Nokia spits out network diagnostics

Nokia's Beta Labs has created a Connectivity Analyzer for those whose Wi-Fi isn't performing as it should. The tool provides comprehensive analysis from a mobile phone. You'll be needing a S60 mobile phone, of course, but anything from the 8GB N95 to the N8 should be able to run the free application that offers detailed …

[Ed Courtenay]

Android Alternative

For anyone running Android, there's the excellent WiFi Analyser by FarProc available from the Android Market; this app has saved my bacon on several occasions, especially when troubleshooting reliability issues on my WiFi network at home recently.

[PaulR79]

WiFi Analyser

I'd be recommending it too but don't follow it blindly. I had my router set up and running fine but wanted to see what it would recommend and it suggested using a different channel for better performance. I promptly did as it suggested and noticed my 20Mb connection drop to averages around 4 - 8Mb (cable broadband). I puzzled for weeks (yeah.... dumb I know) why it was happening and thought it was Virgin Media having issues until I remembered I'd used WiFi Analyser. As soon as I switched back to the original channel I was using the speed shot back up and has been there ever since.

The article mentions the N95 8GB so I assume the earlier N95 will work too since they're essentially the same phone. That works for me and I'll give it a shot sometime, thanks Nokia!

[Stuart Halliday]

Changing channel

Just remember when changing your Wi-Fi channel to reduce interference to alter the channel number in blocks of 6....

Most Wi-Fi channels overlap and you need to increment/decrement by 6.

[Anonymous Coward]

not that basic

its not that basic. in fact, your generalization doesnt even cover 2.4GHz B/G - which , in the

UK has 13 'channels' available for use (unlike eg US where they only have 11) - to have the best usage with minimal overlapping, you'd use channels 1, 7, 13 - but channels 12 and 13 arent readily available to many bits of kit without dealing with ETSI firmware - so, really, you're stuck to 1,6,11

in the 2.$GHz range. in the 5GHz range there are dozens of discrete channels that can be used - and with A/N you can even use 40MHz mode to get full N speed - something that isnt really suitable in the 2.4GHz because you cant have 2 40MHz APs without overlap in channel (they crash the channel 6/7 space).

I'm starting to get a little annoyed by casual wireless admins - it used to be that all my neighbours would happen to choose the channel I used...hats okay..I'd drop to 1 or go up to 11 - whichever had least duty cycles... but now I see neighbours on 3,5,8,9,10 - not a single chance of having noise/collision/interference free wifi :-(

[andy gibson]

+1 for FarProcWiFi Analyser

Quickly diagnosed a huge drop in wi-fi signal beyond a certain point. Relocating the AP showed an increase in signal and the whole job was compete in minutes.

[Tom Chiverton 1]

N900

WifiEye on the N900 is handles the same job...

[Anonymous Coward]

iPhone falling behind

Unfortunately to do this on the iPhone needs use of the prohibited "private classes" or something that you are not allowed to use. I had WiFoFum which was very convenient, until Apple pulled it.

They need to get round this problem for the true techy market (not that they are doing badly in terms of cash, obviously)

[Anonymous Coward]

Tried it

Its main use is that it shows you some of the things that the standard connection manager doesn't even tell you, hides behind several menus, or only tells you well after the fact. So it's useful mostly because the built-in thing isn't useful. That's 1/4 plus 10-odd megabytes in installers just to fix up the shoddy default.

If you need such a thing, it's ok and pretty graphs for free. Myself, I could use something more versatile.

[gjw]

N8

Isn't actually S60, of course, but Symbian, just Symbian

Program works great on N8.

[Jefe Mixtli]

Moved to OVI store

The App is apparently on the OVI store now since it's out of beta.

Anyone know what it's called there?

I've searched for "Connectivity analyzer" and "Wifi analyzer" but can't find it with my N86, and neither can my buddy with his N95.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/Design/graphics/icons/comment/fail_32.png

http://www.theregister.co.uk/Design/graphics/icons/comment/unhappy_32.png

[Kristian Walsh]

Not on Ovi Store, only from Nokia's "beta labs" site

You need to go to Nokia Beta Labs (follow the link in the article), and then click "Download". Beta Labs is an evaluation programme, so you'll have to sign in first before you can download (if you use other Nokia/Ovi services, the same ID will work here too).

[Wize]

One of the pains in the ass when getting something that isnt in the store

is having to self sign.

[Bod]

Self sign

No need to self sign this. Just download from beta labs and install. It also installs the Qt libraries if you haven't got it.

You only need to self sign stuff where the developer hasn't been able to sign it. Doesn't have to be in the Ovi store to be signed. One of the beauties with Nokia products is you are not forced to use approved apps and approved stores.

[Paul]

good find, also try barbelo

thanks for posting this app, it's a good find.

I also use barbelo - http://www.darkircop.org/barbelo/

which works ok; I think I have to set my clock back a couple of years as the signature on the app expired, but it works fine.

[Stuart Halliday]

and for netbook users running Windows....

there is Netstumbler

http://www.stumbler.net/

[Chris 211]

Netstumbler!

Useless rubbish that hasnt moved on in years. Plenty of better options for free about, try Xirrus as an example.

The nokia wifi analyser works a treat on a Nokia e71. Nice little addon.

[Bod]

Netstumbler has moved on

Sort of. inSSIDer was developed as a replacement.

Not that Netstumbler is rubbish. It still does the job it was designed to do perfectly well. The likes of inSSIDer are the same thing just with bells and whistles.

[Anonymous Coward]

Yummy.

Very handy.

[Mikko Kaarela]

Ad hoc is good, 7/24 monitoring better

It's nice to have little tools to look at the network, but when WLAN turns from "network of convenience" into a real part of critical business infrastructure, these gadgets are not sufficient.

What we do need, first of all in places like hospitals, logistic centres - and increasingly - in wireless offices is vendor-independent, continuous Wireless Quality Assurance (WQA) and SLA-monitoring such as the Sapphire system by 7signal. That allows to centralise the WQA and cost-effectively concentrate the expert resources to look after all corporate campuses - or simply outsource this activity to an external service provider, just like mobile operators have been doing for some time.