Chanalyzer + Wi-Spy DBx

Generally regarded as the "cable tester" of Wi-Fi, a spectrum analyzer should be the first serious step that you take when you begin working on a Wi-Fi issue.

Chanalyzer (the software) and Wi-Spy DBx (the hardware) work together to bring you portable spectrum analysis. With a spectrum analyzer, you can look at the raw radio frequency activity around you - not just where the wireless networks like you can with a normal Wi-Fi adapter.

With Chanalyzer + Wi-Spy, you can:

  • See non-Wi-Fi interference that are normally invisible
  • Identify what type of device is causing the interference
  • Physically locate non-Wi-Fi interference
  • See how busy each Wi-Fi channel really is by measuring RF activity
  • Take recordings, and play them back later

Eye P.A. + AirPcap Nx

Ok, so you've looked at the spectrum, and didn't find any non-Wi-Fi interference? Good. Step 2 in most Wi-Fi troubleshooting processes is to check out the actual 802.11 conversations with a packet analyzer.

Eye P.A. can take a packet capture with an AirPcap Nx (a product by Riverbed), or you can bring your own packet capture. It parses the data to visualize which networks and clients talked a lot, and which ones talked a little.

You can use that to find out if a device hogged all of the available airtime, and you can quickly drill down into conversations to see 802.11 conversations.

With Eye P.A., you can:

  • Identify devices that are having slow, inefficient conversations
  • See which devices are transmitting the most data
  • Identify problem devices that are consuming airtime, or repeating themselves often
  • Get expert tips on what you can do to improve the performance of your network
  • Export to Wireshark to turn Eye P.A. into a powerful filtering tool!