Not only administrators of corporate networks, this type of program is proposed that allows you to draw the map of the signal strength of a wifi network . By map we mean literally the creation of a map where the wi-fi network signal is signaled in a different color.
Therefore, imagining that you have the wifi router that spreads the network connection at home, you can generate a map to check where the network signal gets better .
This allows network administrators to arrange routers efficiently, spacing them apart so that the network is available throughout the environment.
For those who use the wireless router at home or have to install a home wifi network, it is a way of knowing which best position guarantees the widest coverage, without dispersing part of the signal outside, to the neighbor or on the street.
If you ask yourself why you can go on the internet with your laptop from one room, but not in another or or why the PC often disconnects from the wifi network or receives a weak signal, you can create the wifi network map and find out where the signal is stronger .
1) The first program is the one I like best, because it is easy to use, free and absolutely intuitive, even for those who have no experience.
Heatmapper for Windows (32 or 64 bit) can display coverage of networks found nearby.
This is not only useful for determining the best locations to connect to the internet but also for finding out if the wireless network extends to neighbors or if and where the signal from their network enters the home.
The application can display network coverage on a grid or, if available, on the neighborhood map or on the house map.
Heatmapper detects Wi-Fi networks automatically and displays them on the map or grid.
It is possible to make a list of networks based on signal, channel, SSID, MAC address or security settings.
The important thing is that you can upload the image of the plan of the house, company or neighborhood and then trace the map of the wifi signal by walking with the laptop in your hand .
Heathmapper detects the signal strength, as it moves around and draws it on the map.
In the absence of a map image, the different wifi network signal strength is displayed on a grid that remains equally useful and intuitive.
By covering every corner of the environment you will discover the dead spots, the strongest signal points and all the available networks.
I remember, in this regard, other tools to connect to the best wifi network without interference in the wireless channel.
Heatmapper can be downloaded for free after a short registration on the developer's website.
2) Visual Trace Route is a tool to analyze network connections through detailed graphs and statistics to identify network connectivity problems.
3) The Dude is a professional network monitoring program, available in a stable version and a beta version for the Windows operating system.
Both versions are completely free and offer a lot of useful functions especially for those who manage corporate networks.
The application supports automatic network detection and the generation of a graphical map of all connected devices.
A click on one of the connection points shows all the details (brand, model, name, IP address), and allows you to perform monitoring actions (SNMP, ICMP, DNS and TCP).
If Heathmapper is a great program that can be useful to anyone, The Dude is instead more complex and more suitable for professional purposes.
The Dude is compatible with the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Microsoft's Windows operating system, as well as Linux and MacOS Wine Darwine. Downloads are available on the homepage developer.
Other wifi network monitoring tools are described in another article.
