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tammveli-blog · 7 years ago

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192.168.2.1 Router IP Address

192.168.2.1 is one of 65,536 IP addresses in the 16-bit block of private IPv4 addresses. Unlike public IP addresses, which are used to identify devices on the internet, private IP addresses are commonly used for local area networks (LANs) in residential, office, and enterprise environments and cannot be reached through the public internet.

192.168.2.1 IP Address and Routers Using It

Private IP addresses, such as 192.168.2.1, were defined by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), a nonprofit private American corporation that oversees global IP address allocation, to delay IPv4 address exhaustion. The exhaustion of IPv4 addresses has been anticipated since the late 1980s and is the main reason why the IPv4 addresses will eventually be replaced by IPv6 addresses.

The 192.168.2.1 IP address is the default IP address set for many routers, including almost all models from Belkin and some models from Edimax, Siemens, and SMC, however, it can be changed.

How to Log into Router Using 192.168.2.1?

Most people first encounter private IP addresses, including 192.168.2.1, when they try to enter router settings.

By entering the 192.168.2.1 IP address into a web browser’s URL bar, you can log into the router’s admin panel and change various settings.

Enter http://192.168.2.1 into a web browser's address bar.

A router login screen should appear, prompting you for an administrator username and password.

By far the most common router login/password combination is admin/admin. If it doesn’t work, go to the next section of this article, where we list other common default router passwords and usernames.

You should see your router’s admin panel.

Once you’re in, you can set-up a Wi-Fi network, change your router’s password, allow all devices on the same network to access a single printer, and so on.

How to Change the 192.168.2.1 IP Address?

Some routers allow you to change the 192.168.2.1 IP address to something else.In most cases, you can change one or both of the last two numbers of the IP address to any integer between 1 and 254. For example, you could change the 192.168.2.1 to 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.123.123 — you get the idea.

Why would you want to do that? Perhaps because your last router used a different IP address than 192.168.2.1, and you don’t want to remember a new one. Or maybe you already have a router with this IP address and would like to prevent confusion.

Regardless of why you want to change the 192.168.2.1 IP address, the steps that allow you to do so are always the same:

Log into your router.

Switch to advanced settings.

Look for Network Configuration or some other similar category.

Locate the LAN IP Address field and change it.

Save your settings and restart the router.

Conclusion

The 192.168.2.1 router IP address is a private IP address used as the default IP address for many routers, including most models from Belkin, Edimax, Siemens, and SMC, just to name a few popular router manufacturers.

You can use it to open the 192.168.2.1 login screen, which allows you to enter router settings, where you can manage your home wireless network, change passwords, see who’s connected to your Wi-Fi, and more. If you don’t mind a technical challenge, you can even change the 192.168.2.1 router IP address to something else.

Content from NetSpot site.

#192.168.2.1 #192.168.0.1 #192.168.1.1

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tammveli-blog · 7 years ago

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WiFi Security with NetSpot

How to secure your Wi-Fi network

With traditional networks the issue is that others can connect to Internet using your broadband connection even though they are not authorized to. Rogue APs, stations associating with the wrong AP and wardriving… Currently serious security breaches, sensitive data theft and forgeries are not that uncommon.

The general security issues for wireless networks

The possible problems are: 1. Confidentiality: the data you send through the network should be encrypted really well in order not to be intercepted and read by an unintended person. The proper way to decrypt the data is a key and a proper authentication process. 2. Integrity: Wireless networks are more exposed to attacks aiming at data integrity. 3. Availability: Radio jamming can easily restrict the availability of a network. Another type of attack, called battery exhaustion attack, is where unauthorized parties continuously send messages or some data to connected devices to exhaust their batteries. 4. Eavesdropping and Authentication: As wireless networks are broadcast, there are a lot of access points that are prone to be used for accessing the network. Prevention of eavesdropping is important. 5. Bluesnarfing or bluejacking: These attacks are performed through Bluetooth in order to steal or tamper the data. 6. Wardrivers: They perform security attacks with wireless devices like laptops by trying to connect to an unprotected network with the intention of recording private data of other users on this network. However it is not as difficult as it may sound to make your wireless network secure. Securing your network will prevent others from stealing your bandwidth and will stop hackers from taking control over your machines via your own WiFi network.

