PacketForge

At a glance

• Editor score
  8.1 / 10
• Pricing
  Pricing on request
• Best for
  High-rate enterprise traffic testing
• Deployment
  Desktop
• Founded
  1986 · Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
• Facts checked
  20 Sep 2026

• Where it wins

  • Generates Ethernet and IP traffic at line rates up to 100G
  • Emulates thousands to millions of concurrent TCP and UDP flows
  • Combines PCAP profiles, real-time metrics, APIs, and distributed agents

• Where it doesn't

  • Pricing requires contacting sales
  • Desktop deployment may limit fit for browser-only environments
  • Its extensive traffic controls may exceed simpler testing needs

Our verdict on PacketForge

PacketForge is an Ethernet and IP traffic generation platform from GL Communications Inc. for validating routers, switches, firewalls, data-center infrastructure, 5G networks, and other network systems. It generates Ethernet and IP traffic at 1G, 10G, 40G, and 100G line rates, while emulating thousands to millions of concurrent TCP and UDP flows. Traffic can come from PCAP templates or custom stream definitions, with support for TCP, UDP, mixed, BERT, and application traffic profiles. Rack-mount, portable, PCIe, and Windows-based configurations support different deployment requirements.

Pricing is contact-sales rather than a published tier structure, so evaluation starts with a demo or quote conversation. The product's value is concentrated in high-rate testing: it combines line-rate generation, large flow volumes, one-way delay measurement, and real-time throughput, latency, jitter, packet-loss, and session statistics. Detailed reports support analysis and documentation, while browser-based multi-user management and resource reservations help coordinate access to testing resources. Teams seeking straightforward, self-serve pricing may find the sales-led buying process less suitable.

PacketForge is particularly well matched to organizations that need repeatable, automated validation across complex network environments. Its centralized Web Server and distributed Agent architecture supports distributed testing, and REST APIs enable remote control and test automation. Protocol coverage includes Ethernet, IPv4, TCP, UDP, RTP, VoIP, HTTP, FTP, DNS, video, 5G, and BERT traffic. Integrations with PacketScan Web and IP Analytics extend its surrounding product fit. Choose PacketForge for high-rate enterprise traffic testing and multiuser automation; choose a simpler tool when line-rate scale, distributed agents, or detailed traffic profiles are not priorities.

Your product? Our editors can test PacketForge in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

PacketForge pricing

PacketForge fact sheet

PacketForge integrations

PacketForge lists 2 integrations on its own site.

• PacketScan Web
• IP Analytics

Alternatives to PacketForge

• Cisco ThousandEyesBroad enterprise coverage for testing networks, applications, traffic, routes, DNS, and topology.9.4
• NetBeezA wide-ranging platform for continuous, scheduled, and Wi-Fi network monitoring.9.2
• Forward EnterpriseA strong choice for modeling network behavior, testing changes, and tracing dependencies.9.0

See all PacketForge alternatives →

Featured on iTechGuides

PacketForge is listed in our Network Testing Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update