Tech specs
Brand
NetAlly
Product Line
NetAlly LinkRunner
Model
G2
Manufacturer
NetAlly
Features
USB connectivity
Media
Copper, Fiber
Product Type
Network tester
Packaged Quantity
1
Cables
RJ-45 coupler, USB cable
Reviews
4.3/5
17 Total
Reviews by Ratings
52%
29%
11%
5%
0%
1-8 of 17 reviews
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By Nick Schornick -
November 27, 2022
Gives us all the tools in one small form factor and helps us with logging and diagnostic troubleshooting
What is our primary use case?
We do structured cabling and we use the LinkSprinter to do certified cable runs and for throughput testing through switches.
How has it helped my organization?
This simplifies the solutions that we offer by being able to have all the tools available in one small form factor that you can carry around just about anywhere. The LinkRunner has improved our IT functions due to the ease of use, portability of the unit, and its ability to do logging and diagnostic troubleshooting.
What is most valuable?
Among the features that I've found the most valuable with the G2 is that you can have your results uploaded to the cloud and have them emailed directly to you. That way you can look at the results later on during the day.
Having the results sent directly, via email, from the LinkRunner itself makes it really great for logging different things that you're trying to document within your organization. You can have a paper trail of what your organization has as far as infrastructure goes. Also, when we're trying to diagnose and troubleshoot issues further, outside of the site, we can have visual results of what we tested earlier during the day to help us figure out what's going on with the environment. The auto-saving of the information allows us to streamline our processes and save a bunch of time on troubleshooting and diagnostics.
The LinkRunner, as far as troubleshooting goes, provides very quick and useful diagnostic tools. If you're trying to connect to a switch, it tells you all the information at a moment's notice. It has definitely reduced troubleshooting time inside network cabinets and allows us to get our work done efficiently and effectively. The solution has made our IT staff more productive by saving us time within those IT closets and allowing us to get in and out of the scenarios and get the client back up and running.
Having a unit that can perform all the tasks needed makes the life of an IT professional easier. You have a simple device that is easy to use. The user interface is great, and it has all the streamlined power tools to make an IT professional great at whatever tasks they're trying to accomplish. The ease of use of the LinkRunner G2 means that any IT professional or beginner IT professional would be able to pick it up and use it, 100 percent, without any issues.
The speed in providing results is something that they have done very well with this product. I have no comments as to any ways they could improve it.
What needs improvement?
Being really nitpicky about the LinkRunner G2, I wish the form factor was a little bit smaller. However, I'm sure that the size of the unit is compromised by the fact that the battery is large. If that were to mean having less battery life, I would not change it.
For how long have I used the solution?
I am our market relationship manager and I have been using the LinkRunner G2 with LinkSprinter for about two and a half years now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have not noticed any issues with the stability of this product. Anytime there has been an update for the LinkRunner, we have always applied it, but we have never had any issues with the stability of the product or battery life.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is something I have not actually had to use with this product. It is a very straightforward product and requires little to no documentation to use or maintain.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before we used the LinkRunner we did use some Fluke solutions.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward. The most complicated step, which was not bad at all, was setting it up under a NetAlly account where you can receive your emails. Other than that, it was a straightforward process and it wasn't hard at all.
The only deployment and maintenance time that we have spent on the LinkRunner was the initial setup and time for charging of the unit. There is no other maintenance required.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
You get what you pay for whenever you're looking for a network troubleshooting tool. And if you're going to be using it to streamline your processes and cut down on time in the field, you need to choose a product that is going to be easy to use, simple, and something that you can rely on. NetAlly has that.
The cost of the LinkRunner is something that I can justify by it being a simple-to-use unit and something that allows us to perform our job functions quicker and more easily than we have ever done before. So the price is well worth it.
I have not incurred any costs using the NetAlly, other than the purchase of the unit.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did consider different companies but decided to go with NetAlly for the price and the bang for the buck.
What other advice do I have?
For others who may be interested in the LinkRunner product, you may not use all the features that you have on the LinkRunner units. However, technology is growing every day and you may use them in the future in your IT career.
The biggest lesson that I have learned is that these products are specialized for networking administrators and any IT professional. Not having it in the tool shed was a huge, grave mistake.
Disclaimer: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
What is our primary use case?
We do structured cabling and we use the LinkSprinter to do certified cable runs and for throughput testing through switches.
How has it helped my organization?
This simplifies the solutions that we offer by being able to have all the tools available in one small form factor that
Read more
Written by a user while visiting
PeerSpot
By Jesse_B -
November 21, 2022
Impressive ease of use, gives comprehensive results in seconds, and saves a lot of time and resources
What is our primary use case?
I have LinkRunner G2, and I use this product for testing and troubleshooting. I am able to test my network connections and cables and do general troubleshooting for network drops, network outlets, etc.
I do connectivity tests and cable verification, and I use it to do network link tests to check network drops and know whether it's alive or not alive, and if it is alive, which services are available. This tool does that quite well. It tells me if my link is alive, and not just that, if it is a switch, I get the model information of the switch and whether PoE is being delivered on the switch or the wire. I get the DNS server, and I get the IP address. It also checks if there is internet access on that line. If there's a VLAN, it gives me the VLAN number. It does quite a lot of tests in a very quick time. It saves me a lot of time. I don't have to run around and troubleshoot one thing after another.
How has it helped my organization?
