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usuallymaximumblizzard-blog · 7 years ago

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Slow WiFi: What Causes It and How Can You Fix It

Why Is My WiFi So Slow?

To understand what makes your WiFi slow, you first need to understand what WiFi actually is. Essentially, WiFi is a technology that allows various internet-enabled devices to connect to the internet over the air. A WiFi network is created using a wireless router. Not all wireless routers create the same WiFi network, however.

WiFi Standards

Older wireless routers only support older specifications for implementing wireless local area network (WLAN) computer communication, such as 802.11g, which operates at a maximum transmission speed of 54 Mbit/s and was adopted in the market starting in January 2003.

Newer wireless routers support 802.11n (capable of operating at a maximum transmission speed of 600 Mbit/s on both the 2.4 GHz and the 5 GHz bands) and 802.11ac (capable of operating at a maximum transmission speed of 1 Gbit/s).

As you can see, it’s unreasonable to expect very high WiFi speeds with an old wireless router. Similarly, it’s also unreasonable to expect high WiFi speeds with a cutting-edge wireless router but an older electronic device that doesn’t support the same modern specification for implementing WLAN computer communication.

If you know that your wireless router is past its primetime, you should consider upgrading to a newer model. While the other tips how to fix slow Wifi described in this article would be applicable even with a slow router, you might be wasting your time trying to implement them since the gains would likely be minuscule.

To determine whether your current wireless router is due for a replacement, we recommend you download and use NetSpot, a wireless network site survey application for Mac and Windows.

Open NetSpot.

Start a new site survey.

Select the WiFi network broadcasted by your wireless router.

NetSpot will accurately measure wireless network speed, sending queries to random servers and calculating the time it takes for them to be sent and received. Using the obtained information, which includes upload rate, download rate, and wireless transmit rate, you can then decide whether your wireless router still has some life left in it.

Utilization

Any WiFi network is like an invisible party venue. When you’re on a WiFi network alone, you can go wild and crazy and use it to its full capacity. When you invite just the right number of friends to join you, everyone can still have fun without bumping into one another too often. But when too many people come in, the network quickly becomes crowded and the options how to have fun become severely limited.

The total capacity of the invisible venue is determined mostly by your internet connection and the kind of specification for implementing WLAN computer communication you’re using. If you pay for fiber optic internet, you can naturally expect higher speeds than with a broadband internet services.

The problem with many WiFi networks is that they are held at the same party venue as other networks. The WiFi signal is transmitted on five distinct frequency ranges: 2.4 GHz, 3.6 GHz, 4.9 GHz, 5 GHz, and 5.9 GHz. Each of these five ranges is divided into several channels, with some channels overlapping others.

In practice, if your wireless router and your neighboring’s router both broadcast a WiFi signal on the 2.4 GHz frequency band and the first WiFi channel, it’s like two parties being held at the same party venue simultaneously.

Being a professional wireless analysis application, NetSpot can help you discover all nearby WiFi networks and determine which of them might be interfering with your WiFi network. In Discover Mode, NetSpot connects information about surrounding WiFi networks and presents wireless data as an interactive table. NetSpot supports both the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, making it effortless to locate the busiest and the least occupied channel.

Range

Like any signal, the WiFi signal has a limited range. There are several factors that influence how far from a wireless router a device can be and still have a good signal strength, and the router itself is one of them.

Low-end routers tend to have weaker, often internal, antennas that are not nearly as powerful as the antennas found on high-end wireless routers. What’s more, high-end routers support MIMO technology (multiple-input and multiple-output), which is used for sending and receiving more than one data signal simultaneously over the same radio channel by exploiting multipath propagation.

MIMO is often used in conjunction with beamforming, a signal processing techniquethat allows for directional signal transmission or reception. In other words, a wireless router with support for beamforming can focus the signal to the device that needs it the most, which results in a longer transmission range and higher maximum transmission speeds.

But even the most state-of-the-art router equipped with all the latest and greatest technologies is limited in terms of its range to a certain degree. And when solid obstacles and large metal appliances are thrown into the mix, the limitation can be quite severe.

That’s why it’s always a good idea to use NetSpot’s Survey Mode, which allows you to make a WiFi signal strength visualization by walking, marking your position on the map, and giving NetSpot a few seconds to collect data samples.

