Wifi Analyzer is an application for analyzing WiFi signal in Android. Google WiFi test: good signal strength everywhere How to check wifi signal strength on a laptop

As a result, we obtain the communication range formula:
Using all of the above data, you can calculate the range of the wi-fi signal. Practical part Important digression: At first it was planned to obtain a figure in decibels that corresponds to attenuation when a signal passes through obstacles. But this idea failed, because... It was not possible to establish the reason why the transmitter, with a fixed bitrate, for example 54mbit, switches to a lower bitrate (48mbit) when it goes beyond the boundary of the zone at which this speed can be achieved. Therefore, it was decided to obtain the result in meters. To conduct practical experiments, the following equipment was taken: wi-fi router ASUS WL500G Premium version 1 Transmitter power - 18dbm Antenna power - 5dbm netbook hp compaq mini 311 Antenna power - 5dbm UPS Let's calculate the signal range in the ideal case: 13 was chosen as the operating frequency channel f=2484 MHz, speed 54MBps at which sensitivity -66dbm. Let's find the total gain of the system: Y=18dbm + 5dbm + 4dbm + 66dbm - 1dbm - 1dbm = 95dbm FSL = Y - SOM = 95 - 10 = 85 D= 10^(85/20 -33/20 - lg2472) = 10^- 2.05 = 0.165 kilometers In theory, it turned out that the approximate range of the wi-fi signal in our case will be equal to 165 meters. Let's check these calculations in practice. The following territory was chosen as a research site:

The router was connected to the UPS and fixed at the starting point. Along the road, every 25 meters a person stopped and took measurements using a laptop. Here is the measurement result:

Measurement number	Bitrate, mbps	Signal, dB	Noise, dB	Distance, m
1	54	30	78	25
2	54	45	82	50
3	36	55	88	75
4	24	58	83	100
5	18	63	73	125
6	18	72	81	150
7	1	81	57	200

As can be seen from the table, the transmitter and receiver stopped supporting the speed of 54mbps in the range of 50 and 75 meters, and more specifically, the transition to a different speed was noted at a distance of 55 meters. Considering the fact that our antenna is circular, the resulting distance is the range of action, and the diameter of action, that is, the range, is 110 meters. The discrepancy between theory and practice is explained by the fact that not all parameters were taken into account, but in our case this is normal and not critical. Thus, we can say that our router provides a speed of 54 mbps at a distance of 110 meters. It should also be noted that at a distance of more than 200 meters the signal continues to be received, but the data transfer rate is 1mbps. At this speed, information cannot be transmitted normally. Based on this fact, let's try to see the effect of reinforced concrete on the wi-fi signal: To see how such a barrier affects, it was decided to use the following building:

Our router was installed on the first floor of the building. Thus, it turned out that we were measuring the signal from a “reinforced concrete box”. Here are the measurement results:

Measurement number	Bitrate, mbps	Signal, dbm	Noise, dbm	Distance, m
1	54	56	87	4
2	36	53	84	25
3	2	53	84	50
4	1	82	58	100

In this case, the speed of 54 megabits was no longer supported at a distance of 20 meters. Thus, the range of the wi-fi signal at this speed is 40 meters. Note: It is also worth paying attention to the fact that the thickness of such a wall is 10 centimeters. A brick room of this kind transmits a signal at a distance of 50 meters. Unfortunately, the thickness of the brick wall could not be recorded. Conclusions: Under these conditions, is it possible to formulate a universal guide to choosing a location for installing an access point? Most likely not, but we will try to name some basic principles that summarize the accumulated experience. 1. Place access points and wireless network subscribers so that the number of obstacles between them is minimal. You should especially strive to reduce the number of walls and ceilings: each obstacle reduces the maximum radius of the coverage area by 1–45 m. 2. Pay attention to the angle between access points (network subscribers) and extended obstacles. A wall 0.5 m thick at an angle of 45° for a radio wave is equivalent to a wall with a thickness of 1 m. But if the radiation arrives at it at an angle of a few degrees, its equivalent thickness will be an order of magnitude higher! Note that not all programs for planning indoor radio networks take this nuance into account. The most preferable and predictable option is when the signal is sent at right angles to the ceilings or walls. 3. Building materials affect signal transmission in different ways: entirely metal doors or aluminum cladding have a negative effect. Also try to ensure that there are no reinforced concrete obstacles between network subscribers. 4. Despite the high inertia of the signal strength monitoring software, do not neglect its help and position the antenna for the best reception. 5. Be creative with the placement of many remote antenna adapters included in the kit: if you “magnetize” them to the case in the wrong place, you can lose up to 25% of the communication range. 6. Move away from wireless network subscribers, at least 1–2 meters, electrical appliances that generate radio interference: monitors, electric motors, with special predilection for microwave ovens and cordless phones in the 2.4 GHz range. For typical housing, providing the required coverage is usually not a problem. But if you find an unreliable connection within an apartment, try starting your experiments by placing the access point in the middle of a conditional line connecting the most remote rooms where a wireless network is needed. If these measures are not enough, then you should consider the option of using indoor omnidirectional and directional antennas with increased gain. For hangars, warehouses, halls, large office premises with low-absorbing partitions, often quite effective means of simplifying the organization of WLAN are “ceiling” access points, shaped like large tablets, which use antennas with a special radiation pattern.