It's very useful to me. Normally, I have to send a network specialist onto a site to do network tests because it requires a certain amount of expertise to log into a switch and check the services and VLAN information. Now, with this tool, I can send a technician who's already on site and already available, and that technician can simply plug this in and run the tests that are pre-configured on this device. The technician would have a lot of information to work with and know exactly where the problem is, what services are available, and whether the internet is there or not. If it's not there, the technician can give me the IP address that he or she is getting, and I can figure out what I need to do on my end without having to send a network specialist. This has saved me a lot of time. In the healthcare industry, in which work, time is of the essence. Hospitals need to be up and running, and I don't always have a network specialist available because it's a scarce resource, but I always have technicians. It allows me to respond quickly. It has reduced the time to troubleshoot a problem and resolve an issue. I no longer need to send a specialist out. Technicians can get the needed information without having to log into a switch or do any complex work that they are not familiar with.
It's an excellent testing tool for conducting network testing on copper and fiber, and what makes it excellent is the time it takes. It's a lot faster than other tools that I've used. It gives me a very reliable response, and it gives me various parameters for my test, such as the length of the cable, a wire map, etc. There is a colored screen, and it's very easy to read, which makes it very easy to work with. As opposed to some of the tools I've used that just give you a beep or two beeps, it gives me a lot more information which makes it easy to detect exactly where the problem is or how far along a line there may be a problem. That makes it very useful and an excellent tool to work with.
With Link-Live, as soon as I run a test, that test is uploaded to my account online. I don't have to save it, download it, or copy it. It doesn't get lost. So, I can go online and see all the tests that my technicians have run. I can have those tests assigned to a site, so remotely, I know what are the conditions of my sites, how reliable my networks are, and where improvements are needed. It stores all of my results, and those test results are online and available to me whenever I need them. It gives me a rich history, and it helps me to detect trends on my networks and where I need to do extra work. This historical reporting and being able to instantly access reports online is very helpful.
I use LinkRunner's AutoTest feature. It simplifies all the testing because just one click does it all. I hit that button, and it runs a series of tests in one go, without me having to interact with it. I just get my results, and I can get to the bottom of my testing. AutoTest gives me a bunch of results. It gives me very useful information. It tells me whether my link is alive; it tells me the speed I'm getting, whether it's a hundred megabits or one gigabit per second. For a switch, it tells me what port I'm on and what's the model of that switch. It tells me if I got an IP address. It tells me what my IP address is and which DNS server gave me that IP address. It tells me if I have internet service on that link, and if I'm doing PoE, it tells me if I have Power over Ethernet available on that link. It also tells me if there's a VLAN that I'm using and what's that VLAN number. There is a very rich test set that is produced by LinkRunner, and this information is very important to me in troubleshooting. Normally, I have to run a series of different tests to try to locate what the problem is. I have to run one test and then do another test, and another test. With LinkRunner, I can certify that the network connections I give to my clients have all the services they need. It also tells me how my network is configured. It helps me to provide reliable connectivity and also benchmark my network performance.
It's the fastest tool I've used. LinkRunner gives results in seconds, and it does that reliably. It gives me reliable results every time. Something that would normally take me an hour is done in less than a minute. That is very important for me because I'm in the healthcare industry, and time is very critical when I need to provide service to my healthcare professionals.
The technical capabilities of LinkRunner have allowed me to respond to problems a lot quicker. My resolution time has been reduced by 80% in some cases. Normally, I have to get a technician to go out, and on realizing there's a problem on the line, the technician would go to the help desk and report it and ask for a network specialist. I then have to get a network specialist, if he's available, and send him out to the site. He will then run a series of tests, log in to a switch, get to the switch room, and then do another test to find out what's the VLAN and if there's internet access. Now, I can have that technician who reported the problem just use LinkRunner to run one AutoTest, and that AutoTest tells my technician exactly what services are available and not available. If I need to do a fix, I have all the information I need to do that fix, and that could be done remotely because that technician can tell me what VLAN he's on, which switch he is connected to, and which port he is connected to without having to visit the switch room or comms room. In a nutshell, it has allowed me to reduce my ticket time by 80%.
It's very important that test results are automatically saved to NetAlly’s free Link-Live Cloud Service. I no longer have to rely on tests being saved by my technicians. Sometimes, test results are lost inadvertently, and then I have to revisit a site and retest. Being able to go online and get those results in real time and have them saved and compiled by LinkRunner's Link-Live service has been very valuable to me in building out my documentation for my sites. It has also been helpful in building out my documentation on trends on what has been my network performance. I can now look at my network performance and determine where I need to have improvements made. I can now save on my budgets, and I can now assign resources as I need to because LinkRunner gives me the ability to look at historical reports and have them all together in one piece in real-time.
The automatic uploading of test results saves me time. Normally, I have to wait until a test is done. Sometimes, the test is done on multiple floors of a building, and I have to wait till all those tests are done and my technician gets his or her computer, connects the device, and then uploads those test results to me. That could take hours. Now, with LinkRunner, with wireless connectivity, I can have those tests uploaded as soon as they are run. It means I can have the information I need almost immediately. I can now respond a lot quicker, which is very valuable to me.
It has made my network staff a lot more productive. My network staff spends less time troubleshooting little issues that could be fixed by a technician. My network staff has to work with fewer tools to fix a problem because LinkRunner does everything I need in one click. They no longer have to move up and down from a network drop up to a switch room, connect, and then go back down. They no longer have to work with a bunch of cables. They can just plug LinkRunner in and get the information needed, which is uploaded to Link-Live where I can view it, and my other technicians can view it. We can collaborate on results, and we can collaborate on ideas to fix a problem because that information is uploaded immediately and is available live to the entire team. It saves a lot of time, and it has improved my team's performance. They're very happy with it. In fact, I'm ordering more devices now because it saves a lot of time of my team from having to go back and forth. My site visits have decreased.
