Wifi Site Survey/ Heatmap tools

[alexiv]

Is there any free /cheap enough for 1 use tools anyone can point me to? I have a floorplan and would like to get a better mapping of where would be the best place to put some access points for the house and outbuilding.

[bobthemonkey]

Wifiman

[quinny100]

Tamograph - 30 day free trial

https://www.tamos.com/products/wifi-site-survey

In a house, ceiling mount on the top floor as central as possible is usually a good starting point - above the stairs is great if you can get to it.

Ceiling mount is preferred to wall for most indoor AP’s.

[megaphone]

bobthemonkey said:

Wifiman

IIRC that only works if you have a Unifi WIFI AP.

[thebraketester]

alexiv said:

Is there any free /cheap enough for 1 use tools anyone can point me to? I have a floorplan and would like to get a better mapping of where would be the best place to put some access points for the house and outbuilding.

Sounds overkill already.

[xeny]

megaphone said:

bobthemonkey said:

Wifiman

IIRC that only works if you have a Unifi WIFI AP.

Does channel scanning and AP signal strength without one. Not sure what if anything access to an AP adds.

[megaphone]

xeny said:

megaphone said:

bobthemonkey said:

Wifiman

IIRC that only works if you have a Unifi WIFI AP.

Does channel scanning and AP signal strength without one. Not sure what if anything access to an AP adds.

Doesn't on my iPhone, in fact it says it needs a Unifi Gateway console, like a dream machine connected to the network for it to work, unless I'm missing something?

[xeny]

megaphone said:

Doesn't on my iPhone, in fact it says it needs a Unifi Gateway console, like a dream machine connected to the network for it to work, unless I'm missing something?

That's an iPhone issue - AFAIK there isn't an exposed API that allows an IOS app to scan WiFi networks.

Android tools that can do network strength scanning are ten a penny, I'm not aware of one for IOS?

[119]

We have one each end with same WiFi username etc.

No need for faffing about plannng in a domestic environment imo.

[megaphone]

xeny said:

megaphone said:

Doesn't on my iPhone, in fact it says it needs a Unifi Gateway console, like a dream machine connected to the network for it to work, unless I'm missing something?

That's an iPhone issue - AFAIK there isn't an exposed API that allows an IOS app to scan WiFi networks.

Android tools that can do network strength scanning are ten a penny, I'm not aware of one for IOS?

https://help.ui.com/hc/en-us/articles/205204150-Using-WiFiman

Says it needs a UniFi Gateway, have you used it on Android without one?

[Pitre]

WiFi Analyzer

[xeny]

megaphone said:

https://help.ui.com/hc/en-us/articles/205204150-Us...

Says it needs a UniFi Gateway, have you used it on Android without one?

I've currently got it on an Android phone connected to an Apple AP/router of some sort. No Unifi devices on the network.

I get a report of network latency (twitter, the default router, google and facebook).

I can perform a speed test

I get a list of visible SSIDs and associated signal strengths as well as a graph of channel against signal strength of any APs on it. I'd cheerfully use a combination of the speed test and the SSID report to do a basic survey for domestic AP placement.

[captain_cynic]

Pitre said:

WiFi Analyzer

This, although I don't think it has a heatmap feature, fine for walking around your house to see where the signal drops off though.

I mainly use it to make sure I'm not on the same channel as every one of my neighbours.

[megaphone]

xeny said:

megaphone said:

https://help.ui.com/hc/en-us/articles/205204150-Us...

Says it needs a UniFi Gateway, have you used it on Android without one?

I've currently got it on an Android phone connected to an Apple AP/router of some sort. No Unifi devices on the network.

I get a report of network latency (twitter, the default router, google and facebook).

I can perform a speed test

I get a list of visible SSIDs and associated signal strengths as well as a graph of channel against signal strength of any APs on it. I'd cheerfully use a combination of the speed test and the SSID report to do a basic survey for domestic AP placement.

Which tab shows the SSID list and channel etc?

[xeny]

megaphone said:

Which tab shows the SSID list and channel etc?

"Scan". 4th screenshot at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com....

Edited by xeny on Monday 8th January 13:05

[megaphone]

xeny said:

megaphone said:

Which tab shows the SSID list and channel etc?

"Scan". 4th screenshot at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com....

Edited by xeny on Monday 8th January 13:05

Right, yes the 'scan' option is not available on iOS , as you say it's Apple not allowing, 'scanning' apps. The Signal mapping tab needs a Unifi gateway to work.

Edited by megaphone on Monday 8th January 14:08

Edited by megaphone on Monday 8th January 14:11

[xeny]

megaphone said:

Right, yes the 'scan' option is not available on iOS , as you say it's Apple not allowing, 'scanning' apps. The Signal mapping tab needs a Unifi gateway to work.

I suspect Signal mapping needing a device with LiDAR is more of an issue than the presence or absence of a UniFi Gateway. The Signal strength part of that tab works with a vanilla AP (obviously without any roaming metrics).