Program for determining wifi frequency. What to do if the WiFi connection often breaks

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One of standard advice on what to do when there are problems with your wireless connection and low speed via Wi-Fi - change the router channel to one that is more free, since the presence of a large number of networks (yours and neighbors) on the same channels can lead to poor performance of these networks.

Find available Wi-Fi channels quite simple with special programs for analyzing wireless networks. Wi-Fi analysis apps are available for Android and programs for Windows or MacOS. This article will look at the first two options, which will most likely be sufficient. Once you have found a free channel, this may come in handy: .

Finding a free Wi-Fi channel using Android applications

I recommend this method to find a free channel for a router, since most people now have Android phones(a tablet is also suitable), and applications for Wi-Fi analysis on them are completely free and are in Russian (for Windows these two factors are more difficult).

Wifi Analyzer

The first and, at the same time, free and simplest application for analyzing Wi-Fi networks, allowing you to find free channels - Wifi Analyzer, available in the Play Store here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com .farproc.wifi.analyzer (be careful, there are many more applications under similar names, fully working and with best reviews exactly this).

After installing and launching the application, click on the eye icon at the top and select “Channel Graph”.

On the graph you will see a representation of your and neighboring networks (keep in mind that a network, say, on channel 6, also affects neighboring channels): their channels and power. At the top left of the graph you can switch the range (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz).

For example, in the screenshot above you can see that three networks are simultaneously located on one (6th) channel, and the freest channels will be channels 9-13 (here it is worth remembering that there are devices that do not see networks on channels after the 10th , and on the router, to be able to select these channels, you need to set the region to the Russian Federation). And the network on channel 3 is quite low-power (the router is probably located far away), i.e. if you choose channel 2-3 with communication, everything will probably be fine.

If you cannot choose the best channel yourself, look at the “channel ratings” (also by clicking on “Eye”). Channels with the largest number stars are most preferred.

This is not the only Android application with the ability to view busy and free channels, but there are not many good ones. If you don't mind the English interface, you can also try Fritz App WLAN (available for free on the Play Store) - also a decent tool for analyzing Wi-Fi networks.

Looking for free Wi-Fi channels on a laptop or Windows computer

There are also programs for Windows 10-7 that allow you to analyze wireless networks and find a free Wi-Fi channel.

InSSIDer

The most popular of these programs is InSSIDer, but it is paid. However, by entering your data on the official website https://www.metageek.com/products/inssider/ you can get a trial key for the program for 7 days: this is quite enough to find a free channel. For getting trial license click the Download Trial button, enter the data and wait for the key to email(may take a few minutes: I received it in about 15 minutes).

By launching InSSIDer, you will see a list of wireless networks in two bands, as well as a graph of their distribution by channel and power, similar to what can be seen in WiFi Analyzer.

If desired, you can change the ratio of panel sizes in the program to view in more detail information about available wireless networks and select a free channel for your network.

Acrylic Wi-Fi Home Free

Another similar program for Windows, available free of charge for home use, is Acrylic Wi-Fi Home Free, which can be downloaded from the official website https://www.acrylicwifi.com/ru/

In terms of searching for a free channel, it is very similar to other such programs, but if you want to see a graphical representation of Wi-Fi networks by channel and power, open the program settings menu and turn on Advanced Mode.

After this, you can switch views in the program, including displaying wireless networks with occupied channels for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.

As you can see, finding free Wi-Fi channels (if available) is quite simple. But if they are missing, then it might make sense to think about purchasing a router that supports the 5 GHz band, which is still more free.

Yes, the operating system will allow you to find nearby networks and connect to them, but what about add-ons? What if you need to have detailed information on all the Wi-Fi networks around you, troubleshoot your network, turn your laptop into a portable Wi-Fi hotspot, or stay safe on public hotspots? Windows won't help you with all this.

That's why we've found six apps for you. They do everything Windows can't do and more. Five of the six applications are free, while the sixth is not expensive at all.

From MetaGeek is an excellent tool for searching and collecting information on Wi-Fi networks in the area where your computer is located. The program is also useful in solving problems with your own Wi-Fi network.

For all found Wi-Fi networks, InSSIDer shows the MAC address of the router, the router manufacturer (if the program can determine it - usually it can), the channel in use, the SSID or public name of the network, security type, network speed, and the like. In addition, the program shows the current network signal strength.

How would you use a program to solve problems with your wireless network? If you saw that a nearby network with a strong signal was on the same channel as you, you would change the channel of your network (most routers allow this), thereby avoiding potential conflicts.

The program also allows you to identify “dead zones” in your area where there is no sufficiently reliable Wi-Fi signal A. To do this, just walk around your home or office with InSSIDer turned on. In the future, you can either avoid these places or try to move your router.

Whether you need to solve problems with your network or find Wi-Fi hotspots to connect to, InSSIDer is the program you'll want to download and try.

Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows XP, Vista and 7 (32- and 64-bit)
Download InSSIDer

Here's another great program for finding Wi-Fi networks and providing information on them, such as how far away they are from you. The radar-like screen shows all nearby hotspots. A separate panel offers detailed information on all found hotspots, including signal strength, network type (for example, 802.11n), router manufacturer, transmission channel, etc.

