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Wifi Analyzer - Features of using the program. Diagnostics of Wi-Fi networks and detection of free channels

There are dozens for Windows, but such as WiFi SiStr unique of its kind. This is an extremely simple application that will allow you, the user, to find out the signal strength of any Wi-Fi point. Of course, if it is within the reach of the sensor.

Interestingly, the wireless signal strength is shown digitally on the screen. After you click downloadWiFi SiStr and install the program, a small panel will appear on the desktop. You can place it in any part of the screen: bottom, top or even in the middle. It will show digital and graphical signal level values.

It often happens that a user cannot access a website for unknown reasons - especially if you are connected via Wi-Fi. There is another situation: the messaging client periodically interrupts the connection - you have to constantly reconnect. To solve this problem, just look at the signal status panel and make sure that it is sufficient for stable and fast Internet. If you have the WiFi SiStr program, then this is quite easy to do.

Features of the WiFi SiStr program:

  • Flexible in setup. Despite the simple interface of the panel, you can even customize it. Just right-click on the status bar and a menu with settings will open.
  • Convenient. You can monitor the signal level directly on the desktop of your PC or laptop.
  • It does not consume a lot of system resources, it is not just small - it has a miniature size.
  • For WiFi SiStr to work correctly, you will need .NETFramework versions 1.1 and higher.
  • When launched, it always minimizes to tray and does not interfere with computer work at all.

A modern router is capable of scanning, checking whether the channel is free, or detecting excess signal. You can easily find a free window. Often the router firmware needs to be updated. Be careful! A power loss will interrupt the update process - instead of a Wi-Fi channel scanner, you will get a pile of scrap metal. The wireless access point can only be restored by an official service center or a technically savvy Kulibin.

Reasons for use

External interference reduces the speed of information flow. The bitrate drops noticeably. Try placing the router next to a working microwave oven - miracles will begin immediately. Interference is created by telephones, the sun, industrial and military facilities. Even the USB 3 interface is a little foul.

The channel scanner shows a list of available SSIDs, ignoring extraneous factors. Therefore, even a visually free niche sometimes works poorly. Consider software features when building a home network.

If you notice a significant decrease in speed, use shielding and install directional antennas. Avoid crossing the beam line with your body. Microwave radiation is extremely harmful and is perfectly absorbed by the aqueous media of the body. Memory, intelligence, blood counts deteriorate, and sleep is disturbed. Immunity declines.

Router admin panel

Even the TP-Link 300 series can recognize network congestion. The updated firmware works wonders. The hardware itself begins to look for free channels, selecting (even automatically) free bands. The screen will show amazing things: neighbors literally occupied the same rooms. The smart device will monitor and show the status of networks for the user to check.

The screen clearly demonstrates the above. If the neighbors had bothered to regularly update the firmware, a check with an analyzer would have shown a fundamentally different picture.

Updating the router firmware

TP-Link firmware update option is the best. You immediately receive a ready-made tool for monitoring frequencies. Of course, the router is only capable of testing its own operating range (2.4; 5; 60 GHz).

  1. Always take the firmware from the official website.
  2. Make sure the following settings match:
    • Version.
    • Model.

The range of information varies greatly. Select a file by carefully studying the label. If the latter is missing, don't despair. Hardware and firmware versions are often indicated by the admin panel. Avoid being arbitrary: an experimental test can kill your equipment.

The software update procedure will require access. We believe that setting up the router itself is as simple as possible. As a last resort, perform a hard reset of the equipment by pressing the appropriate button.

  1. Download the firmware file.
  2. Record to PC.
  3. Update the software via the cable by selecting the appropriate item in the router's admin panel.
  4. The program requires a cable connection. Otherwise, a fatal crash is possible. Also take the trouble to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

inSSIDer

Software that can determine the load density of Wi-Fi channels is widely known. The strange name inSSIDer implies the device’s ability to catch SSIDs traveling on the air. The replacement for the aging NetStumbler will please mainly Windows users.

  1. Visit the official project website metageek.com/products/.
  2. Find the product you need.
  3. Get ready to pay for the license.

The utility will provide the user with:

  • Workload.
  • Achievable speed.
  • Writes available SSIDs (access point names).
  • Will display specific parameters, such as RSSI, allowing you to analyze the signal.
  • The program can catch MAC addresses.

Attention! The utility is powerless to track interference from household appliances, radio broadcasts, mobile phones, and Bluetooth.

Free option

Considering what was said, Android users breathed a sigh of relief: they will have to definitely go through the channel numbers manually. However, there is another option. Yes! Acrylic WiFi (acrylicwifi.com/). The new product is free for now, please download it.