To use it, simply open NetSpot and click the Survey button. Then upload or create a map of the area you wish to survey and let NetSpot guide you through the process. After you’re done, you will know exactly what the range of your wireless router is and how to fix slow WiFi.

Source: https://www.netspotapp.com/how-to-fix-slow-wifi.html

#slow WiFi #fix slow WiFi #how to fix slow WiFi #WiFi

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usuallymaximumblizzard-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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usuallymaximumblizzard-blog · 7 years ago

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Top 10 Ways to Boost Your WiFi

1. Select a Good Place for Your Router

Not all places are equally suitable for your router. To start with, you want to avoid placing your router close to metal objects and appliances that emit electromagnetic waves. Ideally, you also want to keep a safe distance from electric wires. To cover an area with an even WiFi signal, you should place your WiFi router roughly in the center. You can slightly boost your wireless signal by elevating the router above the floor level.

2. Keep Your Router Updated

If you follow the news, you’ve heard about the growing number of large-scale malware attacks that are costing businesses and individuals alike billions every year. Many of these attacks wouldn’t be possible if all routers were kept updated. Once a malware infects a router, it can steal bandwidth and spread itself across the network to other devices. But even without a presence of a dangerous malware, routers with old firmware perform worse than routers that are properly updated.

3. Get a Stronger Antenna

Most WiFi routers come with small, weak antennas. It’s not that manufacturers want to save every cent they can, but powerful WiFi antennas tend to be hideously large. Compared to the antenna that came with your router, which probably is just a few inches tall and has around 4 dB gain, a 10-dB antenna can be anywhere between 10 to 15 inches tall. But if you don’t mind the size, a new, powerful WiFi antenna is a great way how you can boost WiFi at home or office without buying a new router. All WiFi antennas use the same RP-SMA connector, so you can just head to Amazon and order any home WiFi antenna with great ratings.

4. Cut Off WiFi Leeches

An encrypted, password-protected WiFi is a must in this day and age. With more people than ever relying on WiFi than ever, the hunger for open, fast WiFi networks is real. Don’t think that your neighbors won’t use your WiFi network just because they have their own — they will, and they might not even know about it. You should encrypt your WiFi and protect it with a strong password that can’t be easily guessed. If you have lots of guests, create a separate guest network and either significantly limit its range or protect it with a different password and change the password often.

5. Buy a WiFi Repeater/Booster/Extender

Even though they are referred to by many names, WiFi boosters, repeaters, and extenders are basically the same thing. Simply put, they take a WiFi signal, amplify it, and transmit it again. A good repeater costs around $100, and it can be installed in a few minutes by anyone. The installation process usually involves only the press of the WPS button. Some are meant to work with a dedicated WiFi booster app that makes it easier to fine-tune certain WiFi settings to achieve the best performance possible.

6. Switch to a Different WiFi Channel

Just like lines on the highway, there are multiple WiFi channels on which a WiFi router can broadcast. Even though most countries have six non-overlapping channels (1, 6, 11, and 14), many users leave their router set on the default channel, which is usually either Channel 1 or Channel 6. This results in a WiFi traffic jam as too many packets are trying to drive on the same line. The solution is simple: find out which channel is occupied the least and switch to it. This can be done with the help of NetSpot, a professional and easy-to-use WiFi analysis and surveillance tool.

7. Control Bandwidth-Hungry Applications and Clients

It takes just one bandwidth-hungry application or a client to make download and upload speeds come to a crawl for everyone else on the same WiFi network. Luckily, modern routers support services like QoS (Quality of Service), which allow users to prioritize certain applications over others. With QoS, your online gaming session won’t ever be interrupted again by a person watching a 1440p video on YouTube or downloading a huge Linux distribution from the Internet.

8. Use the Latest WiFi Technologies

The newest wireless technology, IEEE 802.11ac, offers superior download and upload speeds as well as improved range compared to older WiFi technologies, such as IEEE 802.11b, g, and others. To take advantage of the latest WiFi technologies to boost home WiFi, you need to make sure that both your home router and your WiFi-enabled devices, such as smartphones and laptops, support them.

9. Switch to 5 GHz

The 5 GHz wireless frequency provides faster data rates at shorter distances and is typically much less busy than the 2.4 GHz wireless frequency. If your router supports it, consider switching to it for an instant short-range speed boost.