Next to the radar, the panel provides even more detailed information about the network you are currently connected to, including your personal IP address, public IP address, DNS, gateway information, and more.

Why use Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector over MetaGeek InSSIDer? For example, because the simpler and clearer layout of Wi-Fi Inspector makes it easier to present information on hotspots. The program also shows your relative physical distance from the hotspot. And probably no one will deny the usefulness of the radar itself.

However, InSSIDer is better than Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector in terms of obtaining more detailed information on surrounding Wi-Fi networks.

Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows XP SP2+, Vista and 7
Download Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector

is an excellent, free program that allows you to turn a computer with Windows 7 (the program only works with Windows 7) into a Wi-Fi hotspot, which can then be used by nearby devices - such as a smartphone or tablets of colleagues.

Of course, the computer itself that you would like to convert into a Wi-Fi hotspot must be connected to the Internet and support Wi-Fi. At the same time, the connection to the Internet does not necessarily have to be wired (although it does not hurt), because a Wi-Fi card on a computer can perform a dual function - on the one hand, it can act as a Wi-Fi receiver, and on the other, it can act as a transmitter.

Setting up a hotspot is simple: Once you're connected to the Internet, launch Connectify, give your hotspot a name and set a password. After that wifi card your computer will start broadcasting a Wi-Fi signal to which other devices can connect. It is worth noting that your computer will operate according to Wi-Fi protocol, for which it was created. In addition, it will also support older protocols. For example, an 802.11n signal will allow you to connect devices with 802.11b/g/n.

Setting a password will allow you to restrict unauthorized access to the Internet. The hotspot signal itself is protected by WPA2-PSK encryption.

You can even use Connectify to set up a local network without an external Internet connection. Launch the program as a hotspot and nearby devices will be able to connect to its network, even if you do not have Internet access. This can be used, for example, to transfer files within a workgroup or for multiplayer games.

It's worth noting that connecting my Mac to a hotspot based on a Windows 7 computer and Connectify caused me problems. However, other computers and devices connected without problems.

09/08/2018 at 16:58 (6 months ago)

Hello, Sergey. I have very paranormal problems with these gadgets, PCs, routes, etc. Today I prepared a “gift” again. In short, the gist of it is this: the TL-WR841N/ND behaves unstable (it is both an N and an ND model). At first it’s the usual bullshit (for me) - when stability breaks, the laptop goes into BSOD with an error about the network. I have long been accustomed to the fact that I have “anomalous” devices, and the same garbage happens with a smartphone. The simplest example is when on. telephony activity (when the smart phone was called). If at this time you do not remove the smart phone from the PC at a distance of about 0.5-1.0 meters, then the PC goes into BSOD with (!) unknown error(stupidly empty after “STOP .....”). It rarely happens that the OS simply freezes, and when the call ends, it hangs. Yes, it’s complete nonsense, but it’s all true, which is sad... By the way, this kind of garbage only happens with this laptop and smart phone - it’s friends with the rest. It was the turn of the router. As I said before - the PC goes into BSOD with a network error when the route loses stability (this is normal, it has a “screen of death” - best friends!). The smartphone is stupidly turned off. from the route (smacks of self-defense). At this time, on the route, the settings indicator (gear) begins to statically blink strangely at intervals of 1 second, which tells the owner of the equipment not good news. The Wi-Fi indicator also increases the frequency by about 0.5 seconds and switches to a static blinking frequency. Already (after ~30 minutes) the route was completely trashed. Immediately when turned on. The “gear” starts blinking and the connection to the route is very good. for a long time, and not always. Together with this “circus” we are losing connection through the marshturn. Already changed channels; frequency (or whatever it is); I have already updated the firmware (installed successfully); I also reset it to the factory ones; I changed the SSID to the Latin alphabet, taking into account without spaces, I thought maybe I was “infected” with the well-known garbage called “Only Latin alphabet, numbers and underscores"; I set it to “open network” mode (without a password), I also thought that maybe it was “barking” at the encryption - whatever I did there, but the result did not change. Through direct everything is fine. I would also like to point out that the firewood for the network drive is fresh, etc. (well, you might think that the network interferes with maintaining route stability... after all, everything is possible). After this presentation, I have one question: Has Routh served his time and taken a “pension”? I forgot to say that the route is... well, about 4 years old. Such a “circus” is happening around me. What do you recommend?

P.S. Sorry for such a long text - a habit...

09/08/2018 at 18:29 (6 months ago)

Hello. I don’t even know what to say :)

Unstable operation of the router is a common issue. Especially when the router has been working for 4 years. There may be a problem with the power supply. It does not produce the required voltage and the router does not work properly. Maybe the capacitors on the TL-WR841N/ND board itself are swollen. This also happens.

It’s strange how you described how the indicators work. The gear and Wi-Fi lights should be blinking. This is their normal state.

It is unlikely that the blue screen on the laptop appears due to the connection to the network of this router. The BSOD may appear due to a driver error. network card or a Wi-Fi adapter, but this is unlikely to have anything to do with the router.

Maybe you have some source of strong interference there.