The utility collects:

  1. SSID
  2. BSSID.
  3. Channel congestion.
  4. Security type and much more.
  1. Free Wi-Fi Scanner.
  2. WirelessNetView.

Android

Download the appropriate software:

  1. WiFiAnalyzer
  2. Wi-Fi Visualizer.
  3. iMapper Wi-Fi Pro.
  4. Wi-Fi Analyzer and Surveyor.
  5. WiTuners Mobile.

Note! In December 2017, Kaspersky released a number of applications (official stores) that pose a threat. Therefore, it is better to use router firmware.

Linux

  1. LinSSID.
  2. iwScanner.

Mac

  1. iStumbler.
  2. AirRadar.
  3. WiFi Explorer.
  4. WiFi Scanner.

iOS

Use Fing – Network Scanner. iOS owners just need to visit the AppStore.

And launch NetSpot. By default, the program will open in Search Mode, which will help you monitor the wireless networks around you in real time. Please note - NetSpot remembers the active mode before exiting the program - search mode or polling mode.

Step 2

Search and scan mode

In search mode, within a few seconds you will receive the first data about surrounding wireless networks. And the longer NetSpot works in search mode, the more accurate and complete the data received will be.

Step 3

All found Wi-Fi networks are clearly visible

Search mode in NetSpot 2.x is a separate interactive list with information about all unhidden wireless networks. The list is updated depending on the interval you set, every 5-10-30 seconds. If a network disappears, you will still be able to see it for a while and determine how long ago it disappeared.

Step 4

Scan Wi-Fi networks

To stop scanning, simply click on the "Pause" button in the lower left part of the program window. The scan will be paused until you start it again. If too many found wireless networks are displayed, you can filter them by any parameter or simply exclude them from the general list.


Step 5

Multifunctional radio space scanning

In NetSpot Search Mode, you can configure a list to display the parameters of interest for the found networks; this list is configured by right-clicking on the table header. Typically, users are interested in signal strength, network name, network signal-to-noise ratio, BSSID, channel, mode, security, etc. You can also configure the order in which parameters are displayed: just press and hold the parameter of interest in the table header and move it left/right depending on its priority.


Step 6

Visualization and export

NetSpot provides the ability to visualize and export the received data. To visualize the data, click in the lower left part of the “Details” window, where you can see a graph built in real time and analyze the received data for the network of interest. To export the received data to CSV, click "Export" on the main toolbar.

One of the most interesting programs for analyzing wifi performance is considered to be “wifi analyzer” for Windows.

With its advent, the task of finding channels and problems with them has become much easier.

And today we will look at why such an analyzer is needed and how to use it.

wifi analyzer – what is it?

The analyzer is a program that allows you to scan available networks and analyze the availability of the Internet. Its main task is:

  • analyze channel distribution;
  • analyze the signal quality;
  • carry out interference analysis;
  • issue a report bypassing analysis tools such as Aircrack.

Similar ones work in a slightly different direction, although they know how to conduct analysis.

You can download the application for free using the play market.

Download

What is wifi analyzer used for?

There are a huge number of programs that offer work on analyzing the Wi-Fi signal. The difference between them is not fundamental.

Somewhere the interface changes a little, somewhere some additional function is present. But the results of everyone’s work are approximately the same - the same tables with conclusions.

Today we will look at a completely new application that can easily make working with wifi easier. It is used for computers and Android phones.

Let's say you installed a router to distribute Wi-Fi in your home. It does not always happen that the settings are carried out efficiently the first time and the signal is received perfectly.

What is this connected with? The neighbors also have Internet, they also have a router and there are several media that can be connected to it.

These are the reason for your troubles with the signal. Simply interference caused by such a device.

The real find is that routers can work not on one channel, but use several of them. This is what an analyzer is required for.

It will help you decide on the most suitable channel that will not respond to extraneous interference.

Advice!

If you have a router in your home, be sure to download a free one or purchase a paid analyzer. You shouldn’t hope that the interference will go away on its own, and you definitely shouldn’t be content with little. Even if, after using the application, you deleted it, for example, to save space. You still have to contact him anyway.

Wi-Fi analyzer - a miracle program

By spending just a few seconds of your time, the user can easily get all the existing information about the fullness of the network and the quality of the received signal.

After checking, the user will have access to two tabs. The first contains data on the quality of the wifi channel.

This window will help you easily decide which of them would be most appropriate to join.

The second tab presents information for each channel individually. With its help, you will receive information about how much the option you are interested in is loaded.

Both pages are presented in table form. All networks are marked with different colors.

To the left of it are written all the found connection options.

In the upper right corner there is a program settings icon.

Advantages of the application and reviews about it

All reviews that were found on the Internet about this application are only positive.