10. Don’t Forget to Reboot

The timeless IT advice, “If it doesn’t work, try switching it on and off", also applies to WiFi routers. A simple reboot is often enough to considerably improve your WiFi speeds. A reboot clears the router’s memory and allows updates to install.

ConclusionWith these ten tips, you should have no problem boosting your WiFi network without buying a new router. Make sure to have NetSpot

at hand to check whether our tips helped each time you try one. We guarantee that by the time you get to the number ten, your WiFi will feel faster than ever before.

From: https://www.netspotapp.com/top-10-ways-to-boost-WiFi.html

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usuallymaximumblizzard-blog · 7 years ago

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Best WiFi Speed Test Apps for Mac in 2018

Owning a beautiful Mac computer and not being able to enjoy it because of poor internet speeds is always a shame. But with our list of the best WiFi speed test apps for Mac in 2018, you’ll be able to determine exactly why your internet speeds are not as fast as they should be so you can do something about it.

To test your internet connection, we recommend you use one of the WiFi speed test apps recommended in this article. The WiFi internet speed test apps listed below send and receive data to and from a remote server to calculate your maximum download and upload speed, making it clear whether your ISP is providing you with the advertised speeds or not.

Top 3 Best WiFi Speed Test Apps for Mac

1.NetSpot

NetSpot is the only WiFi network speed test app on this list that does it all, including in-depth WiFi analysis and surveys. Designed with both professional and home users in mind, NetSpot brings to the table a modern user interface that exposes all features of the app at a glance and two distinct WiFi analysis modes: Discover and Survey.

NetSpot’s Discover Mode is perfect for a quick analysis of nearby WiFi networks. It instantly gathers all available information about WiFi networks that are within reach, including the channel they are broadcasted on, their strength, noise, BSSID, and security. The Survey Mode allows you to create a detailed signal heatmap of an area to see which parts of the area are covered with a strong WiFi signal and which could use a boost.

To conduct a WiFi site survey with NetSpot, you simply upload a map of the area you would like to survey, or create a new map from scratch using the NetSpot’s built-in map editor, and walk from one part of the area to another until NetSpot has all the information it needs to create a heatmap that shows where the signal is the strongest and where it is the weakest.

NetSpot is available for Mac and Windows computers, and it can be downloaded for free for testing purposes. The cost of a full NetSpot license for a single home user is only $49, and a discounted company-wide license is available for companies with more than 10 employees. Non-profit organizations, education institutions, and government organizations are also eligible for a considerable discount.

Pros

Easy to use

Many useful features

Available for Mac and Windows computers

Free version

Excellent customer support

Modern user interface

Cons

None

2. Speedtest by Ookla

Speedtest by Ookla is a popular online answer given to anyone who asks, “What’s the best way to test my WiFi speed?” While not nearly as feature-packed as NetSpot, Speedtest delivers on its promise of performing accurate, fast WiFi network speed tests with a click of a button.

Ookla, the company behind this popular speed test WiFi app, has a global network of servers in all regions of the world as well as a comprehensive internet speed database based on the results from millions of people who’ve used Speedtest by Ookla so far. Thanks to this database, you can compare your internet connection with other people living in your area, which can help you decide whether you should look for a different ISP.

Pros

Simple to use

Accurate

Global coverage

Cons

Lacks features

Collects data

3. Fast.com

Fast.com is a super-simple WiFi speed test app for Mac and other computers and devices with a modern web browser. Unlike most other similar apps, Fast.com only measures your download speed, and it does so as soon as you open it. It also lives up to its name and works very fast, making it perfect for people who don’t know much about computers but would like to know why they can’t watch an online video in low quality without buffering.

Pros

Works automatically

Accurate

Clear user interface

Cons

Lacks features

Doesn’t measure latency and upload speed

Collects data

How to Improve WiFi Speed?

The speed of virtually every WiFi network can be significantly improved by determining the optimum place for the WiFi router using a WiFi analyzer app such as NetSpot.

Start by running a WiFi survey of the area you would like to cover with a strong WiFi signal by walking from one part of the area to another and marking your position in NetSpot. Once NetSpot has collected enough data samples, the app will visualize your WiFi network by creating a detailed signal heatmap and highlighting all signal weak spots and dead zones. This will give you useful reference data that you can analyze after every change you make.

