One of the most interesting programs for analyzing the work of wifi is considered to be "wifi analyzer" for windows.
With its appearance, the task of finding channels and problems with them has become much easier.
And today we will consider why such an analyzer is needed and how to use it.
wifi analyzer - what is it?
Analyzer is a program that allows you to scan available networks and analyze the availability of the Internet. Its main task is:
- analyze channel distribution;
- analyze the signal quality;
- conduct an interference analysis;
- issue a report bypassing analysis tools such as Aircrack.
Similar ones work in a slightly different direction, although they are able to carry out analysis.
You can download the application for free using the play store.
DownloadWhat is wifi analyzer for?
There are a huge number of programs that offer work on analyzing the Wi-Fi signal. The difference between them is not major.
Somewhere the interface changes a little, somewhere, some additional function is present. But the results of the work of all are approximately the same - the same tables with conclusions.
Today we will look at a completely new application with which you can easily make working with wifi easier. It is used for computers and for Android phones.
Let's say you installed a router to distribute Wi-Fi in your home. It does not always happen that the first time the settings are made with high quality, and the signal catches perfectly.
What is it connected with? The neighbors also have the Internet, there is also a router and there are several media that can be connected to it.
Here they are the cause of your troubles with the signal. Simply interference caused by such a device.
The real find is that routers can work not on one channel, but use several of them. This is what analyzer is required for.
It will help determine the most suitable channel that will not respond to extraneous interference.
Advice!
If you have a router in your house, then be sure to download a free one or purchase a paid analyzer. You should not hope that the interference will pass by itself, and certainly you should not be content with little. Even if, after using the application, you deleted it, for example, to save space. You still need to contact him anyway.
Wi-Fi analyzer - a miracle program
Having spent only a few seconds of his time, the user can easily get all the existing information about the fullness of the network and the quality of the received signal.
After performing the check, two tabs will be available to the user. The first one contains data on the quality of the wifi channel.
This window will help you easily decide which of them will be most appropriate to join.
The second tab presents information and each channel individually. With its help, you will receive information about how much the option you are interested in is loaded.
Both pages are presented in the form of a table. All networks are marked with different colors.
To the left of it, all found options for connecting are written.
In the upper right corner is the program settings icon.
Application benefits and reviews about it
All the reviews that are found on the Internet about this application are only positive.
Some users who have installed it on their phones brag about the fact that now there is no need to run around the streets in search of free Wi-Fi.
Advantages:
- the big advantage of this program is that it practically does not take up any space in a passive state;
- in order for it to determine the signal, even a weak manifestation of it is enough;
- there is a sensor to determine its strength;
- You can turn on the soundtrack. The better the command, the louder the sound of its notification will sound;
- the application is free and is available to anyone;
- gives advisory advice on solving problems that have arisen;
- automatically detects the existence of illegal devices and the presence of network vulnerabilities.
Where to download the program?
The Wi-Fi analyzer is provided free of charge, and it is not difficult to find it on the Internet.
1 For Android meringue phones, you can find it on Google Play. This is the easiest option. It is very easy to do this. Type in the search bar a query like “download the Wi-Fi analyzer program from Google Play” and you will see the required results. Follow the link provided by the system. In the application, next to the program we are interested in, there is only one “download” button. So it's impossible to go wrong here. Click on it and wait for the results. After the download, follow the recommendations of the system, and install the application on your media without any problems.
2 On Windows 10, the official download source is the Microsoft website. It's free.
A feature or even a problem for this method is that for a successful result when downloading, you must have windows not lower than the tenth version. If it is not like that, then the application is necessary. Will have to update. If this is not done, the download will simply not be possible.
Of course, you can install some alternative, for example, inSSIDer (it is paid), or Acrylic WiFi Professional. This is the user's choice.
When you run a network test on a computer, a message will be displayed that will tell you which one is the best option for the area. It looks like this:
On the screen of the phone, based on android, the information is presented in approximately the same way.
