The Android application that we are going to cover in depth today is NetSpot – WiFi Network Analyzer a useful tool to analyze Wi-Fi networks. With it we will be able to see your changes in a data table in real time, compare the networks according to signal strength and the WiFi channel and filter the scanned WiFi networks by name, signal strength, security protocol or band.
With Netspot we will be able to perform the following functions:
- Collect and view real-time WiFi data from Wif-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac networks
- Analyze networks in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.
- Detailed information about our access points and routers such as: network name, MAC address, band, channel, signal level and encryption.
You can download directly from here:
When you start the screen for the first time, the app will give you a screen like this.
Here what we have to do is give Allow access so that NetSpot can use location permissions. This type of permission is very common when asked in this type of app.
Once accepted we will arrive at the main NetSpot screen.
From here we put extract the following information:
- Name of nearby networks.
- Signal strength in db. The less you have, the better and classified by colors. In green are those that would have the best signal and in red the worst.
- The emission band that can be the 2.4 GHz band or the 5 GHz band.
- Above all indicated with a red box are the options to order the networks that we will talk about later.
- Below in Comparison shows a general comparison with a series of graphs of Wi-fi connections.
- Finally, at the bottom, you have the network you are connected to and its connection speed.
If we click on the three points of the red box that I mentioned before, we can order the Wi-Fi networks that are within our reach.
Here we can see that we can do it by signal level or by name depending on what we need.
The next section is the filter section to which we will devote special attention. To do this, click on the three red lines that are inside the red square.
Now we are going to see the filtering options that it gives in relation to the security encryption that the connections have.
We can filter between networks that do not have any security protocol, WPS, WEP, WPA and WAP2.
The other option you have on the right is to filter by band.
Here we can choose between the 2.4 GHz band or the 5 GHz band. However, comment that if you want you can filter both bands and security protocols at the same time according to your needs.
It should also be noted that NetSpot is an app with many graphics that may be of interest to you.
Above all you have a color ratio that indicates the signal strength you have with those Wi-Fi networks. In this sense, above you can see a schedule that reflects the signal fluctuations of the different Wi-Fi networks.
If we move to the right of Schedule we can see another series of charts. The next would be the 2.4 GHz band with the channels that those networks are using.
Next the one of the 5 GHz band with channels 36 to 64.
Also that of the 5 GHz band with channels 100 to 144.
The last graph would be 5 GHz with channels 100 to 144.
In addition we can look for a network where the magnifying glass icon is. For example if you put the name of your network, in this case Network, my 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks have detected me.
So I can see a Schedule with the signal strength of my networks.
A graph with the channel my 2.4 GHz network is using.
And finally a representation of my 5 GHz Wi-Fi network.
In summary, knowing the details of your Wi-Fi network and the nearby ones thanks to the NetSpot app, we will be able to check its signal strength and it will help us choose a channel that is less used if necessary.