You should place your WiFi router away from electronic appliances that could cause electromagnetic interference and avoid large obstacles, such as furniture. You should also avoid broadcasting on the same WiFi channel as other WiFi routers near you. NetSpot’s Discover Mode is perfect for finding out which WiFi channels are used the most.

These few simple adjustments are usually enough to dramatically increase WiFi speeds. Just remember to test WiFi speeds after every adjustment you make so you never go one step forward and two steps back. With a professional WiFi analyzer app such as NetSpot, fast and stable WiFi is within your reach.

From: https://www.netspotapp.com/best-wifi-speed-test-apps-for-mac-2018.html

#WiFi Speed #WiFi Speed Test #WiFi Speed Test Apps #Best WiFi Speed Test Apps #Best WiFi Speed Test Apps for Mac

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usuallymaximumblizzard-blog · 7 years ago

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Outdoor WiFi

Let’s face it: you want fast wireless Internet access, and you want it everywhere. It’s no longer good enough to connect wirelessly indoors when there’s a whole world outside to explore and enjoy if only you could keep up with your Twitter feed and post pictures on Snapchat at the same time, which is exactly what outdoor WiFi range extenders and access points allows you to do.

How to Extend WiFi Range Outside?

There are several ways how to extend WiFi range outside. If you live in a house and would like to connect to the Internet when relaxing in your backyard, a new router might be able to cover your entire house and your backyard with a strong and stable WiFi signal. Modern high-end routers have several antennas that allow them to transmit a WiFi signal over long distances and communicate with multiple devices at the same time. They also support beamforming technology, which improves signal strength and transmission speeds by directing the signal to individual devices connected to the router.

But if you’re happy with your existing router, an outdoor WiFi extender might be a cheaper solution. A WiFi extender has two antennas—one for capturing wireless signals and the other one for transmitting them after they have been amplified by the extender. You connect a WiFi range extender to your existing wireless network and position it somewhere between your wireless router and the place you would like to extend your wireless network to. The WiFi range extender creates a new wireless network to which you can connect just like to the original one. The biggest downside of WiFi range extenders is the need to manually switch to the stronger network when standing at the edge of the original network.

An outdoor WiFi mesh network removes the need to switch between networks by creating a single network made up of radio nodes organized in a mesh topology. Data packets in a mesh network can be transmitted dynamically and non-hierarchically to as many other nodes as possible to find the most efficient route. What’s more, outdoor mesh networks can be easily extended, and modern mesh network solutions have made very easy for anyone to create a mesh network at home.

How to Measure WiFi Range?

To choose which method for extending WiFi range outside is the best for you, you should first measure the range of your existing WiFi network using a WiFi analyzer app such as NetSpot. We recommend NetSpot because it is trusted and praised by professionals and home users alike, works on both macOS and Windows, and can be downloaded for free. With NetSpot, you can easily create a comprehensive WiFi site survey to discover how far your network reaches and where signal dead spots are located.

Ideally, you should extend your WiFi network to cover the entire area you want to cover and not much farther than that. Extending your WiFi network too much would leave you vulnerable to more attackers than necessary. Every time you make an adjustment, make sure to use NetSpot to check whether the result of the adjustment was positive or negative. Wireless signals are influenced by many different factors, and it’s not always possible to predict which adjustments are going to yield positive and which are going to yield negative results.

Top 3 Best Outdoor Wireless Access Points and Extenders

EnGenius ENH1750EXT Outdoor Access Point

The EnGenius ENH1750EXT is a very capable outdoor access point with six detachable antennas and two Gigabit Ethernet ports with PoE (Power over Ethernet). The support for PoE means that you need only one cable to both power the access point and transmit data to it. The second Ethernet port can then be used for connecting an IP camera, computer, or additional access point.

The EnGenius ENH1750EXT is IP68-rated, which means that it’s deemed fit enough to withstand dust, dirt and sand, and is resistant to submersion up to a maximum depth of 1.5 m underwater for up to thirty minutes. The access point supports both the 2.4 GHz as well as the 5 GHz band and transmission speeds of up to 1,300 Mbps. It can use both bands at the same time to optimize bandwidth and deliver the strongest signal possible to all devices that support the 5 GHz band.

NETGEAR Orbi Satellite Outdoor Mesh WiFi System

The Orbi Satellite is more than an outdoor router or outdoor access point—it’s a full-fledged tri-band WiFi mesh system that’s perfect for anyone who’s ready to say the last goodbye to deadzones. Because the Orbi Satellite mesh system has been designed with regular users in mind, its installation is completely painless, and its setup is done from a convenient mobile app, the NETGEAR Orbi app.

