NETSPOT SCANNER:
Using a Wi-Fi connection for browsing in your home, you will discover some
parts of the house have a stronger signal than others. If it happens that the
places you spend most of your time in like your sturdy or bedroom, have weak
signals, what can you do about that? Now, that's where NetSpot comes in.
Discover
how well your home's Wi-Fi network is working using this handy utility from
Etwork - NetSpot. NetSpot acts as a Wi-Fi site survey app that can map out your
home’s Wi-Fi coverage, allowing
you to discover weak reception areas and areas with excessive interference.
With the help of the site surveys you perform, you may be able to adjust your
Wi-Fi coverage to meet your needs just by making changes to AP locations, or if
necessary, adding wireless access points to boost coverage.
NetSpot
is available in both pro and enterprise versions, as well as two free versions.
Let's focus on the free NetSpot version available as a download directly from
the NetSpot website,
and not the version that’s
available from the Mac App Store. This is because of the limitations imposed by
the Mac App Store on the product, which causes it to be missing a few important
features.
Netspot Scanner
Pros
·
Visualize signal-to-noise ratio within your
site (home).
·
Measure signal strength in every nook and
cranny.
·
Monitors up to 5 APs (Wi-Fi Access Points) per
map.
·
Supports up to 50 measurement points per map.
· It can be used to discover nearby Wi-Fi sources.
Cons
·
Only a single map (zone) supported in free
version.
·
Only signal strength and noise ratio data
collection available in the free version.
·
Wi-Fi APs can be grouped only by their SSID
(Service Set Identifier) name.
Netspot Scanner Scanning For Wireless Networks
One
of the features available only in the version from NetSpot website is the
ability to scan for all nearby wireless networks. NetSpot calls this -
Discovery mode, but it’s
commonly referred to as a Wi-Fi scanner.
This
is an important feature to have, as it can be used to quickly inform you of how
congested the airwaves are in your area, as well as help you select which Wi-Fi
band and channel to use for your own Wi-Fi network.
The
Discovery mode displays the name (SSID), channel, and band (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz)
being used, the AP manufacturer, type of security being used, the speed, the
signal level, and the noise level.
With
this level of information, you can modify your Wi-Fi network to fit into the
noisy airwaves around you. Selecting an unused channel, or moving to a less the populated band could help your Wi-Fi network perform better, and produce less
interference for your neighbors.
NetSpot Site Survey
NetSpot’s survey system performs site mapping
automatically. All you need is a portable Mac and the NetSpot software. Start
by using the NetSpot tools to draw a rough map of your home; if you already
have a floor plan, you can import it as a map.
Position
yourself and your Mac in various areas around your home, and click on the
approximate location on the map.
NetSpot
will record the detected APs, their signal strength, and their noise levels.
Repeat until the map area you’re
interested in is covered by green shading, indicating that the area has been
surveyed.
When
your survey is complete, tell NetSpot you’re
done, and it will create a map that will visualize the signal levels and noise
ratio.
You
can then examine the map for areas with poor coverage or high noise ratios
(perhaps caused by nearby appliances).
You
can then modify your Wi-Fi network to clear up trouble areas, perhaps by moving
the location of your wireless AP or adding APs to ensure complete coverage.
Free vs. Pro
The main difference between the free and pro versions is the pro app is able to
work with multiple maps or zones.
It can map additional types of signal
performance, such as upload and download speed, overlapping channels, transmit
rates, and much more.
Multiple
maps can be important for multi-level homes, mapping indoor and outdoor spaces,
or home and outbuilding Wi-Fi coverage.
The
pro version has a number of features that can help if you’re having serious Wi-Fi coverage problems, The free version can probably take care of the needs of most homeowners for setting
up or troubleshooting a Wi-Fi network. If you need the additional features
later, you can always upgrade.
Review
NetSpot
is a well-designed app with a user interface that is straightforward and easy
to use.
If
you’re experiencing Wi-Fi issues,
specifically, poor performance, dropping of the signal, or interference,
NetSpot may be able to help you sort out the issues. Likewise, if you’re thinking about expanding your current
wireless network, or starting over from scratch, NetSpot can help you avoid any
pitfalls before you spend more on wireless devices than you may actually need
to.
NetSpot
is free. A pro version ($149.00) is also available, suitable for commercial
use.
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