What is most valuable?
I've found the VLAN test feature to be most valuable. That's because not many devices do VLAN tests. Normally, I have to send a center technician to check a line and see if it's alive. If it's working, then I have to send a network technician out to log into a switch and see which port it's on and on which VLAN that port is. That's two persons and two separate visits. This device does all of this in a matter of seconds, and that has saved me a lot of time, troubleshooting, and resources.
Its ease of use is very impressive. LinkRunner allows me to have my technicians run tests that are normally too complex and require a network specialist. AutoTest works with just one click. AutoTest does a lot of testing that would normally require a network specialist to log in to a switch and check out VLAN based on a ...
Disclaimer: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
What is our primary use case?
I have LinkRunner G2, and I use this product for testing and troubleshooting. I am able to test my network connections and cables and do general troubleshooting for network drops, network outlets, etc.
I do connectivity tests and cable verification, and I use it to do network lin
Read more
Written by a user while visiting
PeerSpot
By reviewer2005659 -
October 27, 2022
Substandard battery life makes unit unreliable, but it has reduced our troubleshooting time
What is our primary use case?
I work for one of the biggest port operators in the United Kingdom. I'm a network analyst/engineer, and I use the LinkRunner on a daily basis to check network connectivity from areas around where I work or from the switches in the LAN room, whether it's to check VLAN info to determine if the port is live, or end-to-end testing of the cables.
How has it helped my organization?
The end-to-end testing of cables [is a benefit] when you're working on a campus-wide network and you want to detect if there's a fault. If you're working on the OSI layers, and you're starting right down at the bottom on the physical layer, it can rule out if there's an issue with that quite fast, and save a lot of time being wasted trying to troubleshoot things with IP addresses et cetera, when it's detected a problem with the cables being crossed or unterminated.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the end-to-end testing with the "dart," as they call it, where you can test for faults in the cable or if they've been terminated properly.
Its ability to simplify network validation and configuration of copper and fiber Ethernet networks is good. The checking of the termination on copper is good. I haven't used it much for fiber, to be honest, but I use it to locate physical problems with a cable. It's very good because it also gives you the distance, which wires are crossed, and which ones are damaged.
Troubleshooting with it is also good, with physical faults on a cable. It is good as well for VLAN information and IP information.
The AutoTest feature is the one I use the most. It will provide me with the VLAN that's being presented, the switch hostname. It didn't use to provide the actual port number, which sometimes is imperative if you're trying to troubleshoot something. It will do an IP test, so it will tell you the default gateway address and the IP address it's getting. And it will do a few tests where it goes out to Google, so you can see if it can get to the actual outside public network. And that all gets uploaded to the portal, which you can access through a PC when you get back to your main office.
That Auto Test information is essential because I go to a lot of remote sites. You want to leave knowing that all that info, the comprehensive information, is uploaded back to the portal. You don't want to get back and find there are bits missing.
The fact that results are automatically saved to NetAlly's Link-Live cloud service is very important because if there are a few of us with LinkRunners, and we're assessing the network connectivity at different areas within the campus, we can have them all uploaded and it's all stored centrally. And we can access other people's results as well. Definitely [it's important] instead of trying to get that info at a later date, it's all there within minutes. The automatic uploading of test results definitely saves time and helps with the management of test results.
It's reduced troubleshooting time by about 20 percent because of the features I've mentioned [like] the centrally uploaded data, and because of the scope of things, it can look into like DHCP, IP connectivity, VLANs being presented, and physical issues on a port.
What needs improvement?
Where it does fall short, though, is getting the port numbers off the switch.
Also, for ad hoc additions, moves, and changes of wired connections, it was a bit hard to pick up at first because it's not straightforward how to label each test you are doing on it. There is a section on there where you can add notes to each test, which I discovered later. Having said that, once you get your head around that, it is good.
It's quite easy to use but the interface for the web portal could be made easier.
Also, the battery life is not very good on a LinkRunner G2 at all.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used it for the last five or six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Performance-wise it is good, apart from the battery. The battery indicator icon might say there's a third of a battery-full on there, but then you do an AutoTest, it looks good, you're trying to upload it, and bang, it disappears.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is limited because of the battery life. And in fact, at Networkshop in 2017, I spoke to a LinkRunner member of staff and I explained the issue with the battery. They said that I needed to buy a better LinkRunner, a more advanced model, which I thought was a bit strange because even after having it for a few weeks, the battery would just die on you.
I don't use it extensively. There are a lot of features on it that I don't use, like the web browser. I usually just use the port testing, the AutoTest, and the dart with the end-to-end cable testing. I'm satisfied with the way things are.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
The company decided to go with LinkRunner's NETSCOUT, as opposed to Fluke, for some reason. It might have been the price. I don't know because I'm not involved with the purchase of them.
How was the initial setup?
Setup of the LinkRunner G2 is quite straightforward and it's also straightforward if you have one transferred over to you from another department, or another user leaves and you take that on. It was just [a matter of] taking the device off that name and putting it under your own. You got a code sent through and then it was just a case of putting your email address in and then accessing the portal again.
It takes half an hour, if that.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
LinkRunner G2 has made our networking staff more productive, but we were using Flukes before that and Flukes had higher battery life. I'd be lying if I didn't say that hasn't caused issues.
What other advice do I have?
Once it's on, it's fast at providing results, but it does take a while to power up and get established.
