It would be great if our WiFi networks worked perfectly all the time, but frustratingly, connection issues are still a major issue for many people. Wireless network issues happen for many reasons, and with a WiFi analyzer, you can get right to the root of the problem.
Why Do You Need A WiFi Analyzer?
Sometimes we have connection issues because our WiFi network is not optimized. When first setting up the network, some people pay little attention to where they place the router in relation to the wireless devices in the home or office. This is extremely common and in many ways, logical. When we first move into a new building, setting up the WiFI network is often one of the first things we do, even before we decide where we will be using our wireless devices. It’s only later on that we realize that the fish tank might be blocking wireless signals to the room behind it.
The number of wireless devices we use also increases over time. In the modern age, it seems that almost every device or appliance is now “smart”. We have smart fridges, toasters, alarm systems, and so on. We also have more elaborate home entertainment systems that rely on WiFi to bring immersive experiences no matter where in the home we are. Everything is moving digital, and this puts increasing pressure on our WiFi networks. For example, you’d struggle to find an ebook reader today without WiFi connectivity – We’re even using WiFi to read books!
The key to solving this conflict is an optimization and increasing performance through a WiFi analyzer. NetSpot is widely considered the best WiFi analyzer app on the market, so we’re going to be focusing on how NetSpot’s app can help you solve your connection issues.
What Does A WiFi Analyzer Do?
A WiFi analyzer app scans and inspects all the wireless networks in the local area to give you detailed information about the network. These insights can then be used to make key decisions on how to optimize your network going forward.
The majority of WiFi routers will utilize the 2.4 GHz radio band to transmit information. There are 11 channels available on the 2.4 GHz spectrum, with each channel being 20 MHz wide, and the entire spectrum being 100 MHz wide. This means that all 11 channels have to fit within the 100 MHz width, and this leads to overlapping, which can cause interference. Since most routers are programmed to default to a particular channel, you can end up with a bottleneck that results in a poor WiFi experience. To combat this, it’s often suggested that you should manually tell your router which channel to use. Channels 1, 6, and 11 are optimal because they are far enough away from each other that a device using channel 1 will not overlap with channel 6. The same is true for devices using channel 6 – they won’t overlap with channel 1 or 11.
With a WiFi analyzer app, you can determine which channels are most or least frequently used and optimize your network to account for this. You can also drill into your security settings, signal strength, noise level, and more. Some WiFi analyzer apps, like NetSpot, also have additional features like WiFi heat mapping.
How To Use A WiFi Analyzer
First, you need to download the app to your Windows or macOS device. Once the app has been installed, you can start analyzing your network. The NetSpot WiFI analyzer has a Discover Mode that is great for gettings lots of detailed information at a glance. This mode looks at the rate of data transfer between the user and the internet to tell you the health of your signal. With only a few clicks, you can find all the wireless networks in your area, including your own network, and drill into details such as signal strength, security, which channel they broadcast on, and more.
For a more in-depth look, you can also use the Survey Mode, which will overlay your network information onto a map of the area so you can see exactly where the issues are. The heatmap will show where the signal is the strongest and weakest so you can eliminate any interference caused by physical barriers or competing networks.
How To Read A WiFi Analyzer
To understand the WiFi analyzer, you simply need to know what your benchmarks are vs what is displayed on the app. For example, what signal strength are you looking to achieve? The app will help you out with this. With heat mapping, as long as you know that red indicates a strong signal and that blue indicates a weak signal, then it will all come together.
NetSpot is intuitive and user friendly, so navigating around the app should be easy. If you do become stuck, there are user guides and “Ask a question” options within the app.