Wireless Security: what to start with

Firstly conduct a site survey with NetSpot WiFi Site Survey tool. It will immediately help you detect and eliminate rogue APs — the ones that were deployed without permission.

Site survey also helps expose unauthorized workstations. Organize an inventory of laptops and PDAs with wireless adapters, with user, MAC address and operating system information. This data is used for WLAN access controls. In case WLAN adapters are misplaced or stolen an up-to-date list is crucial.

You may discover close-by APs and stations not belonging to your network. A good thing to do is survey public areas neighboring with your facility, including all levels. The MAC addresses should be recorded, along with network name (SSID) and channel. Use this data to avoid the cross-interference and scratch the possibility of false-positive intrusion alerts.

It is recommended to get APs with high-grade antennas with strong yet tight signal. Their narrow focus will provide better security for the signal and less leaking outside where a wardriver can intercept it.

Steps to secure your wireless network

A few simple steps have to be taken to secure your WiFi network:

Step 1

Unique passwords

Create unique WiFi passwords for your routers. Creating unordinary passwords will prevent unauthorized users from getting access to a router and help keep the WiFi security settings that you set up.

Step 2

Assets to protect

In order to secure your WiFi network at home, every piece of your data has to be protected. And as for business network, it is important to decide which assets need protection and what will be the impact of theft, damage or loss of data. Upon deciding on the assets, enumerate threats and risks. After this basic work has been done, begin considering WLAN building alternatives.

Step 3

Network Topology

Think through how new WLAN segments are going to be integrated and how you will use the already existing components of your wired network. The topology, placement of devices and the security measures you take have the direct impact on wireless LAN security.

Apply restrictions to the AP placement in your network. All wireless APs should be untrusted and always placed outside the firewall or within a DMZ.

Integrate WiFi networks and wireless devices with already existing management structure. Decide whether APs, stations and WLAN programs need an inventory, additional configuration and monitoring.

Step 4

Network Encryption

Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is a security protocol that addresses weaknesses found in the preceding system WEP with both types of products being able to interoperate. This protocol incorporates the stable parts of the 802.11i security standard that is a work in progress.

After going through proof of concept and applied public demonstrations WPA showed some weaknesses and just like WEP was susceptible to intrusion.

You should use WPA2 whenever possible, and only use WPA in those cases when it is not supported by an access point. Sometimes a network speed may be affected by WPA2 usage, and then WPA also becomes an option, however it would be much more appropriate for the network security to upgrade access points. When none of the WPA standards can be used, then using WEP is possible.

UPD: WPA3 is the next-generation security protocol absolutely worth your attention. WPA3 provides better security and even saves you from your own security shortcomings.

What a WPA3 standard will offer once widely introduced:

Safer Connections

Back in 2004 when WPA2 was introduced Internet was different, it changed a lot since then. Currently WPA2 doesn't feature a reliable way to onboard new devices to a wireless network. The Wi-Fi Protected Setup method has known issues since 2011 and needs a fix. WPA3 promises to provide it.

The Wi-Fi Alliance product Wi-Fi Easy Connect allows users to onboard devices without or with a limited screen or input options. This method simplifies onboarding significantly because you need to just scan a QR code on your router and a device and everything else will be done automatically. When you scan a QR code you are using a public key-based encryption thus connecting devices that lack secure mechanisms otherwise.

The newly implemented Wi-Fi Certified Enhanced Open program offers great new advantages to the users of open wireless networks. It's not news that open Wi-Fi networks are not compatible with safe browsing, so it was never recommended to enter any sensitive data while on an open network. You probably know that it was because of the WPA2 protocol vulnerability - anyone on the same network as you can get access to your online activity and initiate attacks. Once you can use WPA3 on a public Wi-Fi network, your connection will be automatically encrypted thanks to the "Opportunistic Wireless Encryption" standard.

Password Protection

Password is the first and foremost thing you should think of when considering your Wi-Fi network security. We do not recommend using lazy easy to hack passwords in any case, but surely WPA3 will minimize the damage.

WPA3 protocol introduces the new key exchange process protecting you from dictionary attacks that are so popular with WPA2. Dictionary attack is when hackers simply run a process of going through every word and combination from the dictionary and eventually cracking a lazy typical password.