Two Orbi Satellites can cover up to 5,000 square feet, and you can easily extend your Orbi mesh network with additional Satellites or other Orbi-compatible products from NETGEAR, such as the company’s small wall-plug WiFi extender. Orbi Satellites are splash-proof and ready to be mounted to a pole or installed on a wall.

Ubiquiti UAP-PRO

The Ubiquiti UAP-PRO outdoor WiFi access point supports the latest 802.11ac WiFi standard and 3x3 MIMO technology, which allows it to use multiple transmitters and receivers to transfer more data at the same time. Despite its fondness for cutting-edge wireless technologies, the UAP-PRO access point is as elegant and discreet as wireless access points get, featuring a refined industrial design that is guaranteed to look equally great inside your house and outside.

Thanks to the UniFi Controller v4 software, the Ubiquiti UAP-PRO is ready for high-density client deployments and unlimited scalability. This enterprise-class software remains very easy to use even though its range of capabilities far exceeds that of an ordinary WiFi access point. You can remotely access the UniFi Controller to upgrade deployed UniFi APs while in the field or utilize the latest wireless technologies with a click of a button.

From: https://www.netspotapp.com/outdoor-wifi.html

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usuallymaximumblizzard-blog · 7 years ago

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Xfinity® WiFi and NetSpot

Xfinity®, a subsidiary of Comcast®, has been developing a network of hotspots intended for use by Comcast® customers. Called Xfinity® WiFi, this innovative wireless system is comprised of millions of WiFi hotspots broadcasted by home routers of Comcast’s existing customers. In this article, we’re taking a closer look at how the Xfinity® WiFi network works and how you can make the best of it using NetSpot, a professional Windows and Mac OS X app for wireless site surveys and in-depth WiFi analysis.

How Does the Xfinity® Router Creates a Hotspot?

Each Xfinity® router is equipped with two antennas. One antenna is used to broadcast a private home network based on the plan selected by the customer. The other antenna broadcasts a separate public network called xfinitywifi.

This allows businesses and homeowners to provide their clients and guests with an internet access without sharing their WiFi passwords. Because the private network can’t be accessed from the public network, opportunistic hackers have no way how to gain access to the information broadcasted on the private network. To keep the private connection unaffected, Comcast® allows only 5 people to be connected to a single Xfinity® hotspot at a time.

Any Comcast® customer who has signed up for XFINITY® Internet can access all Xfinity® WiFi hotspots free of charge. Comcast® also sells Xfinity® WiFi Access Passes, starting at $2.95 for 2 hours and going all the way up to $54.95 for a single month of access.

In theory, one could travel across the country and get by without a cellular data connection, hopping from one Xfinity® hotspot to another. Because the location of the hotspots is publicly available, businesses have an incentive to make Xfinity® Wifi available to their customers and passers-by.

Comcast® has released a Xfinity® WiFi app for Android and iOS to help customers locate all Xfinity® hotspots within range and automatically connect to Xfinity® WiFi around town. If you happen to stumble upon a Xfinity® WiFi that’s not working, you can use the app to find the closest suitable alternative quickly.

Make the Most of Your Xfinity® WiFi Hotspot: Xfinity® Speed Test and Optimization

Comcast® has over 23 million internet customers, with most using the Xfinity® router to broadcast public WiFi for others to connect to. With so many people broadcasting at the same time, the 2.4GHz range can become very crowded, and the download and upload speeds can come to crawl.

Fortunately, you can easily optimize your Xfinity® internet speed using NetSpot, a professional wireless site surveys, WiFi analysis, and troubleshooting app for Windows and Mac OS X. NetSpot can help you discover WiFi networks around you and create detailed WiFi strength heatmaps. To use the tool, all you need is a laptop or desktop computer running Windows 7 or higher or Mac OS X 10.10 or higher.

Perform a Simple Xfinity® Signal Strength Test

If you’re experiencing slowdowns with your Xfinity® home connection or your Xfinity® WiFi hotspot, you should find out how strong the signal is and how many other WiFi networks are broadcasting on the same channel. NetSpot features two ways how to measure your WiFi signal strength: one quick and one detailed.