09.09.2018 at 21:28 (6 months ago)

It's not strange at all. My gear rarely blinks, but now it’s too fast (faster, weird). I already know my junk... The power supply has nothing to do with it - I tried the prescribed voltage higher and lower, nothing changed - my equipment cannot be “bribed” with such garbage. The capacitors seem to be normal, not swollen. As for BSOD: I can’t confirm what’s described. There would be a chance to find out if it wrote an error when there was a conflict with smart. Also, do not forget that our equipment reacts to “waves”. I tore down the firewood for the network drive and installed a new one. It’s certainly unlikely with the adapter - it’s BSOD friendly from the very beginning because of the smart phone. I’ll also add that there are no appliances nearby, such as microwaves of any kind, etc. — the route is on the table where the laptop is, and there is nothing like it around. Hmm, I forgot to correct: BSOD occurs when the route stability is terminated, and not when connected! If we remember “smart and PC”, then the smart emits some kind of “waves” that the laptop does not like. Therefore, there is a fact that the route does the same.
Here’s a test I did, by the way, to find out whether the problem might actually be in the firewood (about the BSOD):
1. By connecting to the router using Wi-Fi adapter— BSOD comes out with a Wi-Fi adapter driver error.
2. Through the cable to the router - BSOD with a direct connection driver error.
I Googled errors, and judging by the articles, firewood “falls” with a critical hit (when the stability of the route bus breaks), which causes “our friend”.
Now there is no way to repeat this, and also look at the error codes again - the route immediately turns on instability when turned on, and no longer wants to connect anyone to it. The laptop only freezes for ~1 second (if the Wi-Fi module is enabled in the OS), and so does the smart phone, which is strange (our equipment reacts to waves, right?)…

In short - complete nonsense and a circus. By the way, recently “hemorrhoids” reappeared again: Through the cable it shows that there is Internet, but it’s not there! I thought everything - as if the “straight” firewood had flown away. I asked my neighbors for a laptop for 5 minutes. - nothing has changed there. After 10 min. “my torture” was over and now everything was back to normal. Well, judging by your answer, it’s time to change the “Internet distributor”. Hotspot Windows 10 is distributing crap - you need to wait a couple of minutes for it to start distributing the Internet. Oh, how I love these “Adventures on my ass” - I really don’t have anything to do. Okay, I see that it is no longer possible to significantly “reanimate” him. Well, see you then, Sergey. Be healthy!

To work with large wireless networks, there are a sufficient number of good multifunctional software solutions on the market that allow for comprehensive testing of WiFi networks. However, you will often find it easier to use simpler, free tools to get a quick look at the airwaves during design, deployment, or troubleshooting. We present to your attention an overview of the most interesting free programs for diagnosing WiFi networks.

In this article, we'll introduce you to nine free software tools—most of them running on Windows operating systems, others on macOS or Android—that will give you basic information about existing WiFi signals in range: SSIDs, signal strength , channels used, MAC addresses and types of protection of a particular network. Some can detect hidden SSIDs, determine noise levels, or provide statistics about the successful and unsuccessful packets sent and received on your wireless connection. One of the solutions includes a WiFi password cracking tool, which will be extremely useful for finding vulnerabilities and assessing security when testing the hacking security of your wireless network.

Note also that most of the tools described below are free versions of commercial solutions distributed by the same vendor, but with reduced functionality.

The Acrylic WiFi Home wireless LAN scanner is a stripped-down version of the commercial solution from Tarlogic Security. Version 3.1, reviewed in this review article, attracts attention, primarily due to the detail of the wireless environment and advanced graphic capabilities display collected information. The functionality of this solution includes: overview of found WiFi networks supporting 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac standards; detecting unauthorized access points and displaying connected clients; scanning and analysis of WiFi channels used by wireless networks at frequencies of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz; plotting graphs of the received signal level and its power for WiFi access points.

WiFi scanner for Windows Acrylic WiFi Home will allow you to scan and view available wireless networks in real time, provide information about detected WiFi networks (SSID and BSSID), their type of protection and wireless devices connected to the network in this moment, and will also allow you to get a list WiFi passwords(installed by default by manufacturers) thanks to the built-in plugin system.

Being free product Acrylic WiFi Home 3.1 has a simple but attractive GUI. A detailed list of SSIDs is located at the top of the application. Here, in particular, you can find: negative dBm values for the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI), supported 802.11 standard (including 802.11ac) by access points or WiFi routers, manufacturer name, model and MAC addresses network devices. The solution recognizes the bandwidth being used and displays all channels involved. It doesn't look for hidden SSIDs, but may show them if it detects network data indicating the presence of hidden networks. The application also has functionality for inventorying the operation of WiFi networks, allowing you to assign and save the names of detected SSIDs and / or clients (for the free version, this feature has quantitative restrictions on use).

At the bottom of the application screen, by default, visual rating information is displayed on the network characteristics of the selected SSID. There is also a graph of the signal level and power of all detected access points. When you switch to the advanced mode for displaying the status of wireless networks, you will receive two additional graphs - for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands - which simultaneously display information about the channels in use, including those combined into one “wide” channel, and signal level data.

Exporting or saving captured data is extremely inconvenient because the software company has decided to cut down excessively this functionality in the free solution: you can copy at most one line of data to the clipboard and then paste the text into Text Document or spreadsheet. There is also a function for publishing a screenshot on Twitter.