Another weakness of WPA2 - the usage of four-way handshake between clients and access points - will be eliminated in WPA3 with its secure and reliable Simultaneous Authentication of Equals handshake.

Even if your password gets compromised while using WPA3, your data should remain safe thanks to the protocol's forward secrecy. This basically means that all traffic sent and received before the attack is encrypted and remains to be. In case of WPA2 previous traffic was not encrypted and attackers could easily get hold of the information.

Step 5

VPN

If your business is already using a VPN access, think of using it for WLAN security. It makes the most sense when WAN and LAN security policies are consistent with the same encryption algorithms and credentials. Wireless LANs however have their own set of VPN issues:

With a high-speed wireless LAN there is more data to encrypt. In order to provide support for wireless encryption one may need additional gateways, specifically when using 802.11a/g at link speeds up to 54 Mbps.

Tunnels are tied to IP addresses. With APs changing IP addresses broken tunnels are reestablished but the disruption is often noticeable. In smaller wireless networks several access points may be sharing the same DHCP scope, while in larger wireless networks when stations roam the tunnel persistence can be provided by wireless gateways.

Deploying a client can be expensive and difficult to implement. Reusing already deployed clients is different from adding new ones with new policies.

Step 6

Control the Wireless Signal Range

When working in a smaller office you don't need a high range of your router to be active. You can either change the mode for your WiFi router to 802.11g (instead of 802.11n or 802.11b) or start using a different Wi-Fi channel.

Keeping Your Wireless Network Safe

In order to keep your Wireless LAN safe and secure you'll need to define and apply the right security measures to protect the access points from wardrivers. There are high-quality network security tools available that can discover WLAN, test the penetration and assess vulnerability. You can use NetSpot for site survey and then periodically run it to ensure there are no rogue APs and unauthorized connections in your network.

Source: https://www.netspotapp.com/wifi-network-security.html

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tammveli-blog · 7 years ago

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Everything You Need to Know About WiFi Routers

How to Choose a WiFi Router?

The internet has changed dramatically over the last two decades, and so did WiFi routers. The first generation of WiFi routers followed the introduction of WiFi technology in 1998 and offered speeds of only up to 2 Mbps. To put that number into perspective, consider that the average video bitrate of a Full HD YouTube video playing at 25 frames per second is 8 Mbps.

As you can see, it would be impossible to enjoy the internet the way we do today with an old WiFi router. Fortunately, WiFi routers have improved significantly since 1998. Most modern WiFi routers support the latest 802.11ac WiFi standard, which uses the 5 GHz band exclusively and is capable of multi-station throughput of at least 1 Gbps, and a single-station throughput of at least 500 Mbps, which is theoretically enough for over 60 YouTube videos playing simultaneously.

Besides being a lot faster, modern wireless routers are also a lot smarter. They support technologies such as beamforming to focus your WiFi signal where it’s needed the most, and they come with a host of security- and privacy-oriented features to keep you safe online. Of course, some features are reserved for the best WiFi routers and those who are willing to pay for them.

Generally, you should be satisfied with any brand-name router that supports the latest 802.11ac WiFi standard. But if you’d like to learn more about what separates best wireless routers from wireless routers that are merely average, we recommend you read about how to choose a WiFi router.

What Is Mesh Networking?

We’ve come to expect internet access to be available everywhere, and we have the same expectation even for WiFi networks. However, the average WiFi router can seldom cover more than a single room with a strong and stable signal, which is where mesh networking comes in.

From the outside, a mesh WiFi network works just like any traditional single-router WiFi network does: the network identifies itself to clients with a single SSID (service set identifier), and it may request clients to enter a password.

But there’s one major difference: the strength of a mesh WiFi network in a house or large office space doesn’t vary too much from room to room. That’s because a mesh WiFi network actually consists of multiple mesh WiFi routers, typically called nodes, organized in a mesh topology.

While it’s still more expensive to set up a mesh WiFi network compared with the cost of a single-router WiFi network, the benefits make it worth every penny — at least when configured correctly. Learn more about mesh WiFi networks and their configuration.

