Step 3 All Wireless Networks at a GlanceIn previous versions of NetSpot you were supposed to run a tiny 'fake' wireless survey on a blank map to scan for wireless networks. Since NetSpot 2.0, this is no longer required as we introduced full-featured Discover Mode. So you get the info about all the networks that are not hidden in a separate list. The list is updated every 5-10-30 seconds. If a network disappears, you can still see it in the list for some time, and find out how long ago it was gone in the Last Seen column. Understanding the Information Provided by NetSpotNetSpot is a comprehensive WiFi network scanner that can provide a wealth of useful information to help you learn more about nearby WiFi networks and troubleshoot various problems.
Acrylic Wi-Fi Home 3.1 (Windows) Cain & Abel (Windows) Ekahau HeatMapper (Windows) Homedale (Windows) LizardSystems Wi-Fi Scanner (Windows) NetSpot (Windows & Mac OS X) WirelessNetView (Windows) Wireless Diagnostics (Mac OS X Lion and later). Using WiFi Scanner you’ll see nearby wireless access points and their details, including channels, signal levels (RSSI), noise, channel width, and MAC address, signal quality, maximum data rate, encryption, and much more. WiFi Scanner is great for determining the best position for an access point at home or in the office.
If you’re new to network scanning, you might have trouble making sense of all the information provided by NetSpot, which is why we’ve decided to create this brief summary of the most important information you will come across when using NetSpot. Network Name (SSID)Service Set Identifier (SSID) is broadcast by wireless routers to announce the presence of a network. An SSID is for all intents and purposes the name assigned to a WiFi network.
It can be zero to 32 bytes long, and it’s typically human-readable, such as the name of the internet provider followed by the surname of the customer. Many people like to give to their WiFi networks, like “It Hurts When IP” or “FreeViruses.”Not all WiFi networks broadcast their SSIDs for a variety of reasons, with security usually being among them. A WiFi network that doesn’t have any SSID is called a “hidden network.” NetSpot automatically reveals the presence of hidden networks, giving a complete picture of all WiFi activity around you. MAC Address (BSSID)A single WiFi network can consist of many different access points.
While this arrangement is less common when it comes to home networks, businesses and organizations couldn’t function without it. The presence of multiple access points creates the need for identifying the access point from which a data packet has originated. This is where an identifier called a basic service set identifier (BSSID) comes in.The BSSID is the MAC address of the wireless access point (WAP), and it combines the 24-bit Organization Unique Identifier (the manufacturer's identity) and the manufacturer's assigned 24-bit identifier for the radio chipset in the WAP. The BSSID can help you determine the legitimacy of a WiFi network and avoid evil twin attacks, in which an attacker creates a fraudulent wireless access point that appears to be legitimate but is set up to eavesdrop on wireless communications. WiFi ChannelThe WiFi signal is split into multiple channels, which are akin to the lanes on the highway.
In North America, the exact number of channels is 11, while in most of the world, the number is 13. WiFi channels are important because they help prevent signal interference, but they work as intended only when properly configured.Ideally, you should configure your WiFi network to broadcast on the least cluttered channel, preferably one that doesn’t overlap with adjacent channels: Channels 1, 6, and 11. NetSpot is a capable WiFi network scanner that can perform and instantly reveal the least cluttered channel. Frequency BandWiFi networks are broadcast in two frequency bands: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The 2.4 GHz frequency band is split into 14 different channels (not are channels are available in all parts of the worlds), with all channels spaced 5 MHz apart from each other except for a 12 MHz space before channel 14.
The 5 GHz frequency band is split into much more channels than the 2.4 GHz frequency band, with each channel being 10 to 160 MHz wide.Higher frequencies don’t penetrate solid objects nearly as well as lower frequencies, and the same holds true even when it comes to WiFi frequency bands. Modern WiFi routers often broadcast simultaneously on both frequency bands to achieve the best signal strength possible.
EncryptionTo prevent unauthorized access, it has become a common practice to encrypt WiFi networks using several available WiFi encryption standards, including Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA). WEP is the older of the two standards, and it’s now considered to be obsolete because WEP-protected WiFi networks can be cracked in the matter of minutes with tools that are readily available for download online.WPA is far more secure than WEP, especially when it comes to its last two versions, WPA2 and WPA3. WPA2 is by far the most commonly used WiFi encryption standard today, but WPA3 is expected to overtake it in the near future. As a rule of thumb, you should always use the strongest WiFi encryption standard your router supports. Router VendorEmitted together with data packets is information about the vendor of the WiFi router from which the packets originate, such as Cisco, Netgear, Linksys, D-Link, or Asus. Since router vendors tend to use certain, this information can be used to gain access to a router’s admin interface.
