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Wireless Spectrum Analyzer on the Cheap
PennyManDeux writes "There's an article over at TheTechLounge looking at the Wi-Spy wireless spectrum analyzer. Here's a quote: 'Although most wireless boxes are able to push through the lower amounts of interference, some people, such as those living in apartments or otherwise deluged with many wireless signals may have problems. It is with this dilemma in mind that the people at MetaGeek created the Wi-Spy spectrum analyzer.' Cool thing is, it's only $100..."
Yes, it's under $100. That's news. But many other comparisons to the higher-priced analyzers aren't there.
1. Does it do channel characterizations? Apparently not.
2. Does it have channel reticules? Apparently not.
3. Does it do 802.11a? Apparently not.
4. Does it have enough resolution to find Bluetooth and other spread-spectrum devices? Apparenly not.
5. Can it identify specific kinds of interfering devices, like 2.4Ghz phones, microwaves, door openers, etc? Apparently not.
I say apparently not because none of this functionality, commonly found in other spectrum analyzers of this type, is even mentioned. It's nice to have a cool A-to-D converter in the 2.4Ghz region, but comparing this to Cognio or Air Magnet is like comparing a bicycle to a Porche. I can buy a bicycle for under $100. I can barely touch the ugliest old 914 Porche for $3K.
Don't be fooled by price, or comparisions that hardly scratch the surface of what diagnostic tools are all about. For under $100, it's pretty damn cute. But it's just the basics.... and minimalist basics at best.
---- Teach Peace. It's Cheaper Than War.
This is surely not a replacement for a spectrum analyzer, but it will give you a general idea of interference in your house.
I have conducted many site surveys for businesses wanting wireless networks. The purpose of a spectrum analyzer is to pin-point sources of RF interference that may limit wireless connectivity, so that measures may be put in place to reduce RF emissions. You'd be surprised at amount of RF interference generated by industrial equipment, which poses a problem for RF engineers.
This product merely shows you that you have interference, and lacks the ability to pin-point the source. This product would be better if you could have an external parabolic antenna, but it looks like someone will need to figure out how to jimmy rig a Pringles can antenna to this unit. What can you expect for $100?
/whisper/ Thanks for the candy!
A link to the actual product page?
http://www.metageek.net/
You feel sleepy. Close your eyes. The opinions stated above are yours. You cannot imagine why you ever felt otherwise.
Yes, there are Linux and OSX applications available.
The linux app pretty much looks and works just like the Windows app, but it does have a raw output util that you can do some interesting things with.
I haven't used the OSX app, but the screenshots on their site look very good.
I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it.
I'm a small office / home office IT consultant, and I bought one of these a few weeks ago after stumbling across it on ThinkGeek. It's fabulous for my needs, which are simple: figure out if interference is the reason someone's wireless network is flaky.
Wi-Spy does a great job of doing this. I fired it up at a downtown client and saw there was a strip of intense interference down in channel 1. Moved them up to 11- problem solved. I've also done some tests at home... it's very easy to tell the difference between a microwave, spread spectrum phone system, video sender, and other wifi networks... they have rather distinctive appearences in the graphs Wi-Spy produces. Now that I know what they look like, I can take an educated guess, where before, I was grasping at straws.
For those of you getting your panties in a wad about it not matching a $5000 spectrum analyzer: Duh? Of course it doesn't. But that doesn't mean it's useless... there are a lot of folks (like me) for whom the cost of a "real" spectrum analyzer is completely unjustifiable. But I can spend $100 easily, and *for what I do*, which is occasionally troubleshoot SOHO wireless networks, it provides most of the functionality I need.
The really interesting fact is that this thing defines an entirely new product category: inexpensive spectrum analyzers. I would really like to see what could be done for $500... that's still an order of magnitude cheaper than the existing solutions, but I bet you could add a bunch of features.
-R
A better review is available from Tom's Networking, including comparison to one of the $4000 Cognio devices:
i spy/
i spy/page2.html
http://www.tomsnetworking.com/2006/02/12/review_w
Comparison table on page 2:
http://www.tomsnetworking.com/2006/02/12/review_w