Best WiFi Routers

Professional WiFi router reviews and real users agree on one thing: the TP-Link Archer C9 is the best WiFi router for home use. With its affordable price, excellent features, and a sleek design, this 802.11ac-ready workhorse won’t disappoint even the demanding internet users. It supports beamforming technology, which allows it to concentrate the WiFi signal towards individual clients, and it’s also compatible with TP-Link’s mobile app, called Tether. The app provides an easy way how to access and manage the router and its various settings.

Despite TP-Link’s lead, other manufacturers have also come up with attractive products, including Linksys, which sells the Linksys EA6900 wireless router. There are more similarities than differences between the Archer C9 and the EA6900, so the choice mostly boils down to personal preference.

What makes the two above-mentioned routers best, in our opinion, is the value for money they deliver. But when it comes to raw performance the situation is different. WiFi routers such as the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AC5300 amaze with their powerful hardware components, alien design, and support for cutting-edge technologies.

It’s beyond the scope of this article to cover every WiFi router that deserves mention.Check the list of the best WiFi routers available in 2018 here.

Best Mesh WiFi Routers

The Google WiFi mesh router is easily among the best mesh WiFi routers available this year. Google has released what’s arguably the most accessible router period, but the real strength of the Google WiFi mesh router comes from the fact that its simplicity doesn’t take anything from its performance.

Google isn’t without competition as many other large companies have also released compelling mesh WiFi solutions, including Comcast, which is trying to revamp its Xfinity home internet services under the xFi brand. The xFi Pods, as Comcast calls its mesh WiFi extender devices, can be paired with an xFi Gateway to create a mesh WiFi network and eliminate areas where WiFi coverage drops or is weak.

Here you can find out the best mesh WiFi routers for 2018.

Conclusion

Regardless of which WiFi router you ultimately go with — whether an elegant performer like the TP-Link Archer C9 or a beastly gaming-oriented powerhouse like the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AC5300 — you should always use a WiFi analyzer such as NetSpot to determine the best place for the router and to optimize its performance.

NetSpot works on both macOS and Windows, is very easy to use yet powerful enough even for professional network administrators, and it can be downloaded for free and tested without any major limitations.

Source: https://www.netspotapp.com/about-wifi-routers.html

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tammveli-blog · 7 years ago

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Best WiFi Channel Scanner Apps for macOS

https://www.netspotapp.com/best-wifi-channel-scanner-apps-mac.htmlA good WiFi channel scanner app can reveal a lot of useful information about your wireless network and help you improve its performance. This article is intended for people who have never used a WiFi channel scanner app before. It explains what WiFi channel apps do and lists top 5 best WiFi channel scanner apps that you can download right now.

What Is a Channel Overlap and Which WiFi Channel Analyzer Apps Can Detect It?

Wireless networks operate on five distinct frequency ranges: 2.4 GHz, 3.6 GHz, 4.9 GHz, 5 GHz, and 5.9 GHz. Each frequency range is divided into several channels to minimize interference and network congestion. In this regard, WiFi channels are like road lanes. Just like multilane roadways can carry greater volumes of traffic than two-lane roads, so do WiFi channels allow more users to enjoy maximum download and upload speeds at the same time.

In most countries, the 2.4 GHz frequency range, which is the most commonly used short-distance frequency range, is divided into 13 channels with 5 MHz of channel separation. In North America, the 2.4 GHz frequency range is divided only into 11 channels, but the WiFi channel width is the same as in the rest of the world.

Because each channel on the 2.4 GHz spectrum is 20 MHz wide and the channel separation is only 5 MHz, only three channels don’t overlap with any other channels: 1, 6, and 11. This is important because WiFi channel overlap is a common cause of interference and performance degradation.

Most WiFi channel analyzer and SSID scanner apps can detect which channel a WiFi network operates on and plot all nearby networks on a graph to make it obvious which channels are used the least. Some WiFi channel analyzer and WiFi channel scanner apps, however, are far more reliable than others, and some also come with unique features that make WiFi network optimization much easier.

Why Do I Need to Use a Wireless Channel Scanner?

When you received your home router from your ISP, the chances are that you weren’t paying much attention to all configuration options available. One available option lets you choose which WiFi channel the router should operate on. It’s paramount that you pick a channel that isn’t already occupied by several other nearby wireless networks. But without a wireless channel scanner, you have no way of knowing which channels are busy and which are free from traffic.

