Best WiFi Analyzer & Monitoring Software: Free/Paid
1) SolarWinds WiFi Analyzer
SolarWinds WiFi Analyzer is a tool that offers proactive monitoring and troubleshooting across a wireless business network. It helps you keep track of crucial Wifi-analysis factors to achieve better wireless device and service insights.
Features:
Provides multi-vendor network monitoring It helps you to monitor and manage wireless networks. Provides network insights for deeper visibility It helps you to detect and resolve WiFi issues within a customizable dashboard. It is one of the best WiFi analyzer apps that perform straightforward WiFi analysis. This WiFi analyzer allows you to visualize network paths and create WiFi heatmaps. Smarter scalability for large environments
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2) ManageEngine OpManager
ManageEngine OpManager is a unified network systems monitoring and management solution for efficient and seamless IT Operations Management. This tool is suitable for enterprises, distributed networks, SMBs, etc.
Features:
Dashboards, heat maps, business views, network device grouping, for better network overview. Unified network performance monitoring, server and VM monitoring, switch monitoring, router monitoring, WLC monitoring, hardware monitoring. With the ManageEngine Applications Manager plug-in for OpManager, you can monitor critical performance metrics of your business applications both on premise & cloud.
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3) Paessler PRTG
Paessler PRTG is a WiFi monitoring and analyzer tool that helps you to analyse all network devices on your network, including WiFi routers. The interface of PRTG allows you to easily interpret all the data collected on your Wi-Fi networks by creating graphs of real-time data and charts of the historical data.
Features:
Measures wireless traffic volumes Spots device problems easily PRTG sensors help you to configure the network and promptly notifies as soon as WiFi networking disruption occurs. You can set the alarm system for your WiFi network. Analyzes every aspect of your wireless networks
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4) Wifi Heat Map
Wifi Heat Map is a tool that automatically create custom Wi-Fi heat maps. It helps you to track response time, availability, switches, and more.
Features:
Find and fix wireless dead zones Map locations of connected clients You can find which network application uses the most bandwidth. Provides visual analysis for a device with a delivery path You can see changes along the path and fins service provider issue The tool allows you to drag and drop performance metrics on a timeline Monitor the logical component of the SDN (Software Defined Networking) environment.
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5) WiFi Explorer
WiFi Explorer is a WiFi scanner and a wireless analyzer. It is built to assist WLAN and IT infrastructure with design and validation for troubleshooting wireless networks.
Features:
Built For all wireless environments. It provides detailed network reports. Custom column profiles and column pinning Helps to organize Networks by name, access point, or Vendor. This Wi-Fi spectrum analyzer helps you to detect associated clients. Provides support for capture file import. Spectrum analysis, BLE & Zigbee integration Provides remote capture and sensor support.
Link: https://www.intuitibits.com/products/wifiexplorerpro3/
6) Ekahau HeatMapper
Ekahau HeatMapper helps you to perform wireless network analysis, optimization, and simulation. It offers the best high-definition visual WiFi heat maps. This analyzer software also provides the best network coverage and performance analytics.
Features:
It is one of the best Wi-Fi analyzer app that allows you to visualize your network. Allows you to get actionable outcomes. It helps you to design networks for your unique requirements. It helps you to collect data points and generates accurate reports. It also provides a precise, plug-and-play Wi-Fi diagnostic and measurement device.
Link: https://www.ekahau.com/solutions/wi-fi-heatmaps/
7) Acrylic Wi-Fi
Acrylic is a free Wi-Fi analyzer that allows users to scan and analyze local wireless routers in a compiled table of relevant details. It provides all the important metrics like MAC address, SSID, RSSI, channel, and vendor.
Features:
Shows WiFi channels in 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz. It helps you to visualize signal strength and WiFi graphs. This Wi-Fi analyzer allows you to optimize performance and troubleshoot your wireless networks. It offers a rich info display for Windows-based computers. Good for complex, multi-router setups.
Link:https://www.acrylicwifi.com/en/
8) InSSIDer
InSSIDer is a WiFi analyzer tool that gives you visibility in your surrounding WiFi environment. This tool is very useful in SMB networks.
Features:
Analyzes your WiFi configuration, including channel settings, security, signal strength, and the impact of neighboring WiFi networks. Allows you to improve the WiFi security and speed. It helps you to discover the busiest channel. Provides complete WiFi device details.
Link: https://www.metageek.com/products/inssider/
9) Wireshark
Wireshark is a widely used network monitoring and WiFi troubleshooting tool. It allows you to apply coloring rules that can be used to the packet list for quick and intuitive analysis.
Features:
It provides live capturing and offline analysis. Captures network data, which you can browse using TTY-mode and TShark utility. Offers standard three-pane packet browser. You can capture files compressed with gzip, which can be decompressed on the fly. You can apply coloring rules that can be used to the packet list for quick and intuitive analysis. Supported platforms: Windows, Linux, macOS, Solaris, FreeBSD, NetBSD, and many others.
Link: https://www.wireshark.org/
10) Network Analyzer
Network Analyzer is a WiFi analyzer tool that provides network information within the iOS Operating System constraints.
Features:
Easy-to-use interface. Displays signal strength of wireless devices. Shows transmission times to nearby devices. Highly rated app in many app stores. Integrated internet speed test Provides support for IPv4 and IPv6. Supported platforms: iOS and Android.
Link: https://techet.net/netanalyzer/
11) AirMagnet WiFi Analyzer PRO
WiFi Analyzer Pro is one of the best WiFi network analyzer for real-time, accurate, independent, and dependable analysis. It helps you to analyze 802.11 wireless networks without the need of missing any traffic.
