To get the best WiFi coverage, rely on NetSpot to expand your WiFi to get the widest and fastest coverage possible.
The most important part of any endeavor is information. Before we start a long trip, we need to plan out the roads to use, where the rest stops will be, and places to sleep along the way.
Planning how to get the best WiFi coverage is a similar process. We need to understand just where our current WiFi network reaches, how strong it is in different areas, and where the weak points are. To do that, we need to use a WiFi analyzer. A WiFi analyzer works by taking a poll of each of the WiFi networks it can reach.
By transmitting data across the network, it measures how fast the network is, and checks the signal strength of the WiFi radio waves. A good WiFi analyzer does more than just check speed. It checks multiple networks, finds the frequency type of the WiFi radio signal, the strength of the signal, signal to noise ratio, and a host of other statistics.
Don’t let the word “statistics” scare you — a good WiFi analyzer can display that information in an easy to understand table format, or if it’s really good by showing off the information on a map.
This is why NetSpot works so well. It’s a WiFi analyzer that works with Windows, Mac OS X, and Android devices. NetSpot provides incredible information gathering tools with a simple interface that anyone can understand. For registered users, NetSpot can use the information to build heat maps.
By uploading picture of the building we’re scanning into NetSpot and taking samples of the WiFi in different locations, NetSpot shows how the signal strength looks across the entire location. This lets us know exactly what spots are strong, what are weak, and where we need to increase our coverage.
By using a tablet or cell phone, we can quickly move from place to place in our location and get readings on the WiFi network. With this information we can scan specific spots to get an exact measurement for where we want to know about the strength or weakness of our network, or make multiple readings over time to compare one to another.
WiFi networks sometimes don’t work the way we want. We have a device that won’t connect, or a laptop that seems as slow as a phone modem when we communicate with the Internet. We need to combine troubleshooting techniques with a WiFi analyzer to let us know if our results are doing any good.
Here’s a few things we can do to troubleshoot WiFi issues:
To check on issues such as Signal to Noise, channel settings, and other statistics, use NetSpot to learn what the WiFi network is doing, and troubleshoot the WiFi issues you’re having. It can help narrow down where the problem is to help you fix what’s wrong.
To boost our WiFi signal, we can use a WiFi extender, also known as a booster to expand the reach of our network.
A typical WiFi booster can come in different types, but usually they take two main forms:
The problem is where to put the WiFi booster to get the best coverage for the network. We could just guess. Or use the power of NetSpot to map out the WiFi signal across our location. By sampling the strength of the WiFi network in different locations, NetSpot can help us find the weak areas. By knowing where the signals are weakest or have the most noise to signal ratio, we can figure out how to boost our WiFi to extend its reach.
Once we’ve identified all of the weak spots, then it’s time to boost our WiFi signal. The most important tips are in the link provided below, but NetSpot is essential for making sure we get the position right. It’s not enough just to put in our WiFi mesh network or repeaters and hope for the best. We need information to understand how adding in devices affect the network.
By using NetSpot, we can test the before and after effects of our changes. We can add repeaters or mesh network devices to the location, and once they’re connected to the router, there is a new WiFi network configuration.
Each time we add a new repeater, update the device drivers, or find a new position for our router, scan the location again with NetSpot so we can see how the changes affected the network. With this information, we can improve the WiFi network to get the maximum range and throughput. Information is power — and with NetSpot, you’ll have all of the information and power you need to make the WiFi network work to its best ability.