
Regardless of the application used, the information we want to gather is the same. Since Windows is a fairly ubiquitous OS and Acrylic Home Edition is free, we will use this software to provide a brief overview of how to gather some basic information. However, some problems will require professional grade equipment to resolve. For the basic purposes of quick troubleshooting, these readings are a good starting point. Further, non-802.11 RF interference sources such as cordless phones or microwaves will not show up. Power readings may not be consistent across devices, and in general, they may not be completely accurate. The tools described here simply use whatever wireless chipset is available in the device. Professional grade equipment will generally include hardware which makes power level readings more reliable and sometimes even provide the ability to see raw RF levels.

It is important to understand that these utilities have some pitfalls. While kismet is a commonly referenced utility, LinSSID is more like the other options listed above. For more information see the Apple support document Check for Wi-Fi issues using your Mac. Hold the Option key and click the WiFi icon, then click Open Wireless Diagnostics. Mac users also have built-in tools available.

The right application will depend on the platform (mobile, laptop, etc.) and operating system (OS). There are a number of free or low-cost applications. Coverage, performance, and connection issues can sometimes be resolved simply by using basic, and often even free, tools to get a guick and general idea of the radio frequency (RF) environment. A video demonstration is available - Windows Acrylic Wifi Scanner.īasic WiFi analyzers or "stumblers" can provide a lot of useful information for troubleshooting common wireless problems. Although the interface is a tad clunky, the app performs quite well and is able to provide information about all active wireless devices around you, packet activity, and who is connected to your wireless network.

Overall, Acrylic Wi-Fi Home is a reliable and user-friendly tool that provides in-depth Wireless network monitoring.