The quick method can be accessed by activating the Discover mode:

Click on the Discover/Survey slider at the top of the main screen to highlight the Discover option.

NetSpot will instantly create a concise report of all WiFi networks in your surrounding area, coupled with a lot of useful information such as the WiFi band, the average signal strength, the amount of noise, the encryption method, and more.

Use the information to access the status of your WiFi connection.

With the Discover mode, you can find out how strong or weak your WiFi signal is to verify the cause of your sluggish internet speeds. If the signal is strong, you know that the problem is most likely elsewhere.

But if the signal is weak, you need to take some actions to fix it. For that, you’ll need more information, which is exactly what the Survey mode is for:

The Signal level heatmap visualization displays the WiFi signal strength throughout the surveyed area.

The Signal-to-noise ratio visualization helps you pinpoints sources of signal noise and get rid of them. These often include home appliances, radio equipment, or lights.

The Signal-to-interference ratio shows the interference from other wireless networks.

Once you’re done, you can use the gathered information to decide which areas should be strengthened using WiFi boosters and repeaters, and you can also determine whether it wouldn’t be beneficial to move your Xfinity® router elsewhere.

Give NetSpot a try and discover how easy it is to optimize your home WiFi network and improve your internet speeds. Even though NetSpot offers professional features, its approachable, modern user interface makes it suitable even for casual computer users.

Reliable Home Security with Xfinity® Home

Fast and reliable internet speeds are essential for all users of Xfinity® Home, Comcast’s home security system with around-the-clock monitoring, remote control, real-time alert, and voice control. Xfinity® Home equipment, including window sensors, motion sensors, cameras, and water sensors, transmit data over WiFi, freeing users from messy cables.

As such, Xfinity® Home is a subject to signal interference and potential signal dropouts. With NetSpot, you can quickly and easily ensure that all security devices connected to your Xfinity® Home security system are covered by your home WiFi network. Use the Survey mode to select the optimal places for your security cameras and other equipment.

Note: All trademarks mentioned are property of their respective owners.

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usuallymaximumblizzard-blog · 7 years ago

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Google WiFi Mesh Network Setup

Connecting devices to a Google WiFi Mesh Network is made easier with NetSpot. Find dead zones, create heat maps, and maximize the reach of the network with your Windows or Mac computer, NetSpot, and your Google WiFi devices.

Reaching Everywhere with Google WiFi

Google has brought the world better and faster ways to expand their reach of knowledge in the world, from powerful search tools, file archiving, email, and that hidden Breakout game in their image search feature.

One of their hardware offerings has helped people expand the reach of their home networks without a ton of complicated machinery. Google WiFi mesh networks helps users create their own expanded networks within their home or small business environment. WiFi has a long range, but it can be affected by all sorts of factors such as:

Distance: the further the distance, the weaker the signal on the other side will be.

Interference: Every electronic device puts out electromagnetic waves. The more devices in an area, the greater the interference which can weaken signal strength.

Building materials: More buildings are being made with metal frames to protect against harsh weather conditions. Metal can also block signals, but consider other sources of metal. Like a kitchen with a microwave or a stainless steel refrigerator.

The problem is just where to put the devices. Rather than just scatter them randomly about and hoping for the best, we can use tools like NetSpot to show the strength of our network at each location, and use that information to best place our devices.

How Mesh Networks Work

Google WiFi mesh networks work by a series of small devices working together to connect devices to the network. Imagine a gymnasium of people, and we really want to talk to the person on the other side of the gym. We have a few options:

We can shout louder at them. Doing so takes up more energy, and will likely tire us out as well as really hurt our voice. Also, if we want our friend to shout back at us, we have to hope there aren’t people also trying to have a conversation along the way to block their voice and that we can hear them from across the entire gym.

Get a direct connection between us and our friend, like running a telephone line between us and talking that way. It’s great for quality and speed - but now we have to have this wire between us to worry about everywhere we go.

Create group of other friends to pass the messages between us. We can write down our message and hand it to one friend, who will pass it on to the next friend, and the next, until it reaches our intended target. When our friend wants to return the message, they just reverse the process.

The last option is how a mesh network works. We have to set up our “network of friends” beforehand, but now even when there are more and more people in the gym, our messages have a good chance of getting through. The more friends we have, the more we can get our message to the other areas of the gym. But more important than just the number of friends is where they’re positioned. If we can’t hand our note off to someone because they’re out of reach, then our messages still won’t go anywhere.