Features:
Offers complete Wi-Fi interference scanner. Provides details on wireless network connectivity, WiFi coverage, performance, and network security issues. You can perform testing from the client’s perspective, independent of network infrastructure. It helps you deliver a complete inventory of devices that are operating in the environment. Highlights issues that need immediate attention with a live snapshot Built-in Wireless expertise features
Link: https://www.netally.com/products/airmagnet-wifi-analyzer/
12) Omnipeek Network Analyzer
Omnipeek is a Wi-Fi analyzer tool that offers rapid-fire analytics and insights so you can make the best decisions quickly about your network speed, application performance, and security.
Features:
Intuitive Graphical display and visualization Quality network analysis workflow It helps you to proactively find all types of network issues. Provides integrated flow and packet-level analysis. Allows you to monitor distributed networks remotely. Provides voice and video monitoring and troubleshooting.
Link: https://www.liveaction.com/products/omnipeek-network-protocol-analyzer/
13) NetSpot
NetSpot is a WiFi analyzer tool that allows you to assess WLAN interference as well as other network performance parameters. The software provides color-coded areas of signal strength. For example, weak signals are highlighted by purple or blue color.
Features:
It helps you to detect network interference. WiFi footprint on an office layout Signal channel analysis Allows you to analyze your Wi-Fi coverage. Visualize and troubleshoot your wireless network.
Link: https://www.netspotapp.com/
14) Kismet
Kismet is a wireless network analysis tool and an intrusion detection system. It works with WiFi networks but can be expanded via plugins to handle other network types as well. This WiFi analyzer tool works with WiFi interfaces, Bluetooth interfaces, and some SDRs (Software-defined radio).
Features:
It is one of the best Wi-Fi analyzer apps that allows standard PCAP logging. It has Client/Server modular architecture. It also provides plugin architecture to expand core features. Multiple capture source support Distributed remote sniffing with the help of light-weight remote capture. Provides XML output for integration with other tools.
Link: https://www.kismetwireless.net/
15) WiFiInfoView
WifiInfoView is a Wi-Fi analytics tool that works on both Mac and Windows OS. This software provides information about wireless networks in your local area, including network name (SSID), MAC address, etc.
Features:
Provides large amounts of data about networks. Displays data in multiple ways. Does not need any installation. You can export data in various formats.
Link: https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wifi_information_view.html
16) LizardSystems Wi-Fi Scanner
LizardSystems is a WiFi interface scanner that helps you to locate visible wireless networks and their corresponding information. This software obtains the network name (SSID), signal strength (RSSI), MAC address (BSSID), maximum and achievable data rate, etc.
Features:
It helps you to detect security standards like WPA, WEP, or WPA2 for wireless networks. You can add device name and model number discovery of access points. Customizable graph color for any wireless network You can filter the list of detected wireless networks by specified parameters. It displays wireless connection parameters and manages wireless connection profiles. You can connect and analyze all the detected networks.
Link: https://lizardsystems.com/wi-fi-scanner/
17) Homedale
Homedale is a Wi-Fi analyzer that helps you scan Wi-Fi / WLAN access points and monitor their signal strength. It enables you to detect access points with Google geolocation and open WLAN map service to locate yourself.
Features:
It helps you to monitor the signal strength of selected access points in a graph over time. You can check the usage of all Wi-Fi channels and find the optimal channel for your access point. It displays an icon that shows the currently connected access points.
Link: https://www.the-sz.com/products/homedale/
FAQ:
WiFi analysis performed using a wireless network analyzer helps you know which WiFi channels are used the least and offers some other information. It is needed for comprehensive WiFi optimization.
SolarWinds WiFi Analyzer ManageEngine OpManager Paessler PRTG Wifi Heat Map WiFi Explorer Ekahau HeatMapper Acrylic Wi-Fi InSSIDer
Here are some important criteria that help you to select the right Wi-Fi analyzer tool for your business:
A Wi-Fi analyzer should be able to diagnose what is happening with your connection and provides you with the information required to optimize your network. Wi-Fi analyzer tool should be equipped with a Wi-Fi signal analyzer function, which tells where signal weakens across a network. It should also search for the number of lost packets, test internet connection speeds, and scan the web for signal-interruptive noise. The Wi-Fi analyzer should monitor both performance metrics and presentation with actionability. You should look for WiFi analyzer app that allows administrators to check how data points are related to understand developing situations. It should also allow you to check and resolve all types of networking issues based on the urgency and impact.
Slow connection: Slow connection is a common issue found in WiFi which can be detected with the help of the Wifi analyzer apps. It also allows you to create a signal heatmap to visualize where the signal is strong and where you need to add something. Issue of no internet connection: It occurs when your WiFi connection stops working, or there is a network outage from your ISP. You should also check that your WiFi router is operating or not. However, suppose you see an LED indicator light flashing, it indicates that the router itself could not connect to the internet. In that case, it is a problem from your service provider.
If it is working fine and your ISP is not experiencing an outage, you should fix it yourself. First, you have to restart the router and wait for minute to see if it solves the problem by restarting your router. Weak Signal issue: Weak signal is a WiFi problem which occurs when you are not getting full connectivity and speed from your router device. Ideally, you should check the full WiFi signal strength in the status bar of your computer and mobile devices. WiFi speeds lagging behind wired internet connection: This problem happens when you do not get the desired speed promised by your Internet service provider. Insufficient bandwidth for multiple users: All the Wi-Fi networks do not support different types of simultaneous users, so the Internet speed defers for various users while performing different tasks like streaming online content. This happens because of insufficient bandwidth for multiple users.