The file analyzer utility is designed for installation on Windows 10 release series. If you have a different version of the software on your computer, tablet or laptop, installation will not be possible.
If you really need this application, you will need to update for windows or use one of the analogues of the program.
Wifi Analyzer for Windows 10 on a computer looks like this.
is a measure of the sensitivity of the receiver; this indicator displays the weakest signal level at which Wi-Fi is possible. For normal operation, the value of this section must not be less than 85 dBm. This indicator is quite enough for the device to work correctly.
– the quality of the signal itself;
– network settings;
– mas – address of this network.
Under the scale there is a row of signs that indicates the signal level:
- means that the supply is weak;
- you have chosen not the best option among the channels;
- the line used does not have Internet access;
- the internet is not secure.
A very handy thing in some computers is the presence of a BSSID. Translated from English, this is a unique number that is assigned to a wireless Internet channel.
If such a function is present on your computer, it becomes possible to configure several access points at once.
One SSID can contain up to four BSSIDs.
What do you need to choose the best channel?
To make such settings, you need to go to the program tab, called "Analyze". The quality indicators of the channel of different types will be displayed here.
The designations are deciphered as follows:
- Wi-Fi indicators of different users who live in the nearby range.
- The force with which the apparatus of each of them works.
- channels themselves.
According to such a table, it is difficult to understand where the largest number of access points are located, and to choose the best option.
But this is not the most understandable option for the inhabitants. It will be much more convenient if you enable the SSID parameter.
Then each line is signed with a specific name, which makes it easier to work with it.
The application is very convenient in that it not only analyzes, but also displays the result in the form of a table with the rating of channels that are best suited for your device.
What should I do if the signal quality, after the settings, has not improved?
If after all the parameters are set, and the supplied Internet still leaves much to be desired, you need to check the following points:
- Try placing your router away from the wall. This will help remove the interference that comes from other people's devices. Moreover, these interruptions do not necessarily come from another router. They can be caused by any technique.
- Move the device around the apartment until the best place with the highest quality signal is found, and, accordingly, Wi-Fi speed.
Analyzer for android
After downloading the program, there are no problems with it. To get started, just run it. It will start checking for available network options and displaying the results on the screen.
This mobile phone utility is the most understandable and acceptable. Still, its advantage is that it practically does not require free space in memory.
After the analysis, information will appear on how actively a particular network is used in a given territory.
How often the router operates. All this history will be displayed in the "properties" and "channels" tabs.
If your settings are similar to the example, this means that the phone you are using is not being interfered with by any of the available networks. After all, they practically do not intersect with each other.
Also, you can find out information about how strong a particular signal is.
To do this, go to the "Properties" tab "Channels". The performance rating will be displayed as stars.
Although such an application does not take up much space in the phone’s memory, at the end of the check, you can simply delete it, and if necessary, download it again. It does not take a lot of time.
On the phone version, there is also a tab with a speedometer, which is responsible for the frequency of the signal. This feature is very handy.
To select the best in quality, the user needs to move around the territory and pay attention to the indicators of the arrow.
When she is at her highest place, your search job is done.
Just like in the PC version, you can enable audio for this page.
Then, as the quality increases, the output sound in the device will also increase.
And start NetSpot. By default, the program will open in Search Mode, which will help you monitor the wireless networks around you in real time. Please note - NetSpot remembers the active mode before exiting the program - search mode or polling mode.
Step 2
Search and scan mode
In the search mode, in a few seconds you will receive the first data on the surrounding wireless networks. And the longer NetSpot works in search mode, the more accurate and complete the data will be.
Step 3All found Wi-Fi networks visually
The Search Mode in NetSpot 2.x is a separate interactive list with information about all non-hidden wireless networks. The list is updated depending on the interval you set, every 5-10-30 seconds. If any network goes missing, you will still be able to see it for a while and determine how long ago it disappeared.
Step 4Scanning Wi-Fi networks
To stop scanning, simply click on the "Pause" button in the lower left part of the program window. Scanning will be suspended until you start it again. If too many found wireless networks are displayed, you can filter them by any parameter or simply exclude them from the general list.