A wireless channel scanner such as NetSpot can instantly scan all wireless networks in your area, detect which WiFi channels they run on, and provide you with other useful information that you can use to select the best possible WiFi channel.

Some wireless channel scanners can also help you optimize the strength of your wireless network by generating a WiFi strength heatmap of your local area and highlighting areas with insufficient coverage.

Best WiFi Channel Scanner Mac Computer Solutions

1. NetSpot

NetSpot is both an excellent WiFi channel scanner app and a WiFi survey tool. NetSpot features two distinct modes of operation: Discover and Survey. The Discover mode is what you need when you want to discover WiFi channel overlap.

When you activate it, NetSpot immediately analyzes all nearby wireless networks, gathers all available information about them, and presents its findings sorted as an intuitive list. You can then zoom in on individual wireless networks to learn more about them, or you can switch to the Survey mode and conduct a wireless signal strength site survey to discover dead zones. NetSpot is also one of the easiest WiFi analyzer apps to use, even though it’s used daily by countless network professionals around the world.

Discover. Analyze. Compare.Coming soon! Be the first to know about NetSpot WiFi analyzer for Android. Notify me

2. Wireless Diagnostics

Integrated into macOS is a handy WiFi analyzer tool that has much of the same functionality as many other free WiFi analyzer apps available from the web and App Store. The name of this tool is Wireless Diagnostics, and this is how you can access it:

Hold the Option key.

While holding the Option key, press the WiFi icon in the menu bar.

Click on the Open Wireless Diagnostics option.

Input your admin password.

Click on the Windows menu and select Utilities.

In the bottom right corner, Wireless Diagnostics will display recommended channels.

3. WiFi Scanner

WiFi Scanner can scan for surrounding networks and supply vital WiFi information needed for troubleshooting purposes. The app allows users to narrow down the results using customizable filter options, it can plot 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz channel graphs to display WiFi channel overlap, and it even includes a handy speed test feature so you can test the performance of your network in various areas. The information you gather using WiFi scanner can be exported into CSV files, making it easy to share it with others.

4.iStumbler

Apart from WiFi networks, iStumbler can also find Bluetooth devices and Bonjour services. The app supports both the 2.4 GHz frequency range as well as the increasingly more popular 5 GHz frequency range. Unlike many other WiFi analyzer apps, iStumbler isn’t free. The app costs $9.99 for all the computers that you own, and you can purchase your license in the store or right in the app. iStumbler works on all Mac computers running macOS 10.10 (Yosemite) or later.

5.KisMAC

KisMAC is a free and open source wireless analysis and security auditing tool for macOS. It’s built upon the original KisMac, which was developed by Michael Rossberg and Geoffrey Kruse. Unfortunately, the original KisMac hasn’t been updated since 2011, so Vitalii Parovishnyk, the lead developer of the current iteration of KisMAC took over and continued from where Michael Rossberg and Geoffrey Kruse had stopped. KisMAC works on all versions of macOS from 10.9, and it features an updated user interface that makes the software easier to use than ever before.

From: https://www.netspotapp.com/best-wifi-channel-scanner-apps-mac.html

#WiFi Channel Scanner Apps #WiFi Channel Scanner Apps for macOS

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tammveli-blog · 7 years ago

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Best WiFi Apps for Android in 2018

Finding the Range

Mapping the WiFi signals of the network can be a challenge. Using a desktop it too cumbersome. A laptop can work, but wandering around with a bulky laptop can get tiring. Much easier to use a tablet or a phone. Start the signal discovery in one spot, move to the next, and repeat the process until we’re done.

The problem becomes just which app to use. There’s plenty of them on the market for Android devices, ranging from highly technical tools to simple programs that are little better than the “Find Network” option in the Settings menu. If we want to get an accurate representation of the WiFi networks in our location, we don’t want to waste time with something that either requires a PhD in Computer Science to use, or waste money on an WiFi app for Android that does little more than show available networks.

We’ll run down the list of the best WiFi apps for Android phones, give a brief description, and help you find the one that will help plan your WiFi network without spending a ton of time and money.

The Best Free WiFi Apps for Android

The best kind of WiFi apps are the ones that can do the following:

Collect information on the name, type (a/b/g/n/etc), and frequency (2.4Ghz or 5Ghz).

