Wifi analyzer apps - Wi-Fi Analyzer can scan nearby wireless access points and show which spot has the best signal and least traffic. That's neat on its own, but the free app can also help you boost your home wireless network.
Wi-Fi Analyzer does a pretty nifty job of offering up intriguing views of your Wi-Fi connection. Pictured at left is the loop graph, which does a good job of showing which nearby hotspot offers the best connection possibilities. In another view, you can see which channels on the router you're connected to would offer the best connection, in star ratings. Gizmodo commenters and other reviewers have seen some decent improvements in their Wi-Fi networks by switching to a better channel, though you should note that channel switching might muck something up, potentially, and a router reset might be in order. All said, though, it's a pretty handy tool to have on your phone.
Wi-Fi Analyzer is a free download for Android phones only. A complementary app, Wi-Fi Connector, is needed to connect to Wi-Fi spots directly from the Analyzer, though that's a free download as well.
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| Wifi Analyzer by Webprovider |
Now that everyone has a Wi-Fi router, those who live in cities or towns often suffer from overlapping Wi-Fi signals, as their neighbours' routers are all sharing a pretty tight wireless frequency range. It’s not uncommon to turn on Wi-Fi on your phone and find that there are ten or more wireless networks in close proximity.
If they happen to be transmitting on channels that are close to that used by your router you may experience a drop off in wireless performance. Wi-Fi Analyzer is a simple, but effective app that scans networks within range and shows you which channels they are using. This allows you to then find a free channel that you can switch your router to in order to avoid interference and boost wireless throughput. It will even suggest better channels that you might want to choose.
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| Wifi Analyzer by farproc |
If your router is connected to the same channel as those used by other Wi-Fi networks in the nearby vicinity, you could experience a slow connection or one that frequently drops out. By configuring your router to use a channel that’s less crowded (or ideally not used by anyone else) then you can avoid these problems. You could just try flicking between different channels on your router until you get the best Wi-Fi experience. Alternatively, you can download this free app that does the hard work for you.
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| Wifi Analyzer by farproc |
Once you’ve installed Wi-Fi Analyzer, you’re presented with a graph that shows the different Wi-Fi networks nearby in different colours and the channels they are currently using along with the strength of signal. This will give you an idea of whether your network has a strong or weak signal and whether the channel is currently set to is crowded or not. You can also view the signal strength of ach of the networks in the style of a speedometer in a car and see network details such as security levels and exactly which channel they’re using.
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| Wifi Analyzer by farproc |