Make sure you learn how to put notes onto each AutoTest you do so that you can decipher what's what when they're in the uploaded portal. And also keep an eye on the battery as soon as you get it, and if it starts failing, contact their support. I feel that the battery on mine, and on others in the workplace, was substandard.
I give it a five out of 10. If it weren't for the battery, it would probably get a 10 out of 10. But because of the battery, it's infuriating and it's not reliable.
Disclaimer: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
What is our primary use case?
I work for one of the biggest port operators in the United Kingdom. I'm a network analyst/engineer, and I use the LinkRunner on a daily basis to check network connectivity from areas around where I work or from the switches in the LAN room, whether it's to check VLAN info to deter
Read more
Written by a user while visiting
PeerSpot
By reviewer2005659 -
October 27, 2022
Substandard battery life makes unit unreliable, but it has reduced our troubleshooting time
What is our primary use case?
I work for one of the biggest port operators in the United Kingdom. I'm a network analyst/engineer, and I use the LinkRunner on a daily basis to check network connectivity from areas around where I work or from the switches in the LAN room, whether it's to check VLAN info to determine if the port is live, or end-to-end testing of the cables.
How has it helped my organization?
The end-to-end testing of cables [is a benefit] when you're working on a campus-wide network and you want to detect if there's a fault. If you're working on the OSI layers, and you're starting right down at the bottom on the physical layer, it can rule out if there's an issue with that quite fast, and save a lot of time being wasted trying to troubleshoot things with IP addresses et cetera, when it's detected a problem with the cables being crossed or unterminated.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the end-to-end testing with the "dart," as they call it, where you can test for faults in the cable or if they've been terminated properly.
Its ability to simplify network validation and configuration of copper and fiber Ethernet networks is good. The checking of the termination on copper is good. I haven't used it much for fiber, to be honest, but I use it to locate physical problems with a cable. It's very good because it also gives you the distance, which wires are crossed, and which ones are damaged.
Troubleshooting with it is also good, with physical faults on a cable. It is good as well for VLAN information and IP information.
The AutoTest feature is the one I use the most. It will provide me with the VLAN that's being presented, the switch hostname. It didn't use to provide the actual port number, which sometimes is imperative if you're trying to troubleshoot something. It will do an IP test, so it will tell you the default gateway address and the IP address it's getting. And it will do a few tests where it goes out to Google, so you can see if it can get to the actual outside public network. And that all gets uploaded to the portal, which you can access through a PC when you get back to your main office.
That Auto Test information is essential because I go to a lot of remote sites. You want to leave knowing that all that info, the comprehensive information, is uploaded back to the portal. You don't want to get back and find there are bits missing.
The fact that results are automatically saved to NetAlly's Link-Live cloud service is very important because if there are a few of us with LinkRunners, and we're assessing the network connectivity at different areas within the campus, we can have them all uploaded and it's all stored centrally. And we can access other people's results as well. Definitely [it's important] instead of trying to get that info at a later date, it's all there within minutes. The automatic uploading of test results definitely saves time and helps with the management of test results.
It's reduced troubleshooting time by about 20 percent because of the features I've mentioned [like] the centrally uploaded data, and because of the scope of things, it can look into like DHCP, IP connectivity, VLANs being presented, and physical issues on a port.
What needs improvement?
Where it does fall short, though, is getting the port numbers off the switch.
Also, for ad hoc additions, moves, and changes of wired connections, it was a bit hard to pick up at first because it's not straightforward how to label each test you are doing on it. There is a section on there where you can add notes to each test, which I discovered later. Having said that, once you get your head around that, it is good.
It's quite easy to use but the interface for the web portal could be made easier.
Also, the battery life is not very good on a LinkRunner G2 at all.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used it for the last five or six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Performance-wise it is good, apart from the battery. The battery indicator icon might say there's a third of a battery-full on there, but then you do an AutoTest, it looks good, you're trying to upload it, and bang, it disappears.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is limited because of the battery life. And in fact, at Networkshop in 2017, I spoke to a LinkRunner member of staff and I explained the issue with the battery. They said that I needed to buy a better LinkRunner, a more advanced model, which I thought was a bit strange because even after having it for a few weeks, the battery would just die on you.
I don't use it extensively. There are a lot of features on it that I don't use, like the web browser. I usually just use the port testing, the AutoTest, and the dart with the end-to-end cable testing. I'm satisfied with the way things are.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
The company decided to go with LinkRunner's NETSCOUT, as opposed to Fluke, for some reason. It might have been the price. I don't know because I'm not involved with the purchase of them.
How was the initial setup?
Setup of the LinkRunner G2 is quite straightforward and it's also straightforward if you have one transferred over to you from another department, or another user leaves and you take that on. It was just [a matter of] taking the device off that name and putting it under your own. You got a code sent through and then it was just a case of putting your email address in and then accessing the portal again.
It takes half an hour, if that.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
LinkRunner G2 has made our networking staff more productive, but we were using Flukes before that and Flukes had higher battery life. I'd be lying if I didn't say that hasn't caused issues.
What other advice do I have?
Once it's on, it's fast at providing results, but it does take a while to power up and get established.
Make sure you learn how to put notes onto each AutoTest you do so that you can decipher what's what when they're in the uploaded portal. And also keep an eye on the battery as soon as you get it, and if it starts failing, contact their support. I feel that the battery on mine, and on others in the workplace, was substandard.
I give it a four out of 10. If it weren't for the battery, it would probably get an eight out of 10. But because of the battery, it's infuriating and it's not reliable.
Disclaimer: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
What is our primary use case?