Detect Signal strength.

Measure packet speed (how fast the upload/download speed really is).

This is more than just “What WiFi networks can my Android device detect”, but includes powerful data collection tools. Based on those qualifications, here’s the list of the best Android WiFi apps available as of 2018. Rather than bury the lead, we’ll start with our favorites and work our way down:

1. NetSpot

Available as a free download, NetSpot sets itself apart as one of the best tools with set of extensive data collection features, the ability to create heat maps of radio frequencies (for registered users), and comparison of the different networks the computer scan. It does it with a friendly user interface over all that power. This combination means that we don’t have to try and figure out cryptic commands or understand the how radio waves work.

NetSpot already has an amazing product for Windows and Mac OS systems. Netspot for Android brings that power as a free WiFi app for Android phones and tablets with a new interface, and its free Discover Mode allows users to simply walk through their building with their Android tablet or phone for the the entire range of WiFi networks available, then displays how they measure up. For example, with one chart we can see each of the networks and various differences such as signal strength, signal to noise ratio, the Ethernet address of the router, and related information. Another screen shows an amazing graph of signal strength of each network over time, so we can go from one section to the next, see how each network grows or falls in strength depending on where we are and when. It’s everything we need to find where our networks are working, where they’re fading, and where they’re failing altogether.

NetSpot for Android is a free download, so there’s no risk. Fill out the subscription form below to be the first to get a copy and use it yourself:

Discover. Analyze. Compare.Coming soon! Be the first to know about NetSpot WiFi analyzer for Android. Notify me

2.SpeedTest.Net

SpeedTest has been used by people around the world for years to find the difference between what one’s ISP’s claims and what the actual speed is.

This free WiFi app for Android measures the speed of uploads and downloads between the Android device, showing the user the real speed of their Internet connections. It gives a fast results on speed transfers.

3.Wifi Analyzer

WiFi Analyzer is another free Android application that can show the signal strength of the WiFi network.

It works by showing what signals are overlapping the others, so cross frequency issues can be resolved. WiFi works in either a 2.4 Ghz or 5 Ghz band, but there are “channels” within that range. If two networks are sharing the same channel, it can be more difficult to communicate. By understanding this, network administrators can arrange their networks to avoid interference.

4.Android WiFi Manager

Android WiFi Manager is less a network detection tool, and more a network switching tool. As we move from building to building, from the home to the coffee shop, we’ll encounter other networks of varying strengths.

Perhaps the WiFi for one network is strong in one building, but our Android device is still trying to connect to it when we’re in range of a better, stronger network in another location. Android WiFi Manager lets users switch from one network to the other without having to go all the way down into the Android settings to change networks.

5.WiFi Finder

If you’re looking for a WiFi app for Android available as a free download for phones that can quickly show the WiFi networks in range, this free WiFi app can help you get there.

It has a listing of free WiFi networks and can provide directions on how to get there. If you need to connect to the Internet and don’t know where to go, this might be the good option to pursue.

6.Fing

It has a funny name, but Fing is an Android tool that is useful in another way: it doesn’t detect WiFi networks, but detects devices that are using yours.

If you find network speeds slowing down or odd machines detected on your network, it might be hackers or leeches using your WiFi without your knowledge or permission. Fing can help find those rogue machines on the WiFi network so you can shut them out and protect your systems from attackers.

7.WiFi Signal Strength

It’s a simple name. It has a simple task: Measures the strength of the WiFi signal for a specific network. We can go from room to room and place to place, and it will show the strength of the network in that location.

Is not complicated, but it works. Use this as a WiFi booster for Android to help find the weak zones and put more WiFi devices there.

8.WiFi Inspector

Like the free WiFi app for Android Fing, WiFi Inspector is less about the WiFi itself, but about devices using the WiFi network. Not only WiFi devices, but any device connected to the WiFi network can be detected, including Ethernet devices. If it’s on the same network segment being services as the WiFi network, then the WiFi Inspector app will find them and give a report on what they are.

This is useful for finding rogue machines on the network, or if there’s a device but we can’t figure out what it’s network address is, WiFi Inspector might be the trick to help us find out.