Surely, everyone has encountered a situation where a device detects a Wi-Fi network, but cannot connect to it, displaying . As we wrote earlier, the most common cause of all errors when connecting to a wireless network is a weak Wi-Fi signal.

Users constantly ask questions like:

• Why can’t I connect to a wireless network, because the device sees it?
• Why does my smartphone see the Wi-Fi network but not connect?

Let us briefly explain the essence of the problem once again: The Wi-Fi transmitter of a router has higher power than the transmitter of a laptop or smartphone. The transmitter power of the router is enough for the laptop (smartphone, tablet) to see the network, but the transmitter power in the laptop (smartphone, tablet) is not enough for the signal to reach the router. To put it simply, the client device sees the router’s network, but the router does not see the weaker signal from the client device. Therefore, the situation arises that the signal level is stable - 1-2 divisions, but you cannot connect to the Wi-Fi network.

Ways to strengthen the router's Wi-Fi signal and increase the area covered by the network

We list what measures can be taken to strengthen the signal of a wireless network and expand its coverage area. Let's start with the most important tip: determine for yourself the places in the room where you want to have a stable Wi-Fi signal. If there are several of these places, place the wireless router at an equal distance from them. We often see comical cases when a router hangs near the entrance to an apartment, and the Internet is used in the farthest room. Guess what the owners' complaint is? Of course low speed and regular Internet interruptions. And the solution is extremely simple - just install the router a few meters closer. Perhaps after this you will not need to rack your brains about how to strengthen the wireless signal and, in addition, you will not need to spend money on buying a repeater or an additional access point.

1. Setting up a Wi-Fi router and network adapter

First of all, you need to check the power settings of your wireless router or access point. Make sure the transmitter power is set to 100%. It would be stupid if you moved the access point and then discovered that it was not working at full capacity.

3. Installing a more powerful antenna

In some cases, the situation can be saved by connecting an external remote antenna (with a high gain) to the router instead of the standard one. This option can be tried if the router has a removable antenna. An important detail is that the remote antenna can be placed where a router cannot be installed. Sometimes, these couple of meters help solve the problem of a weak Wi-Fi signal.

4. Buying a repeater

This is another option to strengthen the signal and increase coverage. The repeater solves the problem of weak signal and long distances. By installing it, you add an additional link to your Wi-Fi network. Now some devices will be able to connect to the main router, while others will be able to connect to the repeater, depending on whose signal they receive better.

This option is simple only at first glance and we placed it in last place for a reason. The fact is that in practice, a Wi-Fi network design consisting of a wireless router and a repeater is by no means ideally stable. For large houses where the problem of a weak Wi-Fi signal is acute, We recommend implementing a scheme where several routers are connected with an ethernet cable (read more).

If you still decide to use a repeater to expand the network coverage area of ​​your router, keep in mind:

• the repeater and router must be from the same manufacturer;
• It is highly desirable that both devices run on the same chipset.

Now you know how to strengthen the Wi-Fi signal of your router, wireless modem or access point.

It is often necessary to quickly check the WiFi signal level in order to select the most free channel with good reception quality. A simple android application Wifi Analyzer is perfect for this task.

With its help, you can easily not only determine free channels, but also check the quality of Wi-Fi reception in different places in an apartment or cafe, or view signal changes over time. After launching, a graph will be visible in the main window of the program, which will display visible wireless networks, the reception level and the channels on which they operate. If they intersect on the graph, this will be clearly displayed.

You can also look at the “rating” of channels, similar to any star ratings, which clearly shows how appropriate it is to choose one or another of them at the moment. Another feature of the application is the analysis of Wi-Fi signal strength. First, you will need to select for which wireless network the test is being performed, and then look at the reception level, while nothing prevents you from moving around the area or checking for changes in the quality of reception depending on the location of the router.

It would also not be amiss to add that our interest in the WiFi network can be not only in passive analysis. Using your mobile phone, you can also try to guess the password for a wireless access point. For this you will need an application called WIBR.

WIBR is a unique application with which you can hack your neighbor’s Wi-Fi and use his Internet for free. This is not a joke, WIBR works on the principle of automatically selecting passwords (brute force) for Wi-Fi, and if the password is simple, then the probability of guessing the password is close to 100 percent.

Vibr supports hacking several Wi-Fi networks at once, and shows information on one screen; when you click on one of the networks, you can see detailed statistics on the progress of work: the number of passwords per minute, how many password options have already been checked and how many are left.

The application supports loading your own dictionaries; to do this, you need to download them (or write all the possible passwords in notepad yourself and save them in txt format), specify the path in the program itself. Especially for our users, we have added more than 10 dictionaries with the most common passwords.

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. 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 this, your computer's Wi-Fi card will begin broadcasting a Wi-Fi signal to which other devices can connect. It is worth noting that your computer will work using the 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.

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 started, it always minimizes to tray and does not interfere with computer work at all.