Optimize Your WiFi Using NetSpot WiFi Analyzer App

What Is a WiFi Analyzer?

If you could see wireless network activity with your eyes, you would most likely be surprised by how many wireless signals are in range. In densely populated areas, the demand for WiFi connectivity is so large that it’s causing major issues with signal interference, which can lead to slowdowns and connection drops.

To solve issues with signal interference, you need to somehow make wireless network activity visible, and that’s where WiFi analyzers come in. What is a WiFi analyzer? Good question!

WiFi analyzer apps, also called a WiFi channel analyzers, make up for our inability to see wireless signals by displaying all important information about them in a visually accessible manner. With a capable WiFi analyzer, free or paid, you can collect information about both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signals and instantly transform the collected information into easy-to-understand graphs, charts, and heatmaps. It can be run on just about any WiFi-enabled laptop, tablet, or smartphone, and no special skills needed.

What Information Does a WiFi Analyzer App Show?

WiFi analyzer apps like NetSpot show a wealth of useful information to help you troubleshoot and improve your network's coverage, capacity, and performance. Here’s a small sample of what NetSpot can gather:

• Service Set Identifier (SSID): In simple terms, an SSID is the name of a WiFi network as you see it when you choose from a list of available networks on your mobile device or computer.
• Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID): This unique identifier is used to distinguish between individual WiFi access points, and it typically corresponds to an access point’s MAC address.
• Signal strength: Usually indicated in dBm (decibel milliwatts), signal strength is a logarithmic measure expressed in negative values, with -30 dBm being the maximum signal strength one can realistically hope to achieve.
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR): Useful for determining how much a WiFi signal stands out from unwanted signals, SNR is a measurement of signal strength relative to background noise.
• Band: WiFi analyzer apps can tell you which WiFi frequency band is used by a wireless router.
• Channel: It’s also important to know which WiFi channels in your area are used the most and which are relatively empty. With a WiFi channel analyzer, you can visualize channel usage and instantly see which channels should be avoided.
• Security: Unsecured wireless networks present a huge security threat, but you can easily identify them with the right WiFi analyzer app.
• Vendor: Unfortunately, not all WiFi vendors are known for keeping their products secure, which is why it’s useful to know who has manufactured the routers that are broadcasting WiFi signals in your area.
• Noise: Indicates the amount of signal interference caused by non-WiFi devices, such as cordless phones, security cameras, baby monitors, microwaves, Bluetooth headphones, smart home gadgets, and so on.
• PHY mode: Shows you which 802.11 protocols (a, b, g, n, ac or ax) are used by access points in the area. Access points using older 802.11 protocols are more likely to lack support for modern security standards and data transmission technologies.

Equipped with all this information, you can easily troubleshoot complex WiFi issues and ensure that you’re getting the best coverage and performance possible.