I work for one of the biggest port operators in the United Kingdom. I'm a network analyst/engineer, and I use the LinkRunner on a daily basis to check network connectivity from areas around where I work or from the switches in the LAN room, whether it's to check VLAN info to deter
Read more
Written by a user while visiting
PeerSpot
By Robin Puliparambil -
August 15, 2022
Validates solutions in new deployment testing environments and helps us prove to clients that we're delivering what they're looking for
What is our primary use case?
I use LinkRunner for new deployment testing environments to validate solutions and to prove to us and our clients that we're delivering what they're looking for. LinkRunner provides us with all the relevant information we need, test results, and validates everything that we've done.
The tools are shared across our team, which is about eight people.
How has it helped my organization?
The number of bulk test tools that we carried is reduced from three bags to one tiny bag. That's an improvement. We manage only one or two devices in theory versus 10 different pieces of test equipment for 10 different results and variables. It's helped our company a lot.
LinkRunner generates a report that summarizes everything, so we don't have to pull all the results from different tests, put it together, make sense of it, and then talk to the client about it. We can customize a single report with a company's value-adds, which saves a lot of time.
NetAlly's free Link-Live Cloud Service is a highlight of our use case, especially because most of the other tools that we use don't have a cloud platform. It allows us to save test results. We've had situations where a client requested to see those test results because we didn't provide them originally. It was definitely a face-saving stage because we were able to pull the report easily from the cloud platform.
The solution's ability to simplify network validation and configuration of copper and fiber Ethernet networks is absolutely brilliant. It would have taken us an hour to run those tests on individual test tools with a dedicated toolkit. LinkRunner has one tool to achieve all this, so we can do everything within 10-15 minutes for the same amount of tests. There has been a huge time reduction. Running tests multiple times across different individual pieces of the network reduces time as well.
It helps us streamline workflows. There are specific tools for test reasons or validations, so if we did this with any other tool, we would've spent many hours doing individual tests. Because we're doing it in one go with LinkRunner, we save a lot of time. We have a one-panel view, which allows us to see everything, cleanly summarizes it, and points out where the problems are. It's highly relevant and highly useful, especially for a network engineer.
We use LinkRunner's AutoTest feature a lot. The AutoTest feature shows us the connectivity status. It picks up the DHCP IP. It saves us a lot of time because we don't have to manually configure things.
The AutoTest feature on its own is just a part of the puzzle. It's one piece that allows us to make sure we have physical connectivity. It's more time-saving than anything else. The AutoTest feature alone doesn't meet all of our needs, but together with the AutoTest performances, iPerf, etc., it works very well.
LinkRunner is easy to use and saves a lot of time. It's programmed so that all the usual tasks are automated, which means we don't have to select variables, values, etc.
LinkRunner's speed in providing results is very good.
The solution automatically uploads test results to Link-Live Cloud Service, which definitely saves us time. The only downside is that we have to manually select "Upload It." I wish that piece was automated more than anything else, including graphs. I couldn't find that feature, but it's been pretty straightforward to use other than that.
The solution has definitely reduced troubleshooting time. About 70% of our time and effort has been reduced.
Our networking staff is more productive because of this solution. They have time to focus on other things.
What is most valuable?
Performance testing is the most valuable feature. It gives a brief summary of the information we're looking at, such as latency, jitter, and the available throughput.
What needs improvement?
I wish they had software that could create continuous streams of traffic. I'm not sure if that's possible with LinkRunner, but it would be very helpful in some of the test case scenarios that clients are looking for, in regards to the quality of service.
I would like to see automated cloud updates so we can automatically upload test results instead of manually doing it.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for less than a year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We haven't had any issues with stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is questionable, but I'm open to being corrected on that. Right now, we're starting to see 25 Gig and 50 Gig throughputs, and even 100 or 400 Gig throughputs. It would be nice to see testing tools that can do 400 Gigs. 400 Gigs might be pushing it, but I would like to see at least 100 Gigs because that's slowly becoming the norm.
How are customer service and support?
I haven't needed to contact technical support.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used various tools and applications to replicate what we were doing. They were all Linux-based tools or specific cable test-run tools. We put them all aside thanks to LinkRunner.
How was the initial setup?
I had to make one call to the partner, but everything else was straightforward. It took less than ten minutes to get the solution up and running. After that, we took it out to client sites and used it for different testing results, AutoTest performances, etc., over a period of days.
The solution hardly requires any maintenance. The firmware updates come from the cloud platform.
What was our ROI?
We have absolutely seen ROI with the time and effort that our engineers are saving.
For one of our projects, we had to do tests on every single individual network device. Doing that without LinkRunner would have taken at least five times the effort. LinkRunner immediately saved us that time by one-fifth.
We have also saved time because the information is consolidated into a report. The cloud solution formats it into a graph. It's presentable and easily extracted. We got a lot of time back, which we could use for other projects.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It was difficult to sell this to my management because the price is really high compared to other testing tools. However, we've seen a pretty good return on investment considering our outcomes and the time we have saved. The first year has been great.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We approached a lot of vendors in regard to various solutions. We were trying to get a 10 Gig capacity throughput because it was a requirement that the client absolutely wanted to test. Not many solutions delivered that.
We also wanted summarized and collated information instead of needing to use ten different tools to achieve the same result. LinkRunner meets all of those needs.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution eight out of ten.
It's not a ten because of the scalability piece. If I wanted to step it up with other interface levels, the scalability would be limited. I would like to see the addition of a couple of simple tests and a traffic generator feature.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclaimer: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
What is our primary use case?
