with that.

If we had to point out the main positive aspects of Wireshark, we would first have to talk about the fact that it allows us to analyze information in real-time and previously saved data. At the same time, its compatibility with many protocols is essential for any user. And if necessary, you will find many more details online to nourish yourself with this service.

And on the other hand, the only negative point we found in Wireshark in our experience of use is not an important one since we have already been developing it during the review. It is not a program suitable for users just getting started in this application, so the learning curve sometimes can become too high for an average user.

In any case, if you have any inconvenience or do not fully understand this service's functions, you should know that its developers put a good amount of tips and tricks at our disposal. This is from a complete manual you can find in the Help menu at the top of the screen.

Apart from this issue, which is almost inevitable when we talk about software designed for people with minimal knowledge of networks, we believe this application has no major aspects with which it does not comply. Therefore, if you are looking for a system that is not only free but also an open source that performs the tasks we have been pointing out above, you will find that Wireshark is one of the best of its kind.