Step 5
Multifunctional radio space scanning
In the NetSpot Search Mode, you can configure the list to display the parameters of the found networks of interest; this list is configured by right clicking on the table header. Typically, users are interested in signal strength, network name, network signal-to-noise ratio, BSSID, channel, mode, security, and so on. You can also set the order in which the parameters are displayed: just press and hold the parameter of interest in the table header and move it left/right depending on its priority.
Step 6
Visualization and export
NetSpot provides the ability to visualize and export the received data. To visualize the data, click on the lower left side of the "Details" window, where you can see a real-time graph and analyze the received data of the network of interest. To export received data to CSV, click "Export" on the main toolbar.
Hidden network scanners.
The vast majority of routers today come to the user with a good set of settings in the field of protection, such as:
- WPA encryption;
- MAC address filtering;
- Possibility to work at reduced power of the signal transmitted to clients;
- Ability to disable DHCP and use a static IP address;
- Ability to hide the wireless AP name (SSID).
All these settings reduce the chances of a hacker not only to break into wireless access, but also to find the point itself. They lower it, but they cannot prevent it. In the next article Computer76, we will talk about the last of the settings I have indicated - SSID.
Anyone who has dealt with configuring a router knows that the network name is an option that is open by default. Beginners give it a name, thinking only about how to make their point unique among others. Pros - hide the name of the network to hell.
Why does the network name appear in the settings as an open setting? Yes, everything is simple - I found a network among the others, entered the password - and on the Internet. After a “two or three problems” with the network, the user begins to realize that a neighbor who has become adept at Kali Linux can just as easily do it with his network. A network with a broadcast name is minus one serious obstacle for a hacker.
Hide the name of the network and end the matter? No matter how.
You no longer need to be a hacking guru to find a hidden network. The software market presents a sufficient number of utilities and programs that will do a good job with your hidden network. The list of detected networks, of course, will depend on the selected modem model. Further. These programs will not be able to “hook out” the name of unnamed SSID networks. Some of the programs show an empty field instead of a name, some define the network as Non-Broadcasted.
In order to feel the difference, I suggest you first use the built-in search tool in windows. Open command console and type:
As you can see, although the team exists, you won’t get much profit with its help. Let's move on to third-party utilities.
The simplest and, perhaps, the most popular of them - WirelessNetView. If you are doing security testing, then in the Options menu the ability to select scanning using a specific modem card will definitely come in handy. There is an audible signal when a new AP is detected. It does not require installation.
The nameless network is immediately visible: it is ... without a name. Plus, you can cancel the more active work of the built-in or connected translator. If you found out with WirelessNetView open network, you can connect to it directly from the options menu. No, of course, social networks and online payments.
Hidden network scanners
The following program has a more beautiful design. Utility inSSIDer allows you to scan at two frequencies simultaneously or separately for each. Other filters are available. But most importantly, hidden networks are displayed accurately. The program works on all versions of Windows.
Hidden network scanners
Next program NetSurveyor at startup, it will also prompt you to select a wifi receiver and immediately begin continuous scanning for nearby networks. A very informative window, however, does not differ in functionality from previous programs:
Hidden network scanners
Compared to other programs of this kind, this one - - weighs the most - over 20 MB. It will require installation. The interface is colorful, but all the information and settings are in one tab ... An animated radar is shown in part of the program window, which shows the nearest access points:
download hidden network scanner
Finally, aircrack-ng. The most productive of its kind? works with all versions of operating systems. Especially took root in. This is already a professional utility that will complete our list, and with which hackers are very familiar. If she is a novelty for you, be sure to get to know her. I do not give a direct download link - Google will block it, download from the developer's site. From there, too, it swings not without problems - a block like “suspicious site” is triggered. However, with the help of this program, you can not only reveal hidden networks, but thoroughly work on them.
For the Android platform, there are several more reliable applications that have a good reputation in the Google store, among them:
- Advanced Spectrum Analyzer PRO;
- Analyzer - Home Wifi Alert;
- Spectrum Analyzer;
- SpecScope Spectrum Analyzer.