I use LinkRunner for new deployment testing environments to validate solutions and to prove to us and our clients that we're delivering what they're looking for. LinkRunner provides us with all the relevant information we need, test results, and validates everything that we've don
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PeerSpot
By Robin Puliparambil -
August 15, 2022
Validates solutions in new deployment testing environments and helps us prove to clients that we're delivering what they're looking for
What is our primary use case?
I use LinkRunner for new deployment testing environments to validate solutions and to prove to us and our clients that we're delivering what they're looking for. LinkRunner provides us with all the relevant information we need, test results, and validates everything that we've done.
The tools are shared across our team, which is about eight people.
How has it helped my organization?
The number of bulk test tools that we carried is reduced from three bags to one tiny bag. That's an improvement. We manage only one or two devices in theory versus 10 different pieces of test equipment for 10 different results and variables. It's helped our company a lot.
LinkRunner generates a report that summarizes everything, so we don't have to pull all the results from different tests, put it together, make sense of it, and then talk to the client about it. We can customize a single report with a company's value-adds, which saves a lot of time.
NetAlly's free Link-Live Cloud Service is a highlight of our use case, especially because most of the other tools that we use don't have a cloud platform. It allows us to save test results. We've had situations where a client requested to see those test results because we didn't provide them originally. It was definitely a face-saving stage because we were able to pull the report easily from the cloud platform.
The solution's ability to simplify network validation and configuration of copper and fiber Ethernet networks is absolutely brilliant. It would have taken us an hour to run those tests on individual test tools with a dedicated toolkit. LinkRunner has one tool to achieve all this, so we can do everything within 10-15 minutes for the same amount of tests. There has been a huge time reduction. Running tests multiple times across different individual pieces of the network reduces time as well.
It helps us streamline workflows. There are specific tools for test reasons or validations, so if we did this with any other tool, we would've spent many hours doing individual tests. Because we're doing it in one go with LinkRunner, we save a lot of time. We have a one-panel view, which allows us to see everything, cleanly summarizes it, and points out where the problems are. It's highly relevant and highly useful, especially for a network engineer.
We use LinkRunner's AutoTest feature a lot. The AutoTest feature shows us the connectivity status. It picks up the DHCP IP. It saves us a lot of time because we don't have to manually configure things.
The AutoTest feature on its own is just a part of the puzzle. It's one piece that allows us to make sure we have physical connectivity. It's more time-saving than anything else. The AutoTest feature alone doesn't meet all of our needs, but together with the AutoTest performances, iPerf, etc., it works very well.
LinkRunner is easy to use and saves a lot of time. It's programmed so that all the usual tasks are automated, which means we don't have to select variables, values, etc.
LinkRunner's speed in providing results is very good.
The solution automatically uploads test results to Link-Live Cloud Service, which definitely saves us time. The only downside is that we have to manually select "Upload It." I wish that piece was automated more than anything else, including graphs. I couldn't find that feature, but it's been pretty straightforward to use other than that.
The solution has definitely reduced troubleshooting time. About 70% of our time and effort has been reduced.
Our networking staff is more productive because of this solution. They have time to focus on other things.
What is most valuable?
Performance testing is the most valuable feature. It gives a brief summary of the information we're looking at, such as latency, jitter, and the available throughput.
What needs improvement?
I wish they had software that could create continuous streams of traffic. I'm not sure if that's possible with LinkRunner, but it would be very helpful in some of the test case scenarios that clients are looking for, in regards to the quality of service.
I would like to see automated cloud updates so we can automatically upload test results instead of manually doing it.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for less than a year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We haven't had any issues with stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is questionable, but I'm open to being corrected on that. Right now, we're starting to see 25 Gig and 50 Gig throughputs, and even 100 or 400 Gig throughputs. It would be nice to see testing tools that can do 400 Gigs. 400 Gigs might be pushing it, but I would like to see at least 100 Gigs because that's slowly becoming the norm.
How are customer service and support?
I haven't needed to contact technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used various tools and applications to replicate what we were doing. They were all Linux-based tools or specific cable test-run tools. We put them all aside thanks to LinkRunner.
How was the initial setup?
I had to make one call to the partner, but everything else was straightforward. It took less than ten minutes to get the solution up and running. After that, we took it out to client sites and used it for different testing results, AutoTest performances, etc., over a period of days.
The solution hardly requires any maintenance. The firmware updates come from the cloud platform.
What was our ROI?
We have absolutely seen ROI with the time and effort that our engineers are saving.
For one of our projects, we had to do tests on every single individual network device. Doing that without LinkRunner would have taken at least five times the effort. LinkRunner immediately saved us that time by one-fifth.
We have also saved time because the information is consolidated into a report. The cloud solution formats it into a graph. It's presentable and easily extracted. We got a lot of time back, which we could use for other projects.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It was difficult to sell this to my management because the price is really high compared to other testing tools. However, we've seen a pretty good return on investment considering our outcomes and the time we have saved. The first year has been great.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We approached a lot of vendors in regard to various solutions. We were trying to get a 10 Gig capacity throughput because it was a requirement that the client absolutely wanted to test. Not many solutions delivered that.
We also wanted summarized and collated information instead of needing to use ten different tools to achieve the same result. LinkRunner meets all of those needs.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution eight out of ten.
It's not a ten because of the scalability piece. If I wanted to step it up with other interface levels, the scalability would be limited. I would like to see the addition of a couple of simple tests and a traffic generator feature.
Disclaimer: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
What is our primary use case?