Overall, Acrylic WiFi Home is a good software WLAN scanner, especially considering that it doesn't cost anything. It collects all the basic information about your wireless space and clearly demonstrates the resulting data, both in text and graphical form, which is great for simple tasks WiFi network diagnostics. The main disadvantage of this solution can be considered big problems with data export, or rather, the virtual absence of such an opportunity due to the functionality in the free solution that was limited by the manufacturer itself.

AirScout Live (Android)

Greenlee's AirScout Live app turns your Android smartphone into a convenient and portable WiFi analyzer networks. AirScout Live has seven operating modes, four of which are completely free to use without any restrictions for Android devices. The commercial version, unlike the free version, is compatible with most desktop computers (Windows) and mobile devices (Android and iOS). With the help of basic functionality, you can quickly, mobilely and, most importantly, solve problems related to insufficient levels of WiFi signal in some places in your office or home.

AirScout live will show all the characteristics of access points detected within range: from signal strength and security protocols to equipment capabilities. It will allow you to determine the least loaded channel, measure the signal strength at each point of the WiFi network and identify places with insufficient signal strength. Helps identify sources of interference by analyzing channel usage parameters in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Using the program, you can select the optimal location for the location of access points to ensure the highest quality coverage of the premises with a WiFi network and configure it to maximum performance without buying additional equipment. Additionally, the AirScout app allows you to take pictures of your WiFi network and save them locally or upload them to the cloud.

AirScout Live is very easy to use and requires no additional training. The user interface looks attractive and intuitive. The first two menu items - “AP Graph” and “AP Table” - will provide you with visual and comprehensive information about all the characteristics of access points located in the visibility area. Access point coverage graphs will visually demonstrate to you the dependence of the signal level of each of them and the congestion of channels in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Extended information in tabular form about each access point (SSID, Mac address, equipment vendor, channel used, channel width, received signal level in dBm and security settings) is available in the second menu item.

The “Time Graph” item will allow you to see all the access points that your Android device has detected in the observed location, and their graph of signal level changes in dBm with a time reference. So, for example, if you are examining a network that consists of several access points, this information will help you understand what signal strength each of them will have. this place, and how the client device will switch between them. In addition, selecting a specific access point highlights its signal strength, which helps visual perception of information.

The “Signal Strength” item will allow you to visually test the signal level for each access point over time. You can select a specific SSID and see the current, as well as the minimum and maximum signal level recorded by the device for this access point. The original interpretation of the results obtained in the form of a red-yellow-green speedometer will make it possible to clearly see whether a particular function will work in this particular place or not. For example, a stable signal level in the green zone will tell you that here you will not have problems with resource-intensive technologies such as voice over IP or streaming video in Full HD format. Being in the yellow zone will indicate that only web surfing is available. Well, the red zone will mean big problems with receiving a signal from this access point in a given location.

For use additional functions, which are not available in the free version of the software without additional equipment (identification of the most common problems: suboptimal signal coverage or incorrect channel selection; identification of sources of interference, including from “non-WiFi” devices; optimization of configurations of WiFi networks adjacent to networks 802.15.4 standard; tuning WiFi performance by comparing signal strength and usage; Ookla speed test; and more), you'll need an AirScout controller or a kit that includes the controller and remote clients.

AirScout Live is an excellent application that, above all, attracts with its portability. Agree, having a tool that will always be at hand is worth a lot. In the free version of the product you have access to all necessary information, which you may need to quickly analyze the health of small office or home WiFi networks and identify underlying performance problems. Intuitively clear interface and literate graphic design The obtained measurement results not only leave a good impression, but also help speed up the work with the application.

Cain & Abel is a multi-purpose password recovery and cracking application for Windows operating systems, which also includes interception and analysis tools network traffic, including WiFi networks. Like the previous solution (Acrylic WiFi Home), Cain & Abel is a powerful network analyzer, capable of capturing and processing most wireless network traffic.

Its graphical interface has a relatively ancient, simplified look. The toolbar (old style with icons at the top of the screen) is used to launch various utilities. Access to the main functional parts of the application is provided through window tabs.

Through the “Wireless” tab we get access to functional tools for analyzing the network traffic of WiFi networks. In addition to the usual information about SSIDs and various signal information, a list and detailed information about connected clients can also be found here. For access points and clients, Cain & Abel provides information about the number of packets detected: all packets, WEP Initialization Vector (WEP IV) and ARP requests. Any hidden SSIDs discovered from the captured packets will be displayed in the GUI. Most of the intercepted statuses and data can be exported to a simple text file.

Despite the enormous functional potential of this solution, shortcomings such as the lack of visual graphs, as well as the inability to recognize 802.11ac access points and determine wider channels, do not allow Cain & Abel to be called the best choice for monitoring and analyzing WiFi networks. This solution is worth paying attention to if your tasks go far beyond simple traffic analysis. With it, you can recover Windows passwords, perform attacks to obtain lost credentials, examine VoIP data on the network, analyze packet routing, and much more. This is a really powerful tool for system administrator with broad powers.

Ekahau HeatMapper is a mapping software tool for deploying small home-level wireless networks and determining the optimal location for access point installation. This is a simplified free version of professional solutions from Ekahau. The software Provides the same network information as a WiFi wireless network scanner, but also generates a WiFi heat map so you can visualize signal levels. Within this review We will talk about version 1.1.4.