9.Network Signal Info

This WiFi tool for Android is useful in that it not only shows the strength of the WiFi network, but also can display the strength of the cellular phone network. Elements such as the country code of the phone being used, the roaming state, and other useful cellular features are shown.

It’s not made for comparing a range of WiFi networks, but is handy for getting information on the different networks the Android phone is connected to. If for some reason the WiFi network is working all right but the cellular network isn’t working as well, this app can give some useful information to find out why.

10.3G 4G WiFi Map & Speed test

It’s a longer name for than the other applications, but the idea is simple enough: This application measures the speed on the 3G, 4G, or WiFi network that the Android device is connected to.

It doesn’t just detect the signal strength, but also shows the direction of where the network is using the built in compass. With the mapping feature, it can show the location of the nearest public WiFi networks so you can connect to that sweet, delicious free Internet access.

The End of the List

There are hundreds of WiFi apps for Android available as a free download. The difficulty can be in finding the best one for our needs. This list narrows that down that choice a little for locating the best WiFi tools for Android devices, their functions and abilities, and lays out what will work the best for the situation. Some of them are perfect as a WiFi booster app for Android, like NetSpot that can help plan out the best place to places our devices and determine how the networks interact with each other. Whatever your needs, find the best tool for the job, and let it work for you.

https://www.netspotapp.com/best-wifi-apps-for-android.html

#wifi #android

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tammveli-blog · 7 years ago

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Selecting and Installing a WiFi Booster

Our homes and workplaces are filled with obstacles that significantly reduce WiFi signal strength. Metal appliances, thick walls, electric wires, lights, and computers can bring an otherwise blazing fast internet connection to a crawl. When this happens, people often waste hours talking with their internet service providers or trying various tips and tricks on how to avoid interference and extend signal range. The net result of these attempts is seldom satisfactory.

The good news is that everyone can say goodbye to their WiFi signal problems. All that’s needed are the right tools for the job. Tried and tested by countless professional and home users alike, the combination of NetSpot, a wireless site survey, WiFi analysis, and troubleshooting app for Windows and Mac OS X, with a WiFi signal booster yields excellent results and is guaranteed to fill all the bars on the WiFi strength indicator on your smartphone or laptop.

What Is a WiFi Signal Booster

A wireless booster, also known as a WiFi extender or WiFi amplifier, is an electronic device similar to your home or office router. Its job is to receive a wireless signal, amplify it, and broadcast it again. Out of these, the amplification phase is the most important. Desktop computers, laptops, and mobile devices have tiny wireless chips with built-in antennas. In most situations, they do a good job, but they become inadequate as soon as you move farther away from the wireless signal source. In comparison, a wireless signal booster has two large antennas — one for receiving and one for broadcasting — which can be either built-in or external. The signal amplification electronic circuit works like a microphone, making weak signal strong.

A wireless booster can be used to strengthen an existing WiFi network and bring strong internet signal to all corners of a house or an office. You simply connect a WiFi booster to your network — just like you would a smartphone — and it will automatically start broadcasting. Most wireless signal boosters on the market are designed to be easily extendable. Let’s say that you would like a rock solid internet connecting in every room in your house, including the basement and the attic. The chances are that a single wireless signal booster wouldn’t be able to cover everything on this own. But two, three, or even four boosters are guaranteed to do the trick.

Selecting the Best WiFi Booster

How do you select the best WiFi booster for your home or office? First, you need to find out areas require signal boosting and which are fine as they are. You could, of course, use an online speed test to test whether your download and upload speeds match the advertised speeds of your internet service provider. The problem with this method is that it offers little to no precision. Online internet speed tests are affected by the total number of people using them, background network activity, and other factors. NetSpot’s Survey Mode is a much better solution. With it, you can accurately, quickly, and easily create a visual map of your entire network and see where it would be best to install a wireless signal booster.

Once you know how many WiFi boosters you need and where to install them, it’s time to decide which model to buy. Many WiFi boosters plug directly into the standard electrical outlet, making them convenient and unobtrusive. The most significant disadvantage of this type of signal booster is the weaker performance. Stand-alone wireless boosters come with external high-gain antennas that tend to provide noticeably better boosting than the integrated antennas of plug-in boosters.