The functionality of all the above software is quite similar, so you have the opportunity to download and test each program separately, and then choose the most suitable one for yourself.
WiFi analyzer software
In addition to the classic WiFi Analyzer, there are plenty of good applications for both computers and mobile devices. For example, for Android, you should select an analyzer with an open platform, which is available for download in the Play Market and has the name WiFiAnalyzer (open-source) from the developer VREM Software Development. It is a robust tool compatible with all OS versions up to Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
For Apple devices, an application called Network Info II is suitable, which can display all information about nearby networks on your screen. It is very easy to use due to the well thought out user interface. The Fing application can also be very useful, thanks to which you will find out complete information about the devices connected to your access point.
Among the applications for desktop solutions, the highly popular Acrylic WiFi Home software deserves special attention. Unlike other programs, this one works not only with versions of Windows that support Metro. Rich functionality, a multi-frequency scanner and a user-friendly interface are available to you completely free of charge.
An example of the work of a Wi-Fi analyzer
The analyzer works very, very simply. For example, the WiFiAnalyzer application for Windows is enough to install and run, after which you will receive complete information about the network. The first and main tab displays the connection to the current network and its status, as well as the signal quality in percent and -dBm. For example, 80% is a fairly good indicator, but it can also be improved, about which the program will definitely warn you in the "Analysis" tab.
Below you can select a frequency of 2.4 or 5.0 Ghz, as well as see recommendations on how to improve the signal. The analyzer automatically scans the channel load and offers you to switch to the freest one, which will increase the quality of your Internet connection. In the "Networks" tab, you will see all the access points available for connection and the signal level in order to choose the most promising option. Even if you are satisfied with the speed and quality of the Internet, it is still recommended to use analyzers sometimes, especially if you play online games, surf the net or watch streaming video.
Networks. It is possible that someone has accessed your Wi-Fi network and is consuming data without your knowledge. How to define it? Recourse to special software.
The software will show a list of devices that are accessing the Wi-Fi network. Whether it's a mobile device, laptop or PC, you'll be aware when an unknown device connects to your Wi-Fi network. Unfortunately, it is not possible to disconnect a device connected in this way, but you can manually change the network password in the router settings.
Who Is On My WiFiWho Is On My WiFi
The software shows notifications right on your desktop in real time when an unknown device connects to your Wi-Fi network. In addition, detailed information about a specific device is provided, including the last known IP address of the device, MAC address, date and time when the device was first discovered, digital signature, when the device was last discovered, currently connected or not, network name. cards (if possible), etc.
Apart from this, you will see a list of all detected devices and check which device is currently connected or not. Known device can mark it as "known". Setting Set IP ranges and scan frequencies is also available in this software.
The ability to block a specific device is available, but in a paid version.
The installation file of this program is 2.32 MB.
Wireless Network Watcher
Wireless Network Watcher is a portable software for detecting intruders on your Wi-Fi network. D For the connected device it turns out almost the same information as in the software mentioned above.
In addition to this information, you can export the list to a text file, HTML file or CSV file for further use. You can put this program in your system tray and it will constantly scan in the background.
The first time you launch the program, you will be prompted to install a network adapter and change the range (if necessary) of the IP address in order to start the scanning process.
The size of the installation file is 292 KB.
SoftPerfect WiFi Guard
SoftPerfect WiFi Guard is also very useful for automatically and regularly scanning networks for rogue devices. You can set the network scan time automatically within the range of 1 to 60 minutes. You can set your own IP ranges and audio file to play when an unknown device is detected.
After the scan is completed, a pop-up window appears that displays the IP address and MAC address of unknown devices. In addition, all connected devices are visible. For each individual device, the provider name, RTT (Round-Trip Time), device name, IP address, MAC address and other information are shown.
The installation file is about 2 MB. When starting for the first time, you need to select a network adapter, as well as configure scan settings.