The software offers the ability to create a plan or layout of the object being studied, as well as design a wireless network topology according to coordinate grid for approximate orientation.

On the left side of the main screen user interface displays a list of wireless networks and their data, sorted by signal, channel, SSID, MAC address and security type. This list includes basic information, but does not contain signal strength in dBm or percentage. In addition, the application does not recognize networks that support the 802.11ac standard, identifying them as 802.11n.

Using Ekahau HeatMapper, as with other mapping tools, you plot your current location on a map while you walk around a building to generate a heat map WiFi coverage. Ekahau HeatMapper will automatically calculate the location of access points and place them on the map. Once all the data has been collected, an interactive heat map of WiFi coverage will be generated. So, for example, when you hover the cursor over the access point icon, its coverage will be separately highlighted; and when you hover your cursor over a heatmap area, a tooltip window will appear for the received signal strength indicator with a negative dBm value for that point.

According to reviews, the Ekahau HeatMapper software solution is an overly simplified WiFi mapping scanner: the manufacturers removed almost all additional functionality from the free version, making this solution truly home version. Moreover, the only available opportunity To export or save, simply take a screenshot of the map.

However, the Ekahau HeatMapper solution can be used for small networks or to get a basic understanding of how more professional map-based tools work.

Homedale Software Utility is a relatively simple and portable (no installation required) wireless network scanner for Windows (currently version 1.75 available) and macOS (currently available version 1.03) operating systems with an optional interface command line. In addition to displaying basic information about wireless networks and signals, this utility also supports location determination using GPS and other positioning technologies.

This utility has a simple graphical interface that resembles more of a dialog box with several tabs than a full-fledged application. The first tab, Adapters, displays a list of all network adapters, along with their IP gateways and MAC addresses.

The Access Points tab contains many important information. It doesn't list the 802.11 standard for each SSID, but you will find all supported data rates, as well as all channel numbers used by each SSID at a given time, including those with larger channel widths. It also doesn't list hidden networks, but does show other network data that indicates the presence of hidden SSIDs. Also a very useful feature is the ability to save notes for individual SSIDs, which can then be included in any data export.

In the Access Point Signal Graph tab, you will find the change in negative dBm values for the received signal strength metric over time for all selected SSIDs. The implementation of access to this functionality cannot be called very convenient and intuitive - the selection of wireless networks for monitoring and comparison is made by double-clicking on the desired SSID from the list of the previous “Access Points” tab.

The “Frequency of Use” tab illustrates in real time a graphical dependence of the frequencies used by each SSID (for convenience, divided into channels) and signal level values. Channel usage visualizations are displayed for the 2.4 GHz band and each subset of the 5 GHz band. The utility performs its task - visually demonstrates the occupancy of each channel - but it would be more convenient if we had the opportunity to have a single view of the 5 GHz frequency, instead of dividing it into four separate graphs.

In addition, Homedale offers excellent opportunities for both free application, to export the collected data. Thus, it supports saving the network list in a table form in CSV format, logging the results of each scan (useful if you move while scanning), and also saving an image of each graph.

Despite its very simple graphical user interface, Homedale provides more advanced functionality than you might expect. In addition, I would like to note that, for a free program, the capabilities of recording and exporting data, as well as determining location, are quite impressive.

LizardSystems offers a free version of their WiFi Scanner software for non-commercial use that has the same features and functionality as their paid product. Currently version 3.4 of the solution is available. In addition to the WiFi scanner, this solution also offers excellent analytics and reporting functionality.

The application has a modern graphical interface, intuitive and easy to use. The Scanner tab provides a list of detected SSIDs. In addition to the standard detailed information here you will also find signal strength values in both negative dBm and percentage values. It even shows the number of clients that are connected to each SSID. Also, along with the 802.11 standards specification, the solution can detect and report multiple channels used by any SSID with a larger channel width.

You can use the list of visible SSIDs to filter input based on the following parameters: signal strength, supported 802.11 standard, security types, and used frequency bands. At the bottom of the Scanner tab are graphs that you can switch between. In addition to typical graphs showing signal strength and channels used, visualizations of data rates, channel load and number of clients are also available. The bottom of the screen displays information about your current connection. In the "Advanced Information" tab you will find various data about network activity, up to the number of unprocessed packets.

The Current Connection tab displays more detailed information about the current wireless connection. Here you will access and manage the list of wireless network profiles saved in Windows 10, which can be useful because in this latest version The Windows operating system no longer provides native access to and management of this list. The Wireless Statistics tab provides graphs and statistics for various types of packets, both the physical (PHY) layer and the data link (MAC) layer, which will be useful for conducting advanced network analysis.

LizardSystems WiFi Scanner software solution offers advanced exporting and reporting capabilities. Basic functionality allows you to save a list of networks in a text file. Additionally, you can generate reports summarizing the types of networks found in the scan, with all SSID data logged, any comments you added, and snapshots of the graphs. These are pretty impressive features for a freely available WiFi scanner.

In summary, LizardSystems WiFi Scanner really impresses with its functionality, including output filtering and reporting capabilities, as well as advanced information about the data packets being transmitted. It can be an important part of your go-to toolkit for maintaining and testing WiFi networks, but keep in mind that the free license is only available for personal use.