Just like you wouldn’t expect a decade old WiFi router to support all modern internet standards, you can’t expect old WiFi boosters to support the latest wireless standards and encryption algorithms. At the very least, select a booster capable of achieving the same download and upload speeds as your wireless router. Better yet, select a booster that supports the most cutting-edge technologies on the market. You may pay more, but you’ll also get a lot more mileage out of it.

Finally, consider what perks come with the wireless booster. Some boosters are bare bones and don’t come with any extra features beyond the boosting itself. Other wireless boosters can provide their users with detailed usage statistics through WiFi booster apps. Not everyone cares about extra features like this, but, if you do, make sure your WiFi booster has them.

How to Install a Wireless Signal Booster

NetSpot comes with many handy features to help you find the perfect location for your WiFi booster. The one that you’ll likely find the most useful is the ability to start network surveys with heatmap visualizations of signal strength.

To start a new survey, launch NetSpot and switch to the Survey Mode.

Click on the Start a New Survey button and name your new survey.

If you have an existing map of your area, you can load it from your computer. Alternatively, you can use NetSpot’s map-drawing feature to create a new one.

Then it’s time to help NetSpot determine the scale of the map. Select any two points on the map and input the distance between them.

Select where you’re standing to start the first measurement.

Move to different places to complete the survey.

Once finished, click the Stop Scan button and go through the available heatmap visualizations to see the results.

If you see areas with a weak signal, you know where to place WiFi boosters. We highly recommend you use NetSpot to verify that the installed WiFi boosters fixed the original issue and improved your signal strength.

With NetSpot, you don’t need an expensive technician to make wireless connection drops a thing of the past. NetSpot is so easy to use yet so capable that anyone can instantly become a network expert and see where the problem is.

Sorce: https://www.netspotapp.com/wifi-booster.html

#WiFi Booster #wifi

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tammveli-blog · 7 years ago

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Using NetSpot for Easy Wi-Fi Detection

NetSpot is an easy-to-use wireless network detector app for Mac and Windows. It can help you to take a quick snapshot of the Wi-Fi networks around you. In addition, you can also use it to do a complete site survey of your entire wireless network area.Get NetSpot Wi-Fi detection is useful for many different situations, such as: — When you're traveling and need to find an open network to connect to. Having a Wi-Fi detector loaded on your MacBook or laptop makes it easy. — When you wish to test the limits of your Wi-Fi network's range, and determine just where your signal fades out. — When you are having some weak signal issues and want to find out if other networks in the area are interfering with yours.How to Use a Wireless Network DetectorUsing NetSpot as a WLAN detector is easy. Simply install the NetSpot app and place your MacBook or laptop in the area you wish to survey. Once the program has loaded, click the switch in the upper-left corner of the screen to change it from "Survey" to "Discover." NetSpot will immediately detect all the networks in range and display them on screen. At a glance you will be able to see specific details about each wireless network detected in the area, including: SSID – the name of the networkChannel – the channel the network is broadcasting on (1, 6, 11, etc.)Band – the band the network is broadcasting on (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 20 MHz, 40 MHz)Security Type – the kind of security the network has (WEP, WPA, WPA2, etc.)Mode – which 802.11 protocol the network has (a/b/g/n/ac)Level (SNR) – the network's Signal-to-Noise Ratio levelSignal level – how strong the network's signal isNoise level – how much noise is interfering with the networkHow To Use NetSpot for a Full WLAN Site SurveyIf you wish to get a more complete picture of your wireless network, you can use NetSpot to do a complete site survey. This will allow you to perform WLAN detection at various points throughout your network area.If you have not used NetSpot before, read "How Do I Start My Survey?" before starting. Next, identify the area you wish to perform Wi-Fi detection on and upload a map of the area. You could also draw a map using NetSpot's map drawing tools. Then proceed with your survey, taking data measurements throughout the network area. Once you complete your survey, you will be able to view heatmap visualizations. NetSpot's visualizations will allow you to see your signal strength, signal-to-noise ratio and signal-to-interference ratio coverage throughout the area you surveyed. There is also an AP Quantity visualization that will show you how many APs (access points or routers) are detected at every measurement point. NetSpot takes care of all of your wireless network detection needs.

Source: https://www.netspotapp.com/wifi-detection.html

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