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LinkRunner pros and cons

Vendor: NetAlly

4.3 out of 5

20 reviews
90% willing to recommend

Pros & Cons summary

The AutoTest feature of LinkRunner automatically starts testing after setup, beneficial for single users. It offers LLDP decoding with detailed port descriptions, and the ability to pause tests for verifying connectivity. Cloud storage aids in managing network changes, and VLAN testing accelerates troubleshooting. However, it has a slow boot time, lacks tone and packet viewing capabilities, has short battery life, and restricts firmware updates to AllyCare contracts.

Buyer's Guide

Get pricing advice, tips, use cases and valuable features from real users of this product.

Prominent pros & cons

PROS

AutoTest feature facilitates solo testing operations, allowing efficient setup and immediate testing processes.

LLDP decoding capabilities exceed those of other devices, enhancing port identification and network troubleshooting.

Network validation and configuration for both copper and fiber Ethernet are greatly simplified, enhancing efficiency and effectiveness.

Investigative capabilities are expanded with features like end-to-end testing and VLAN testing, saving time and resources in network troubleshooting.

Direct result sharing via email enables effective documentation and easier management of network infrastructure details.

CONS

LinkRunner takes a while to boot up, which can be frustrating for users.

It lacks the ability to send a tone down the cable, requiring an additional tool.

The device is somewhat bulky, and a smaller form factor would be preferred.

Battery life is limited, needing to be charged frequently for back-to-back shifts.

Firmware updates are restricted without an AllyCare contract, reducing its usefulness.

LinkRunner Pros review quotes

NA

Nader Alkahtani

Network Engineer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Feb 1, 2017

We have achieved an ROI of 90%.

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Network Administrator at a educational organization

Sep 18, 2016

You want more information and reduce time troubleshooting? This device is an all-in-one solution for troubleshooting network connectivity issues.

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Information Services, Field Services Lead Technician at a hospitality company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Oct 18, 2016

This is an invaluable tool for testing/troubleshooting network cable switch connections and for cable evaluation.

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DT

Senior Information Security Analyst at Peterbilt Motors Co., PACCAR

Mar 1, 2019

It's a great product and worth every penny if you calculate hours lost with personnel and downtime of equipment.

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Owner at HTH Telecommunications

Mar 6, 2022

The AutoTest feature makes it easy for you on both ends. It's an excellent feature, especially if you're by yourself. You plug one end in and you hit AutoTest. It sits and waits for you to plug in the other end and it starts testing.

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Network Administrator at a university with 501-1,000 employees

Mar 7, 2022

The LLDP decoding is better than on some of the other devices that we've used. Specifically, it goes beyond the minimum of the LLDP data to decode, and it shows the LLDP port descriptions. That makes it vastly simpler to identify which port you're connecting to on a switch that's patched back to some other building, rather than having to figure out an SNMP index or something else.

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Network/Telecom Administrator at Navarro College

Mar 16, 2022

I like the fact that I can tell the equipment to stop at a certain point during the test of a cable, to see whether or not there is basic connectivity. I can stop it before it starts pinging the outside world, such as Google or, perhaps, our core network switch. Those basic results—do I have a basic connection and power—finish up fast and I can move on.

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IT Support Specialist III at Citrus College

Mar 8, 2022

In terms of documenting ad hoc additions and other changes to wired ethernet connections, this product is very good. It keeps the information in the cloud and I have the ability to name it. This makes it very nice and easy to see.

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RV

Network Engineer at a tech vendor with 501-1,000 employees

Mar 10, 2022

AutoTest is very helpful. It's very streamlined and it's very easy to set up and very easy to identify what we want to achieve. It's probably the feature we use the most. It provides us with LLTD, which is very useful.

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reviewer1856337

Senior Network Architect at a financial services firm with 501-1,000 employees

May 11, 2022

I like that LinkRunner is an all-in-one device with a touchscreen interface. You don't have to pair it with a phone or anything else to get the full functionality. The built-in tests are one of the most significant advantages. It will pull an IP, ping the gateway, ping out to the intra, and report everything on the screen. It will tell you when a test completes or fails and why.

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Show 9 more reviews (out of 19)

LinkRunner Cons review quotes

NA

Nader Alkahtani

Network Engineer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Feb 1, 2017

It is very expensive.

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Network Administrator at a educational organization

Sep 18, 2016

I would like the ability to save screenshots for the switch and cable test.

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Information Services, Field Services Lead Technician at a hospitality company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Oct 18, 2016

Power over Ethernet (POE) Switch Port Charging Of Batteries is an area of the product with room for improvement.

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Free Report: LinkRunner Reviews and More

Learn what your peers think about LinkRunner. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2026.

892,287 professionals have used our research since 2012.

DT

Senior Information Security Analyst at Peterbilt Motors Co., PACCAR

Mar 1, 2019

Having to go back up in a lift to use the interface and then go back down again can be cumbersome.

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Owner at HTH Telecommunications

Mar 6, 2022

It's a little bit tough getting used to at first, but once you get the hang of it, and once you start using it more, like anything, it gets easier. The difficult part, at first, is knowing where to find each test and how to use the tests.

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Network Administrator at a university with 501-1,000 employees

Mar 7, 2022

It does take a little while to boot up if it's turned off.

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Network/Telecom Administrator at Navarro College

Mar 16, 2022

A feature that I would like to see is the ability to send a tone down the cable. That would be great. I have to use a separate tool for that. If I'm trying to troubleshoot a cable that is not plugged into a network switch, I need the ability to tone.

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IT Support Specialist III at Citrus College

Mar 8, 2022

Unlike using an application like Wireshark, this device gives us no way to see network packets specifically to look at what's going on. It doesn't have the capability.

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RV

Network Engineer at a tech vendor with 501-1,000 employees

Mar 10, 2022

It's a bit bulky. It would be nicer if it were a little bit smaller and packed with all its features. I would also like it if the screen were a bit bigger.

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reviewer1856337

Senior Network Architect at a financial services firm with 501-1,000 employees

May 11, 2022

One area where LinkRunner could be improved is the battery life. Depending on which tests are run, it gets a decent six to eight hours. However, sometimes we need to do back-to-back shifts to meet a deadline, and we need access to an outlet to keep it plugged in and charging. It takes about an hour or two to charge.

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Show 9 more reviews (out of 19)

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