NetSpot (Windows and macOS)

NetSpot is a software solution for researching, analyzing and improving WiFi networks. The commercial version uses mapping tools for thermal visualization of coverage areas, but this is not available in the free version for home use. However, this solution is offered for both Windows and macOS operating networks. In this review article we will look at NetSpot Free versions 2.8 is a free, significantly reduced version of the company's paid products for home and corporate use.

The NetSpot Discover tab is a WiFi scanner. Despite the simple graphical interface, it has a modern appearance, and the network details of each SSID are displayed in bold and clearly visible. Signal levels are shown in negative dBm values (current, minimum and maximum) as well as percentages. Hidden networks are not displayed in the free version, and the ability to export data is not supported (although there is such a button, it is not active).

When you click on the “Details” button at the bottom of the application window, combined graphs of signals and used channels for each WiFi range, generated for the SSID networks selected from the list, are shown. In addition, the signal information of each SSID is displayed in a table view so you can see the exact values received by the application during each scan.

Overall, the free version of NetSpot does a good job of detecting WiFi networks (although it does not support working with hidden networks). And yet, the free solution has a very limited functionality, which is eloquently shown to us by broken links to a large number of additional features - the inaccessibility of visualizations, the inability to use a heat map, and the lack of export.

WirelessNetView (Windows)

WirelessNetView is a small utility from NirSoft that runs in the background and monitors the activity of wireless networks around you. It is offered free of charge for personal and commercial use. This is a fairly simple WiFi scanner, available in both portable and installable form. For the purposes of this article, version 1.75 is considered.

The WirelessNetView solution's graphical user interface is not very fancy - it's just a window with a list of wireless networks. For each detected network, the following information is available: SSID, signal quality at the current time, average signal quality over the entire observation period, detection counter, authentication algorithm, information encryption algorithm, MAC address, RSSI, channel frequency, channel number, etc. .

Thus, this utility provides signal level indicators in negative dBm values, as well as in percentage terms for the last received signal and the average for the entire observation time. But it would be even better if we also had access to the average values for the RSSI of a particular access point over the entire observation period. Another unique piece of available analytics that WirelessNetView offers is a measure of how often each SSID is detected, which can be useful in certain situations.

Double-clicking on any of the detected wireless networks will open a dialog box with all the information about a particular network, which can be very convenient, since your screen width is clearly not enough to view all the details in the main list. Click right click mouse over any network from the list allows you to save data for that specific wireless network or all detected networks into text or HTML files. The Options toolbar menu displays some options and additional functionality, such as filtering, MAC address format, and other display preferences.

Please note that this utility lacks a number of advanced features that we expect to see in modern WiFi scanners. First of all we're talking about about graphical presentation of information, full support for the 802.11ac standard and, accordingly, recognition of all channels occupied by an access point that can use a larger channel width. However, WirelessNetView can still be useful for simple monitoring of wireless networks or small WiFi spaces, especially if you find some of the utility's unique functionality valuable.

Wireless Diagnostics (macOS)

Since OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.4 and later later versions operating systems, Apple provides a Wireless Diagnostics tool. It is more than just a WiFi scanner; it can help detect and fix WiFi connection problems. But the best thing is that it is a native toolkit included in the operating system. For this review, we'll look at the Wireless Diagnostics software solution included with MacOS High Sierra(version 10.13).

To get started, press the Option key and then click the Airport/WiFi icon at the top of MacOS. You'll have more detailed information about your current WiFi connection, as well as access to the "Wireless Diagnostics" shortcut.

Opening Wireless Diagnostics will launch a wizard called "Assistant" that may ask for additional information such as the router's make and model, as well as its location. Tests will then be run to detect problems. Once verified, a summary of the results will be shown, and clicking the icon for each result will show expanded details and suggestions.

Although this is not entirely obvious, it is also available to you more tools, and not just the aforementioned master. While the wizard dialog is open, clicking the Window button at the top of the toolbar will provide access to additional utilities.

The Scan utility is a simple WiFi scanner that shows the usual data about detected wireless networks, as well as a brief description of network types and best channels. One of its main advantages is that it shows noise levels in WiFi channels, which most of the Windows scanners presented in this article do not show. However, it would be more convenient if all channels that use specific SSIDs with a larger channel width were listed, rather than just showing the channel width and the center channel.

The "Info" utility shows the current network connection and detailed detailed information about signal characteristics. The “Logs” utility allows you to configure WiFi, EAPOL and Bluetooth diagnostic protocols. The Performance utility shows line graphs of signal and noise, signal quality and data transfer speed of the current connection. The Sniffer utility allows you to capture raw wireless packets, which can then be exported to a third-party packet sniffer.

In summary, the utilities included in the Wireless Diagnostics toolkit of the MacOS family of operating systems are truly impressive, especially when compared to the native wireless toolkit for Windows operating systems. You always have a WiFi scanner at your fingertips (which even shows you noise levels) and packet capture capabilities (with subsequent export options), and their troubleshooting "Assistant" seems really smart. However, to visualize WiFi channels, in our opinion, the channel usage graph is not enough.