Google WiFi Prerequisites

Now that we know what kind of network we want to use, here’s how to set up our Google WiFi mesh network. In order for this process to work, we need some things first:

A connection to the Internet: This can be a local router or cable modem that has Ethernet ports for us to connect.

An Ethernet cable: We have to connect our first Google WiFi mesh deviceto the router. Note: This is usually provided in the Google WiFi package.

At least one Google WiFi Mesh device.

A cell phone with the Google WiFi app on it - this can be either for Android or iOS.

NetSpot on either Windows 7/8/10, or a Macintosh. This can be downloaded for free at https://www.netspotapp.com/, and the heat map feature is available to registered users.

If all of those pieces are in place, let’s get to setting up our Google WiFi Mesh Network.

Google WiFi Setup

If we have the hardware and Internet connection in place, here’s how to add our Google mesh WiFi devices:

Plug the first Google WiFi power cable and attach it to the device.

Plug the ethernet cable into the Google WiFi device, then into an available port on the router or cable modem. Note: Make sure that we can connect to the Internet this way. The easiest way would be to disconnect a laptop from WiFi, then connecting it to the router via the Ethernet cable. If we can still connect to the Internet, then we are good to go.

Wait for the Google WiFi mesh device to power up. Once it’s ready, it will glow blue.

Launch the Google WiFi app. On the bottom of the Google WiFi device is a QR code. Scan that with the cell phone camera. This provides the settings and connection information that we’ll need for the rest of the process.

Wait for the Google WiFi App to verify the settings. The Google WiFi device needs to be connecting properly to the Internet for all of this to work.

In the Google WiFi App, give this device a location like “Home Office” or “Downstairs Hallway” so we know where it is in our location.

Enter a WiFi network name and password. From this point on, this will be how we connect our devices to the network.

Before we go on, make sure that NetSpot is installed and running. Remember that for the Heat Map functions we need a registered version of NetSpot. For more information, check out the license options at https://www.netspotapp.com/netspotpro.html.

Once the first Google WiFi mesh device is plugged in, launch NetSpot on our laptop and let’s see how things look so we can decide where to place our next device. Here’s the procedure for this:

Connect to the new Google mesh WiFi network.

Start the NetSpot app and select “Start a New Survey.”

Give the project and zone appropriate names. If you have a map, select “Load a file with a map” that represents the local area we’re going to scan.

Select “Active Scan.” Go through the location with the laptop, and click where the laptop is on the map. NetSpot will scan the WiFi frequency and measure how strong the signal is as well as other factors. Do through each area where we will be having devices.

Once done, select the Heat Map option (for registered users) and we’ll see how the signal looks through the property. If this is a free version, then we can still get our information by the charts and signal strength from NetSpot’s statistical tools.

Now we can see where our signals are stronger or weaker. Blue is weak, and red is strong. As we can see from our map, we have decent signal strength through most of the location, but the far left side things are weaker. Placing our next Google mesh WiFi device in the middle where the signal starts to weak would be a great place for our next device.

Now we know where to setup our Google WiFi devices. Here’s how to add a new device to the network to expand its reach:

Plug in the next Google WiFi device into power and wait for it to boot up.

In the Google WiFi app, give it a named location. Follow any additional prompts to make sure it’s properly connected to the network.

Load NetSpot and rescan the network. If there are any additional weak spots, move the Google WiFi device in a different spot and rescan.

Repeat these steps with any additional devices.

Here’s an example of a very simple building and the heat map with just two devices attached, scanned in different areas:

Expanding With Google WiFi

Using NetSpot with the Google WiFi setup process can turn the easy to use Google WiFi devices into an even stronger system for our devices. We can find all of the weak zones, and maximize the spread of our network so every device has maximum connection. The download is free, a license for home use is very affordable, and it’s an easy to use tool that gives the power of an enterprise application with an easy to use interface. Try it for yourself, and happy connecting.

Source: https://www.netspotapp.com/google-wifi-setup.html

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usuallymaximumblizzard-blog · 7 years ago

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Best Mesh WiFi Routers 2018

https://www.netspotapp.com/best-mesh-wifi-routers-2018.htmlIf the WiFi signal in your home is a constant source of problems, a WiFi mesh network might just be the right solution for you. In this article, we take a closer look at what this latest wireless technology solution for home network offers, and we also recommend three mesh routers to help you create your own mesh network and solve your WiFi signal problems once and for good.