Some users who have installed it on their phone boast that they no longer need to run through the streets looking for free Wi-Fi.

Advantages:

  • The great advantage of this program is that in a passive state it takes up practically no space;
  • for it to detect a signal, even its weak manifestation is sufficient;
  • there is a sensor to determine its strength;

  • You can turn on the sound. The better the command, the louder its alert sound will sound;
  • the application is free and accessible to anyone;
  • provides advisory advice on solving problems that have arisen;
  • automatically detects the existence of illegal devices and the presence of network vulnerabilities.

Where can I download the program from?

The Wi-Fi analyzer is provided free of charge, and finding it on the Internet is not difficult.

1 For Android phones, it can be found on Google Play. This is the simplest option. It is very easy to do. Type a query like “download Wi-Fi analyzer program from Google Play” in the search bar and the required results will open to you. Follow the link provided by the system. In the application, next to the program we are interested in, there is only one “download” button. So it's impossible to make a mistake here. Click on it and wait for the results. After downloading, follow the system’s recommendations and install the application on your storage device without any problems.

2 On Windows 10, the official download source is the Microsoft website. It's free.

A feature or even a problem for this method is that for a successful result when downloading, you must have Windows at least version ten. If she is not like that, but the application is necessary. You'll have to make an update. If this is not done, downloading will simply be impossible.

Of course, you can install some alternative, for example, inSSIDer (which is paid), or Acrylic WiFi Professional. This is the user's choice.

When you run a network check on your computer, a message will be displayed that will tell you which one is the best option for the given area. It looks like this:

On the screen of an Android-based phone, the information is presented in approximately the same form.

The utility file analyzer is designed for installation on Windows tenth series release. If you have a different version of the software on your computer, tablet or laptop, installation will not be possible.

If you really need this application, you will need to update for Windows or use one of the program’s analogues.

Wifi Analyzer for Windows 10 on your computer looks like this.

– this is an indicator of the sensitivity of the receiver; This indicator displays the weakest signal level at which Wi-Fi operation is possible. For normal operation, the value of this section must be no less than 85 dBm. This indicator is quite enough for the device to work correctly.

– quality of the signal itself;

– network settings;

– mas – address of this network.

Below the scale there is a row of signs that indicate the signal level:

  • means that the supply is weak;
  • you chose not the best option among the channels;
  • the line used does not have access to the Internet;
  • The Internet is not secure.

A very convenient thing in some computers is the presence of a BSSID. Translated from English, this is a unique number that is assigned to a wireless Internet channel.

If such a function is present on your computer, it becomes possible to configure several access points at once.

One SSID can contain up to four BSSIDs.

What do you need to choose the best channel?

To make such settings, you need to go to the program tab called “Analyze”. Quality indicators of different types of channels will be displayed here.

The designations are deciphered as follows:

  • Wi-Fi performance of different users who live in the nearby range.
  • The force with which the apparatus of each of them works.
  • The channels themselves.

Based on the data in such a table, it is difficult to understand where the largest number of access points are located and to select the best option.

But this is not the most understandable option for ordinary people. It will be much more convenient if you enable the SSID parameter.

Then each line is signed with a specific name, which makes working with it easier.

The application is also very convenient because it not only carries out the analysis, but also displays the result in the form of a table with a rating of channels that are best suited for your device.

What to do if the signal quality has not improved after the settings?

If after all the parameters are set, and the supplied Internet still leaves much to be desired, you need to check the following points:

  • Try placing your router away from the wall. This will help remove the interference that comes from other people's devices. Moreover, these interruptions do not necessarily come from another router. They can be caused by any technique.
  • Move the device around the apartment until the best place with the highest quality signal and, accordingly, Wi-Fi speed is found.

Analyzer for Android

After downloading the program, there are no problems with it. To get started, just launch it. A check will begin for available network options and display the results on the screen.

This utility for a mobile phone is the most understandable and acceptable. Another advantage is that it requires virtually no free memory space.

After the analysis, information will appear on how actively this or that network is used in a given territory.

How often does the router operate? This entire history will be displayed in the “properties” and “channels” tabs.

If your settings are similar to the example, this means that the phone you are using is not blocked by any of the available networks. After all, they practically do not intersect with each other.

You can also find out information about how strong a particular signal is.

To do this, go to the “Properties” tab “Channels”. The performance rating will be displayed as stars.

Although such an application will not take up much space in the phone’s memory, after the test is completed, you can simply delete it and, if necessary, download it again. It does not take a lot of time.

On the phone version, there is also a tab with a speedometer, which is responsible for the signal frequency. This feature is very convenient.