I use LinkRunner for new deployment testing environments to validate solutions and to prove to us and our clients that we're delivering what they're looking for. LinkRunner provides us with all the relevant information we need, test results, and validates everything that we've don
Read more
Written by a user while visiting
PeerSpot
By reviewer1901049 -
July 26, 2022
Drastically reduces the time and effort and is extremely handy, but takes time to boot up and goes to sleep after a few minutes during cable toning
What is our primary use case?
We have a lot of the normal LinkRunners, and we have the 10Gig ones called LinkRunner 10G Professional Kit that we use to determine connectivity for plug-and-play. We use the Cisco DNA Center. So, the polarity needs to be right and the link needs to be up. We usually test it with LinkRunner, and then we bring the switch up, and it automatically discovers it.
How has it helped my organization?
It provides a way to test 10Gig connectivity. Previously, we had to hook up a switch. That was our only way. Now, with LinkRunner, we can test on the fly if an SFP is bad or if the switch has the right configuration on it.
It makes the network validation and configuration of copper and fiber Ethernet networks drastically easier. It definitely cuts down a lot of time. We can also use the old LinkRunners, but the 10Gig one definitely cuts down a lot of time to verify VLANs and connectivity and do a cable test.
We use it all the time. It is one tool that you can bring with you that will most likely do whatever you need. If you need to tone a cable that's not plugged in, it'll tone it. Once you find it, if you need to know when the switchboard is on, it will do that for you. It will tell you the VLAN it is on. We use it to briefly test and make sure a cable is getting a 1 Gbps link, and it is not a 100 Mbps or half duplex or anything like that. We even use it for labeling to tone out ports. It is definitely the only tool you would need to do most of what you can do. Some of the tools do it better, but for the all-in-one, we have definitely found nothing that comes close to it.
We use the AutoTest feature the most. That's the one that lets you know whether a VLAN doesn't have an IP address at a gateway. We use that feature all the time. A computer would only get you half of that information. You could get the IP address and the gateway, and that's about it. You would still need some other way to get the switch information. You'd have to go on the switch and trace down the switch to get that. So, having just one central point to grab everything really cuts down on time.
We have a lot of key members who use it. We have a lot of VLANs throughout our network, and usually, we have issues such as the port not being on the VLAN on which the client needs it. With the LinkRunner AutoTest, in about five seconds, we can get the information about the port, what VLAN it is on now, and what VLAN it should be on. It can be done in seconds, whereas previously, you'd have to rely on documentation or look for the MAC address, but this makes it insanely faster.
It has absolutely reduced our troubleshooting time. The amount of information that you can quickly grab with this device is amazing. It has saved two to three hours a day on average.
It has made our networking staff more productive. It takes less time to get the simple information, and you can move on to other things. It definitely impacts our staff's productivity.
What is most valuable?
It is really easy to use. We have a bunch of new people, and it has been very simple. We've never had any problems or confusion using it. It is very well laid out.
It is hugely helpful for troubleshooting. It is one of the main tools we use to troubleshoot. We use it all the time to see which cable is on what switch, the VLAN name, and the switch name. To AutoTest, you can use DCP or static to see what kind of IP you're getting and if you're getting one.
What needs improvement?
The 10G one is fine in terms of the speed of the results, but it takes a long time to boot up, whereas you could instantly turn on the old ones. They would be on in a second.
It doesn't turn off automatically, but the toning function goes to sleep. It seems to stop toning after five or six minutes if you don't find the cable. It could be up to ten minutes, but if you don't find the cable that you're trying to tone quick enough, you'll have to go back and restart the tone. So, it doesn't turn itself off, but while toning, it turns itself off.
The polarity on the 10 gigabit SFP port is reversed.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have had two of the 10Gig ones for about eight months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I haven't noticed crashing or anything else. It has been very stable. One unit had stopped charging, and we sent it out for repairs. They sent us a new one in four or five days. That was the only problem we ever had.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is very good for everything we use it for. It has been able to do what we need and more. We've had no issues with scalability. We've never needed more out of a device.
We only have two 10Gig ones. Anyone who works on the networking team uses it at one point or another. We use it for everything. We mostly reserve the 10Gig one for dealing with any 10Gig link issues because it is more helpful, but for any ticket, problem, or anything to do with making sure we're looking at the right switch, we just plug it in to get the name or the IP address of the switch. We use it for everything we do.
We don't have any plans to increase the usage of the 10Gig ones. They are quite expensive, and we have only two of them. Down the road, when we move over to more 10Gig infrastructure, we might get more, but right now, the two 10Gig ones are fine.
How are customer service and support?
We only had to use their support once when one unit had stopped charging, and their support was a five out of five. I sent them a video of it not charging, and they said that they will send us a replacement. We put the old one in the box and shipped it back. They were quick, and in four or five days, they sent us a new one.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We've had LinkRunners when they were owned by Fluke, and we've had LinkRunner 1000 by NetAlly and LinkRunner 2000 as well. We switched because we needed something to test 10Gig links. Before this, we had to hook up the switch to it. That was the only way to verify connectivity across. We had to bring a small switch in a bag.
How was the initial setup?
It was straightforward. It was a while ago, but I don't remember it being complex at all.
What about the implementation team?
We had a reseller called Graybar, and our experience with them was very good.
What was our ROI?