NCS Network Scanner
NCS Network Scanner is a very simple software that does not require any settings to detect devices connected to Wi-Fi. When you run the program, you can start scanning with one click of the mouse, the program will find devices connected to the network. It does not show detailed information for the device. Just the hostname, IP address, response time, and reason for the break.
This software is useful for novice users. Displays a list of connected devices for a specific time. There is no way to save the list to PC.
ZIP file 2.08 MB.
NetBScanner
One of the easily customizable programs. Unfortunately, it is not able to detect mobile devices associated with your PC, which is a significant disadvantage of this software.
Devices are scanned based on the range selected by the user. As a result, you can see the IP address, workgroup, computer name, MAC address, adapter manufacturer, and the main browser used by this device. You can export the list to a CSV file, a text file, an XML file, or an HTML file.
The size of the installation file is 278 KB. When you run it for the first time, it will prompt you to set the IP address range and scan speed. After that, the scan will start.
Conclusion
The first three programs in this list are the most effective in discovering all devices connected to a Wi-Fi network. Although you can use the router's Wi-Fi administrative console to check the list of devices, this takes some time. The listed software is easy to set up and shows detailed information about the connected devices.
Leave your feedback:
A router today is in almost every home. But such an abundance of Wi-Fi routers could not but affect the quality of the signal. Very often, networks overlap one another and there are interruptions in the Internet signal.. And this despite the fact that he is strong and nothing visible should interfere with him.
The reason just may be the imposition of several access points on one channel. For apartment buildings, this problem is especially relevant. Only the user needs to distinguish between signal and router problems. So very often they confuse the complete freezing of a smartphone on the Android platform at the stage of downloading torrent files. Here the reason is different.
Wi-Fi breaks can proceed as follows:
- A tablet, a smartphone behave as they want - when they are normally connected to the network signal, when they are not connected at all;
- A sharp drop in download speed for no good reason (moreover, it is also observed on internal resources);
- Communication is lost in a certain place of the apartment, where there are no barriers.
The reason for all these troubles is precisely the use of the same communication channel by many points of wireless routers. In the future, the congestion of this channel leads to low speed and disconnections.
To quickly solve the problem means to change the channel. Most users do not even know how to analyze such a situation and how to change the "Auto" setting on their router.
You can read about how to change the communication channel on different types of routers at this link.
Changing the automatic selection of a network channel on an Asus router
Analyzer programs for computers with Windows 7, 8 and 10
Free programs that can be downloaded on the Internet without problems for:
- smartphones with different platforms;
- laptops and PCs.
There are thirteen channels in total for signal transmission in Russia. So, of these 13 channels, the first, sixth and eleventh do not intersect. But not all countries use 13, in the USA, for example, only 12 are allowed. Different versions of the operating system have their own characteristics for using certain channels.
Schematic display of overlapping channels
So Windows 10 does not see channel 13, and in the router settings it is impossible to change the region to Europe in order to fix access to this channel.
OS version 7 also does not see channels greater than 12. Therefore, when choosing another unloaded channel, this must be taken into account.
Just programs - analyzers are needed in order to identify free channels, configure the router for them and work calmly.
If the user has a problem connecting to any channel or lags the signal due to channel congestion, then you can ask the technical support of the official Windows website for answers to your questions.
The most convenient and simple programs analyzers of occupancy of communication channels are the following:
- inSSIDer 4 - download;
- Free WiFi Scanner - download;
These programs will help you learn other useful information about networks. You can recognize the type of security, signal speed. Convenient graphs help analyze the signal. The figure below shows how different users overlap on the channels and which access point has the highest frequency signal.
Wireless network channel analysis with overlay graphs
Network analysis example with InnSider
When downloading the program from the official site, the user should pay attention to the terms of use. Very often today they offer only demo versions of programs with a period of use of no more than a month. After that, the program must be purchased.
Channel occupancy analysis
As you can see from the picture, after the analysis it is clearly seen that the most crowded channel is 6. That is, you should disconnect from it and select free 2, 3, or 4, or any other except the first and eleventh, which are also already occupied.