Apple also offers an excellent tour and guide to using Wireless Diagnostics for more information.

conclusions

Each of the programs we reviewed for diagnosing WiFi networks has its own advantages and disadvantages. Moreover, all these solutions, judging by user reviews, are worthy of downloading and evaluating in action. Choice optimal program there will be one for each specific case. So try it!

WiFi analyzer programs

In addition to the classic WiFi Analyzer, there are many other good applications for both computers and mobile devices. For example, for Android you should highlight an open platform analyzer, which is available for download on the Play Market and is called WiFiAnalyzer (open-source) from the developer VREM Software Development. It is a reliable tool that is compatible with all OS versions up to Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

For Apple devices, an application called Network Info II is suitable, which can display on your screen all the information about nearby networks. It is very easy to use due to its well-designed user interface. The Fing application can also be very useful, thanks to which you will learn full information about devices connected to your access point.

Among desktop applications special attention is the very popular Acrylic WiFi Home software. Unlike other programs, this one works not only with versions of Windows that have Metro support. Rich functionality, a multi-frequency scanner and a user-friendly interface are available to you completely free of charge.

An example of how a Wi-Fi analyzer works

The analyzer works very, very simply. For example, the WiFiAnalyzer application for Windows just needs to be installed and launched, after which you will receive complete information about the network. The first and main tab displays the connection to the current network and its status, as well as the signal quality in percentage and -dBm. For example, 80% is a fairly good indicator, but it can also be improved, which the program will definitely warn you about in the “Analysis” tab.

Below you can choose a frequency of 2.4 or 5.0 Ghz, and also see recommendations on ways to improve the signal. Analyzer in automatic mode scans the congestion of channels and suggests you switch to the freest one, which will increase the quality of your Internet connection. In the “Networks” tab, you will see all access points available for connection and the signal level in order to select the most promising option. Even if you are satisfied with the speed and quality of the Internet, it is still recommended to use analyzers from time to time, especially if you play online games, surf the net, or watch streaming videos.

Networks. It is possible that someone has gained access to your Wi-Fi network and is consuming data without your knowledge. How to determine this? Use special software.

The software will show a list of devices that are accessing the Wi-Fi network. Be it a mobile device, laptop or PC, you will be aware when an unknown device connects to the Wi-Fi network. Unfortunately, it is not possible to disconnect a device connected in this way, but you can manually change network password in the router settings.

Who Is On My WiFiWho Is On My WiFi

The software shows notifications directly on your desktop in real time when an unknown device connects to your Wi-Fi network. In addition, detailed information about the specific device is provided, including the device's last known IP address, MAC address, date and time when the device was first discovered, digital signature when the device last time was discovered in current time connected or not, network card name (if possible), etc.

Apart from this, you will see a list of all detected devices and check which device is currently connected or not. For a known device, you can mark it as "known". Settings Set IP ranges and scanning frequencies also available in this software.

The ability to block a specific device is available, but in a paid version.

The installation file of this program takes 2.32 MB.

Wireless Network Watcher

Wireless Network Watcher is a portable software for detecting intruders of your Wi-Fi network. D For the connected device turns out to be almost similar information to that in the software mentioned above.

In addition to this information, you can export the list to a text file, HTML file or CSV file for further usage. You can place this program in your system tray and it will constantly scan in the background.

When you first launch the program, you will be prompted to install the network adapter and change the IP address range (if necessary) to begin the scanning process.

Size installation file 292 KB.

SoftPerfect WiFi Guard

SoftPerfect WiFi Guard also very useful for automatically and regularly scanning networks to identify rogue devices. You can set the network scanning time automatically from 1 to 60 minutes. You can set your own IP ranges and audio file to play when an unknown device is detected.

Once the scan is completed, a pop-up window appears showing the IP address and MAC address unknown devices. In addition, all connected devices are visible. For each separate device The provider name, RTT (Round-Trip Time), device name, IP address, MAC address and other information are displayed.

The installation file is about 2 MB. When you start it for the first time, you need to select a network adapter and configure scanning settings.

NCS Network Scanner

NCS Network Scanner is a very simple software that does not require any configuration to detect devices connected to Wi-Fi. When you launch the program, you can start scanning with one click, the program will find devices connected to the network. It does not show detailed information for the device. Only hostname, IP address, response time and reason for disconnection.

This software is useful for beginner users. A list of connected devices for a specific time is displayed. There is no way to save the list on a PC.

ZIP file 2.08 MB.

NetBScanner

One of the easily customizable programs. Unfortunately, it is not able to detect mobile devices associated with your PC, which is significant drawback of this software.

Devices are scanned based on the range selected by the user. As a result, you can see the IP address working group, computer name, MAC address, adapter manufacturer and main browser, used by this device. You can export the list to a CSV file, text file, XML or HTML file.

The installation file size is 278 KB. When you launch it for the first time, you will be prompted to set the IP address range and scanning speed. After this, scanning will begin.

Conclusion

The first three programs on this list are the most effective in detecting all devices connected to a Wi-Fi network. Although you can use the router's Wi-Fi administrative console to check the list of devices, it takes some time. The listed software is easy to configure and shows detailed information about connected devices.

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Today there is a router in almost every home. But such an abundance of Wi-Fi routers could not but affect the quality of the signal. Very often networks overlap one another and interruptions in the Internet signal occur. And this despite the fact that he is strong and nothing visible should interfere with him.