Based on the number of times we've troubleshot 10Gig links, we have absolutely seen an ROI. It cuts down time drastically.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The 10Gig ones are quite expensive, and we have only two of them, but I know that this option was cheaper than the other 10Gig option we looked at, and we're very happy with it.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did evaluate other options, but we couldn't find anything else that did 10Gig. Based on the research we did, this was the only option. We found a few LinkRunner-like alternatives, but none of them did 10Gig. There was one we looked at that had a touchscreen like a tablet, but it would have cost more money. That was the other one we found, but LinkRunner was the only one we looked at.
What other advice do I have?
It is very beneficial. We had a trial of it, and what sold us on it was just being able to use it in person. Before trying it, we didn't really know if we needed it. We had it for about two weeks, and then when we gave it back, we realized how much it improved our workflow and simplified installation and troubleshooting.
We don't use LinkRunner for documenting ad hoc additions, moves, and changes of wired ethernet connections. I know that you can plug it into all your ports and you can go back and view it online, but we've never used it for that. We don't use the Cloud service. When we first got them, we had turned on the emails, but it sent too many emails, and we turned it off. We haven't used it since.
I would rate it a seven out of ten. A few annoyances stop it from being a great product, but it is definitely extremely handy.
Disclaimer: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
What is our primary use case?
We have a lot of the normal LinkRunners, and we have the 10Gig ones called LinkRunner 10G Professional Kit that we use to determine connectivity for plug-and-play. We use the Cisco DNA Center. So, the polarity needs to be right and the link needs to be up. We usually test it with
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PeerSpot
By Korry Gold -
June 30, 2022
Provides quick and accurate results
What is our primary use case?
Typically, I use it for identifying fiber connections to make sure that we have solid links in both directions. I like the bandwidth (iperf) built in testing. If only carrying the LR10G, you can use the JuiceSSH to access switches.
How has it helped my organization?
It is a good tool for what we are using it for. We're probably not using its full capability. We just use it for testing fiber connections when we're setting up new switches. It does that very well, with indicators. We typically do trunking, and it does not give much information on the trunk. It just lets us know that it's making a valid connection, and for my portion of my job, that's all that is required.
I use the AutoTest feature. If you are in a Cisco environment, it can give you information all the way to the port level, such as if it is a trunk port and which VLAN it is. It can test all the way out to the internet if that port allows DHCP. This information is absolutely important to us.
It reduces troubleshooting time. It saves about four hours on the job.
It makes our networking staff more productive. It has saved about 15 hours per month.
What is most valuable?
It is fast in providing results. It is pretty accurate.
I do like that the test results are automatically saved to NetAlly's free Link-Live cloud service. It is pretty slick.
There is a cool feature with it where if you purchased the separate probe, you could do a tone test of cables, but you do have to purchase that probe separately.
What needs improvement?
They should allow firmware updates even if you don't have an AllyCare contract.
The AutoTest feature has got a bug in previous software. Make sure to run version 2.0.1.3 release-keys, should be available from LinkLive. When you're in the middle of auto testing, if you need to stop it and restart it, you have to swipe down and refresh the screen before you can hit the start or stop again. Update to 2.0.1.3 release-keys.
If you have a Cisco environment or Cisco ecosystem, it does CDP very well. It will tell you the exact port you're plugged into on a Cisco switch. However, if you're using something else, such as Ubiquiti switching, it does not pull the LLDP information. It does not give you any information other than the MAC address of the switch.
It is relatively easy to use, but in terms of the physical form, it is bulky. Being a field engineer, it is not something that you want to carry along with the charger. The charger is almost the same size as the device. They could have done a better job with the form factor and the battery life. They could have made one charger for all of their devices so that you only have to carry one charger, or they should have provided the ability to use a USB or USB-C on all the devices so that you could plug a device up to a laptop for charging.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with LinkRunner for about six to eight months. It is being used extensively. I use it on every job.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It seems to be pretty solid. I haven't had any issues with its screen, buttons, and things of that nature.
How are customer service and support?
I didn't interact with them for LinkRunner. It was for another device. I was having trouble with the battery, and they did replace the battery. I didn't have to have an AllyCare contract. It was under warranty, and they did replace the battery. The customer interaction was great, but I am not pleased with not being able to update firmware without an AllyCare contract. I would rate their support a nine out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Since I have been working with this company, they have been purchasing LinkRunner. We were using Fluke previously, and the price was the reason for switching. It is still a high cost but nothing compared to what Fluke costs.
How was the initial setup?
It is simple. You just take it out of the box and go with it.
What was our ROI?
I am not sure if we have seen an ROI.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I didn't have to buy it, but if I was going to have my choice, I wouldn't buy it just because of the price point. It works pretty well to do one thing. For the cost, it is definitely not worth it. There are other products out there that can do the same thing for probably 70% less.
I am not aware of any additional costs.
What other advice do I have?
My advice would be to be aware of AllyCare. There are no firmware updates unless you have that contract.
I can't say that I absolutely love it, but I find a feature here and there that is growing on me. It works pretty well to do one thing. I haven't really done much else with it. I did an iPerf test or a bandwidth test, and it did work quite well.
It works for troubleshooting. It does work well with the apps that are on the Android platform, but there are bugs and quirks to it.
The automatic uploading of test results to the Link-Live cloud service saves us some time but not on LinkRunner 10G. I've got Air Link that does it automatically anytime the device is connected, but for LinkRunner 10G, I believe you have to have a NetAlly or an AllyCare contract, which we do not have.
I would rate it a six out of ten.
Disclaimer: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
What is our primary use case?
Typically, I use it for identifying fiber connections to make sure that we have solid links in both directions. I like the bandwidth (iperf) built in testing. If only carrying the LR10G, you can use the JuiceSSH to access switches.
How has it helped my organization?
It is a good
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