Network Analyzer for Android
Best for smartphone on the Android platform, use the Wi-Fi Analyzer program. No problems with searching and downloading. The user through his phone enters the Google Play service and through the search finds this application and downloads it. When the smartphone is turned on, you can also download the application via a PC.
Downloading the program from Google Play
After installation, you can go into the program and analyze the communication channels. You will immediately see at what frequency the router is operating, and on what channel. All this will be indicated on the available charts. It is enough to select in the settings - channels and properties.
Asta operates at a frequency of 50 and the signal is received on channels 8-10
That is, in an illustrative example, nothing needs to be changed, because the signal does not intersect with almost anyone. In the same program, you can select the "channels" tab in the properties and see which channel has the highest and best signal. The rating is indicated by asterisks.
The example shows that the best signal without interference is on channels 12, 13 and 14. The program is quickly installed and quickly erased. Therefore, users should not be afraid that the application will take up a lot of memory on the device.
There is another handy tab in the same application that will show the frequency of the signal. With such a pointer, you can move around the apartment and choose exactly the place where the signal will be the strongest.
Signal strength indicator
How to change automatic channel selection on a D-Link router?
There are a lot of routers on the market today. But according to statistics, the D-Link model is the most frequently purchased. How can I remove the auto-selection of the channel on it?
To do this, we type in the address bar of the Internet address 192.168.0.1. In the window that opens, type admin in both login and password. Unless the user himself changed them. The standard login and password are always written on the back cover of the box from under the router.
Changing Wireless Network Settings
A window appears, "advanced settings" are selected in it, and then the main ones, as in the figure above. After selecting the basic properties of the wireless network, you should find the "channel" line in the window that appears and select the free channel in it that was shown by any program for analyzing communication channels.
Selecting and saving a new communication channel
After that, the connection may be interrupted for a short time and restarted again. If this does not happen, you need to check the router settings again and if a dialog box appears in the upper right corner asking you to save the changes, you need to click and save it. After that, the data transfer and download speed should increase.
With the help of such simple manipulations, any user today can correct small errors in the operation of the wireless network in his apartment without calling the masters and without paying for their services.
So, how to choose this very high-speed and high-frequency wireless communication channel?
- Run the analyzer program;
- Define a free channel;
- Find a place in the apartment with the highest reception frequency
- Check non-overlapping channels (1,6,11 - if they are free) on this frequency, for example, reception speed and jumps;
- Set the selected free channel with a high reception frequency - reconfigure the router, accept the changes.
Thus, fixing problems with a lost signal and lost speed turned out to be very simple, you just need to clearly follow the above steps.
I collected in one post five of the best tools for scanning WiFi networks. They can be useful for analyzing the protection of your network and searching for intrusions.
1. Vistumbler
Vistumbler is a free and open source WiFi network scanner that does a great job of scanning all wireless networks in range of a WiFi router. Vistumbler is less than 1MB in size and is available for Windows 10 and previous versions. This tool uses the Windows Native WiFi API to collect wireless information and identify hotspots. The tool checks network configurations and helps detect rogue access points. Vistumbler finds wireless LANs using WLAN standards such as IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g.
2. inSSIDer
Inssider is a free and open source tool for Windows that scans the channels of a Wi-Fi network. Insider helps in identifying configuration issues. The tool also scans encryption protocols to minimize security breaches and improve network efficiency. Insider is available for Window 10 and previous versions.
3. SoftPerfect Network Scanner
SoftPerfect Network Scanner is a free program to listen on TCP ports and show what types of resources are being used on the network (including system and hidden). In addition, you can mount shares as network drives, view them using Windows Explorer, filter the list of results, and much more.
4. Kismet
Kismet is a widely used WiFi network scanning tool that detects any network intrusion.
5.Meraki WiFi Stumbler
Cisco Meraki WiFi Stumbler is a free tool that provides detailed information about the encryption used for wireless networks and SSIDs. Detailed reports help you get information about MAC address, access points, wireless channel and signal parity.
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