Wi-fi Heatmapper

Analyze Wi-Fi signal strengths and make necessary adjustments to enhance network coverage. This free tool will display the best location for your WLAN router.

Some of us who connect via a router often face problems such as slow data transmissions and connection disruptions. All these problems point towards a badly situated router. With the Ekahau HeatMapper you can find the best installation locations to cover all rooms with radio signals in the best possible manner. The software also shows the security settings of all access points within the range making it ideal to trace unsafe and new networks.

A laptop is compulsory when using the tool since the tool itself requires you to be mobile to be able to measure signal strengths in different parts of the room. Also, it is recommended to import the blueprints or layout of the building into the program in order to simplify the measurement. The HeatMapper alternatively shows the measurement results and router location on a grid. CHIP tells you how to optimize your WLAN using this software. But before we start you will need to download this free utility from www.ekahau.com. You will find this tool under the products section.

STEP 1

Install the software on your laptop or netbook. Start the tool and select “I have a map image”. Now select the layout of your building and load it in HeatMapper.

Now if you don’t have an image or map of your apartment simply select
“I don’t have a map image”. The software should now show a grid layout with the centre point being your router access point.

Step 2

Place your router possibly at a place from where you often access your WLAN such as the living room or bedroom. Now connect the router to the socket; an internet connection need not be established as of now. It is best to start testing along with the laptop in the corner of the house or apartment. Click on the map where you are currently standing in-order to start the measurement.

Now walk slowly into the next corner of the building. Keep clicking on your current location continuously while walking. Walk to all rooms so as to draw a continuous line on the layout. End the walk by right clicking on the point you are currently standing on. You can undo the last step using the ‘Undo Survey” tab in case you misclicked.

HeatMapper will now position the found routers with details like names, SSID, channel number or encryption on the map and show where the reception of devices is the strongest with the help of color gradations from green to red. The device currently having the best connection with the Laptop is marked green. Once you are done marking the signal strengths around your house save the overview map by clicking “Take Screenshot”.

Step 3

You can now optimize the location of your router with the help of the reception map. The map basically helps you analyze the signals and setup access points wherever you find the signals to be weak. The red areas on the map show where the reception is bad. You can improve on the reception by moving the router around till you get a green bar.