WiFi Mode (Standard)The IEEE 802.11 standard for implementing wireless local area network (WLAN) WiFi computer communication in various frequencies is constantly evolving to satisfy the demand for high data transfer speeds, low latency, and wide coverage. Today, the most commonly used WiFi standards include 802.11ac, 802.11n, and 802.11g, with 802.11ac being the most advanced.However, there are already WiFi routers with support for 802.11ax, a next-generation WiFi standard that aims to provide 4x the throughput of 802.11ac at the user layer.
Signal StrengthWiFi signal strength is measured in dBm, which is a logarithmic unit of level used to indicate that a power ratio is expressed in decibels (dB) with reference to one milliwatt (mW). NetSpot displays the minimum, maximum and average signal strength, and it can also plot signal strength on a graph to help you identify signal strength drops, which could be a sign of interference. Tips on Scanning WiFi Networks with NetSpotTo obtain accurate results when scanning WiFi networks with NetSpot WiFi scanner, you should keep your laptop still otherwise the movement of your laptop may influence the results.
When measuring and evaluating signal strength, it’s important for the surrounding environment to remain as constant as possible. Even something as simple as an opened window can affect the strength of the measured network.When creating a WiFi site survey using NetSpot, your goal is to zig-zag through the surveyed area until it’s completely covered. We recommend you always start in one corner and methodically move to the opposite one, making sure to cover as much ground as possible.If you ever need to scan a WiFi network that you can’t get close to, you can purchase an external WiFi adapter with a strong antenna and powerful amplifier.
Some WiFi network adapters have a gain of as much as 1000 mW, but you should first check your local legislation to verify that their use is legal in your country.
Simple, intuitive user interfaceWiFi Explorer gathers configuration and capability information about all the networks it discovers and presents it on an easy-to-use, intuitive user interface. Information includes network name (SSID), BSSID, vendor, country code, channel, band, security configuration, supported data rates, number of streams, and much more.Additional viewing options in WiFi Explorer Pro let you organize scan results by SSID, access point or access point radio to better visualize multiple networks per access point. Resolve Wi-Fi issuesWith WiFi Explorer, you can find the best channel for your network or determine a better placement for your access point. You can also identify channel conflicts, overlapping or configuration issues that may be affecting the connectivity and performance of your wireless network.Expert information, available in WiFi Explorer Pro, such as per-channel beacon overhead, gives you a general overview of the Wi-Fi environment to better plan your network installation or mitigate existing problems.
Get a full insight into Wi-Fi networksWiFi Explorer has been developed with the support and feedback of Wi-Fi experts. Its ease of use and advanced features, such as the ability to decode network information, access point name discovery or enhanced filtering, give you a full insight into the capabilities and configuration details of wireless networks.Other advanced features include the ability to find and display information about hidden networks, support for external Wi-Fi adapters, Zigbee integration, and much more. Scan Modes. Filtering. Saving of Scan Results. Detailed Description of Network Capabilities/Configuration. Annotations & Other Customization Options.
Hidden Networks Support. Organization of Networks by Name or Access Point. SSID/Beacon Overhead Estimations. Spectrum Analysis & Zigbee.
Integration. Capture File (.pcap,.pkt,.csv) Ingestion Support. Remote Sensor Support. Remote Capture Support (PEEKREMOTE, TZSP). Comprehensive Help. Recommendations.
External Wi-Fi Adapter Support. Compatibility. Free Trial. Copyright © 2020 Adrian Granados. All rights reserved. MetaGeek and Wi-Spy are registered trademarks of MetaGeek, LLC.
Ekahau and names of all Ekahau trademarked products are trademarks of Ekahau, Inc. In Finland and/or other jurisdictions.
RF Explorer is a registered trademark in EU and other countries. Ubertooth One and HackRF One are registered trademarks of Great Scott Gadgets. RapidConnect is a registered trademark of MMB Networks. Other names appearing on this site may be trademarks of their respective owners.
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