To choose the best quality, the user needs to move around the area and pay attention to the arrow indicators.

When she is in her highest place, your search work is done.

Just like in the version for a personal computer, you can enable sound for this page.

Then, as the quality increases, the sound output from the device will also increase.

Troubleshooting a wireless network can be risky. Thanks to Wi-Fi analyzers for Windows 10, you can detect rogue access points and perform site surveys, among others. If you manage a wireless network, then you know that it is just as important as the organization's other assets. For this reason, at the very least, it is important to keep an arsenal of tools at your disposal for troubleshooting Wi-Fi networks.

Best Wi-Fi Analyzers for PC

NetStumbler

NetStumbler is a classic utility for discovering 802.11 a/b/g wireless networks. The program helps in checking the configuration and identifying weak signals. NetStumbler allows you to:

  • Make sure your network is configured as you intended.
  • Find locations with poor WLAN coverage.
  • Detect other networks that may be causing interference to your network.
  • Detecting unauthorized “rogue” access points in the workplace.
  • Help point directional antennas for long-range WLAN links.
  • Use it to relax in WarDriving.

Wireshark

Another free Wi-Fi analyzer is Wireshark, which boasts a huge user community as well as fast updates. While it's best known for Ethernet analysis, Wireshark also supports 802.11 and helps troubleshoot wireless network issues and block security configurations.

Acrylic

Acrylic from Tarlogic Security comes in both free and premium versions. The Wi-Fi scanner supports monitor and promiscuous mode, which will help you monitor network traffic. It also includes a password cracking feature to check your password strength. It displays a list of SSIDs and their corresponding details at the top of the application window. It also displays WiFi hotspots and shows details of security mechanisms and retrieves common WiFi passwords using a plugin system. The tool collects information from 802.11/a/b/g/n/ac networks.

Peculiarities

  • Access Points: Information about Wi-Fi networks (SSID/BSSID) and connected users.
  • Signal Strength: Signal quality charts for WiFi channels and detected devices.
  • Inventory: Naming known Wi-Fi devices.
  • Passwords: WiFi passwords and default WPS keys (password verification).
  • Channels: scanner for WiFi channels and Wi-Fi networks via 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz channels.
  • Safety. Learn about network authentication and security for Wi-Fi, WPA, WPA2, and Enterprise (802.1X) networks.
  • Hardware: It does not require any special hardware to operate.

NetSpot WiFi

NetSpot WiFi is among the popular Wi-Fi scanners for network management and troubleshooting. Originally available on Mac, this tool has recently arrived on the Windows platform with support for WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac.

The tool allows you to track and manage all SSIDs associated with your network with ease. It displays all operational channels that connect to an SSID, as well as all SSIDs that communicate with each other. It also works to control signal strength.

NetSpot also detects and eliminates vulnerable access points, detects rogue workstations, avoids cross-channel interference, and gets rid of false positive intrusion alerts. You can also check the security settings (Open, WEP, WPA/WPA2 Personal/Enterprise), non-transferable SSID and Wi-Fi signal strength using the tool.

Peculiarities

  • Quickly export active visualization to PDF
  • Quick saving heat maps as PNG
  • Enterprise-level customizable report builder
  • It is not necessary to export only the tested part of the map
  • Importing and Exporting BSSID Aliases
  • Sharing survey data
  • All survey data can be exported to CSV
  • Configurable detection proximity for access points
  • Customizable access point indicators with specific levels of detail
  • Automatic predictive multi-pole AP positioning
  • Multi-dimensional and custom SSID/BSSID grouping
  • Setting guess range based on area type
  • Easily see how much area your survey actually covers and where you need to take additional measurements
  • Basic graphic editor for quick area maps
  • Report 2.4 and 5 GHz separately, AP by AP coverage
  • Non-transferable SSID support
  • Autosave project
  • Shared settings to make it easier to manage multiple copies of NetSpot

The tool is available for download from its website.

Wi-Fi Analyzer

Wi-Fi Analyzer includes three tabs namely Connected, Analysis and Networks. Connected provides information about the current WiFi connection. It displays a graphic of connection quality based on link speed and signal strength in negative dBm at the top of the window. Additionally, there are icons that indicate poor link speeds, weak link, poor connection, no internet connection, and unsecured connections.

The Analysis page allows you to make changes to improve the strength of the connection. It provides access to channel charts and ratings, allows you to switch between channels, and allows you to switch between frequency bands. It also provides full access to customize graphics colors and SSID/MAC. It is also possible to filter the SSIDs shown in the graph according to signal bands, frequency band, overlap, WiFi method and network type.

The Network tab contains a list of all available SSIDs. It allows you to filter available connections according to their name and signal.