Craig Mathias at Network World overviewed Wi-Fi network survey tools that enable planning your network ahead of the actual installation.
All enterprise-class WLAN products today include some form of site-survey capabilities. However, at least a partial installation of the system to be purchased is required before these can be used. For this reason, and because a wide range of site-survey strategies can be applied, a number of third-party site-survey tools have appeared in the market.
There are four types of site survey tools: spectral sweep, predictive, analytical and production monitoring. This review focuses on predictive and analytical tools. Predictive tools use sophisticated RF modeling techniques to simulate the performance of a hypothetical WLAN system without the requirement for actually installing any real equipment.
With a predictive tool, you first import a floor plan map, then you assign properties to objects in the drawing (walls, floors), and then place [virtual] access points on the map and simulate the propagation of RF signals through this virtual environment.
Network World looked at eight predictive and analytical tools that provide a guide to planning a WiFi installation. They were; AirMagnet, Berkeley Varitronics Swarm, Ekahau, Motorola LAN Planner and Site Scanner, Nutsaboutnets Airhorn, RF3D WiFi Planner and Visiwave Site Survey.
Free network discovery software which monitor WiFi channels include Netstumbler and NetSurveyor, which includes more features than the old standby Netstumbler.
Other Wifi Monitoring software includes:
- AirView from Ubiquiti (above). This USB Spectrum Analyzer for 2.4 GHz is only $39 (with software). It’s useful for studying all the RF energy in the 2.4GHz band. AirView2 monitors 2.4GHz, while AirView9 monitors 900MHz. Both have external antennas available for another $20. It works on Windows XP, Vista, Apple OSX, Linux (refer to the AirView Downloads page). The dongle is tiny and it works on my Asus Netbook.
- MetaGeek’s USB-based Wi-Fi spectrum analyzer, has announced their Wi-Spy 2.4i, which also features an internal antenna and bundles MetaGeek’s newly issued Chanalyzer Lite software (below), which is both Windows and Mac compatible.
Metageek’s Wi-Spy DBx does both The 2.4 and 5 GHz for $599 and includes their Chanalyzer 3.2 software.
- EffeTech develops a series of network diagnosis and Internet administration software for parents, network administrators (and hackers). Packet Sniffer is a connection-oriented TCP/IP packet sniffer that captures IP packets on your LAN.
CommView for WiFi is a powerful wireless network monitor and analyzer for 802.11 a/b/g/n networks. Loaded with many user-friendly features, it captures every packet on the air to display important information such as the list of access points and stations, per-node and per-channel statistics, signal strength, a list of packets and network connections, protocol distribution charts, etc. By providing this information, CommView for WiFi can help you view and examine packets, pinpoint network problems, perform site surveys, and troubleshoot software and hardware.
CommView Remote Agent for WiFi ($99) is an optional add-on for remote WLAN traffic monitoring. It allows CommView for WiFi users to capture network traffic on any computer where Remote Agent for WiFi is running, regardless of the computer’s physical location. It can capture packets and transmit them to CommView for WiFi. The transmitted packets are compressed to save bandwidth and encrypted to ensure safe transmission over insecure network channels.
They run under Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/2008/7 and require a compatible wireless network adapter. CommView has a variety of pricing structures. A Home User License (for private, noncommercial usage at home only) costs $149.00 while the CommView Enterprise User License is $499.00.
Wouldn’t it be great if there were a free Open Maps project database that mapped out all the publicly listed FCC frequencies, transmitter locations, and estimated signal propagation.
A slider at the bottom of the screen would move from AM, FM, TV white spaces, cellular, wimax and millimeter bands.