What Is a Mesh WiFi Network?

A traditional home WiFi network relies on a single wireless router to provide all devices on the network with Internet access. The problem with this network topology is the fact that even the fastest wireless router can only cover a limited area before its signal becomes so weak that it can no longer be considered usable.

A common solution is a WiFi extender, which is a device that receives a weak signal from a router, amplifies it, and creates a new WiFi network to broadcast the amplified signal. As impractical it is for home users to manually switch between multiple WiFi networks when moving from room to room, WiFi extenders are unusable for businesses and institutions that need to cover a large area or multiple floors with a single wireless network.

A mesh WiFi network overcomes the limits of WiFi extenders by dynamically and non-hierarchically organizing nodes on the network to cooperate with one another and deliver data from and to clients in the most efficient manner.

The typical WiFi mesh network consists of a single mesh router connected to the Internet with a wire and several satellite mesh routers, called nodes, that talk to one another to expand the wireless network to every corner of your home.

To achieve the best results when creating a mesh WiFi network, individual nodes in the network should be placed far enough from one another so they broaden the signal, but close enough so they can still communicate with at least one other node in the mesh WiFi network.

What Are the Best Mesh WiFi Routers?

Even the best WiFi routers that rely on the traditional spoke and hub network topology are unable to cover very large areas with a strong and stable wireless signal unless they are assisted by WiFi extenders, which significantly complicates things and often confuses users, who have to manually switch between wireless networks depending on their current location.

The best mesh WiFi routers, on the other hand, can cover as large area as necessary to provide all network users with a strong and stable Internet connection regardless of where they are. We have selected three mesh WiFi routers from the leaders in this market segment to help you overcome the restrictions of your existing WiFi router with a single purchase.

Google WiFi

The Google mesh WiFi system is a great way how to get started with mesh networking without any headaches. The system is available in several sizes to cover everything from small apartments to large mansions. According to Google, a single Google router should be able to cover 500-1500 square feet, depending on how many walls and other thick obstacles it has to deal with. Two Google mesh routers should comfortably cover 1500-3000 square feet, which is approximately the size of a regular home, and three Google mesh routers should cover up to 4500 square feet, or the size of a large home.

We have yet to see a Google WiFi review say that this mesh system is difficult to set up. Google has made the installation of the Google WiFi so easy that anyone can do it without any help. The companion app for mobile devices provides helpful guidance when you first plug in the router, and it also features a simple control center that allows you to prioritize devices on your network, see what’s connected, turn on parental controls, and more.

Eero Mesh WiFi

The Eero Mesh WiFi system is much more unobtrusive than most other similar systems currently available, but it’s just as capable. Eero doesn’t come with any limitation to how many connections it can support or how many nodes it can include. Thanks to its TrueMesh technology, your WiFi signal can hop between individual Eero nodes to travel down hallways or go around walls. This technology was developed using machine learning and data collected from real Eero users, and its benefits are noticeable, as just about any Eero reviewer would tell you.

Connecting the Eero system to the Internet could hardly be any simpler. The base unit has two Ethernet ports for wired connection to the unit and to one other device, such as a TV or computer. The base unit can be extended with an unlimited number of Eero Beacons, which plug directly into any outlet and easily expands your Eero mesh WiFi system to cover every corner of your home.

NETGEAR Orbi

The NETGEAR Orbi is a tri-band mesh WiFi system that can deliver a fast Internet experience from the attic to the basement. The Orbi WiFi system comes pre-configured and works right out of the box. You can start with a single Orbi node and expand according to your needs. We recommend you use a WiFi analyzer app such as NetSpot to measure how far your Orbi mesh network reaches. That way, you know exactly whether you really need to spend money on another Orbi.

Compared to Google WiFi and Eero, the Orbi system is up to 100 percent faster, delivering 222 Mbps compared to the average of just 71 Mbps of other mesh WiFi systems. NETGEAR also claims that the Orbi system is able to cover more square feet with two devices than other mesh systems cover with three. The superior performance of the Orbi system can be attributed to its patented tri-band WiFi technology, which establishes a dedicated backhaul connection that helps maximize internet speeds for 4K streaming and connections to multiple devices.

Source: https://www.netspotapp.com/best-mesh-wifi-routers-2018.html

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