The reason may just be the overlap of several access points on one channel. For apartment buildings this problem is especially relevant. Only the user should distinguish between problems with the signal and the router. This is how a smartphone on the Android platform completely freezes at the stage of downloading torrent files. Here the reason is different.

Wi-Fi breaks can occur as follows:

A tablet or smartphone behaves as it wants - when it connects normally to the network signal, when it doesn’t connect at all;
A sharp drop in download speed without good reason (and this is also observed on internal resources);
Communication is lost in a certain place in the apartment, where there are no barriers.

The reason for all these troubles is precisely the use of the same communication channel by many points of wireless routers. Subsequently, congestion of this channel leads to low speed and connection interruptions.

To quickly solve a problem means changing the channel. Most users don’t even know how to analyze this situation and how to change the “Auto” setting on their router.

You can read about how to change the communication channel on different types of routers at this link.

Changing automatic network channel selection on an Asus router

Analyzer programs for computers running Windows 7, 8 and 10

Free programs that can be easily downloaded on the Internet will help you analyze the state of your wireless network for:

smartphones with different platforms;
laptops and PCs.

There are thirteen channels in total for signal transmission in Russia. So, of these 13, the first, sixth and eleventh channels do not intersect. But not all countries use 13; in the USA, for example, only 12 are allowed. For different versions The operating system has its own characteristics regarding the use of certain channels.

Schematic representation of overlapping channels

So Windows 10 does not see channel 13, and in the router settings it is impossible to change the region to Europe in order to correct access to this channel.

Version 7 of the OS also does not see channels larger than 12. Therefore, when choosing another unloaded channel, this must be taken into account.

This is exactly what analyzer programs are needed to identify free channels, configure the router on them and work calmly.

If the user has a problem connecting to any channel or the signal lags due to channel congestion, then the answers to your questions can be asked to the technical support of the official Windows website.

The most convenient and simple programs that analyze the occupancy of communication channels are the following:

inSSIDer 4 - download;
Free Wi-Fi Scanner - download;

These programs will help you learn other useful information about networks. You can recognize the type of security and signal speed. Convenient graphs help you analyze the signal. The figure below shows how different users overlap on the channels and which access point has the highest frequency signal.

Wireless network channel analysis with overlay graphs

An example of network analysis using InnSider

When downloading the program from the official website, the user should pay attention to the terms of use. Very often today they offer only demo versions of programs with a period of use of no more than a month. after that you need to buy the program.

Analysis of channel fullness

As can be seen from the picture, after analysis it is clearly seen that the most crowded channel is 6. That is, you should disconnect from it and select free 2, 3, or 4, or any other except the first and eleventh, which are also already occupied.

Network analyzer for Android

Most convenient for smartphone on the Android platform, use the Wi-Fi Analyzer program. No problems searching or downloading. The user logs in via his phone Google service Play and through the search finds this application and downloads it. When the smartphone is turned on, you can download the application via a PC.

Downloading a program from Google Play

After installation, you can go into the program and analyze communication channels. It will be immediately visible at what frequency the router operates and on what channel. All this will be indicated on the available charts. Just select channels and properties in the settings.

Asta operates on frequency 50 and the signal is received on channels 8-10

That is, in clear example There is no need to change anything, because the signal does not intersect with almost anyone. In the same program, you can select the “channels” tab in the properties and see which channel has the highest and best signal. The rating is indicated by stars.

The example shows that the best signal without interference is on channels 12,13 and 14. The program installs quickly and erases quickly. Therefore, users should not be afraid that the application will take up a lot of memory on the device.

There is another convenient tab in the same application that will show the signal frequency. With such a pointer, you can move around the apartment and choose exactly the place where the signal will be the strongest.

Signal Strength Measurement Indicator

How to change automatic channel selection on a D-Link router?

Routers on the market today great amount. But according to statistics, the most frequently purchased model is the D-Link model. How can I disable auto channel selection on it?

To do this, type in the Internet address bar address 192.168.0.1. In the window that opens, type admin in both the login and password. Unless the user himself changed them. The standard login and password are always written to back cover boxes from under the router.

Changing Wireless Network Settings

A window appears, in which you select “advanced settings”, and then the basic ones, as in the figure above. After selecting the basic properties of the wireless network, you should find the “channel” line in the window that appears and select from it the free channel that any program for analyzing communication channels showed.

Selecting and saving a new communication channel

After this, the connection may be interrupted briefly and restarted again. If this does not happen, you need to check the router settings again and if there is a dialog box in the upper right corner asking you to save changes, you need to click and save it. After this, the data transfer and download speed should increase.

With the help of such simple manipulations, any user today can correct minor errors in the wireless network in their apartment without calling a technician or paying for their services.

So, how to choose this very high-speed and high-frequency wireless communication channel?

Launch the analyzer program;
Determine a free channel;
Find a place in the apartment with the most high frequency reception
Check non-overlapping channels (1,6,11 - if they are free) at this frequency, for example, reception speed and jumps;
Install the selected free channel with a high reception frequency - reconfigure the router, accept the changes.

So, fix the problems with lost signal and lost speed turned out to be very simple, you just need to clearly follow the above steps.