Find Competing Wi-Fi Networks With This Free Android App
Android / iOS: Lifehacker re-alerted me to the existence of the Ubiquiti WiFiman app in a recent Tech 911 post – thanks Rick ! – and I wholeheartedly recommend it if you are an Android user. The app also exists for iOS , and it has some fun features, but it’s not that useful for learning about all the Wi-Fi congestion that slows down your connections.
First, and most importantly, the app is free. And it runs entirely on Android. Install it, accept permission, and you’ll be immediately taken to a list of all Wi-Fi networks your device can find in your area. You will see their SSID, including any hidden networks your neighbors are hacking, as well as their signal strength and whether they are open or secure.
Click on any of them and you will see a small running graph of the signal strength detected by the app, as well as a list of all Wi-Fi radios using this SSID on 2.4 and 5 GHz. (Remember that 2.4 GHz networks operate in the 2400-2500 MHz range, and 5 GHz networks operate in the 5200-5800 MHz range.)
The real gem of the app is the Channels option, which you’ll find at the bottom of the screen. Tap this and you get a beautiful graph of all the Wi-Fi networks near you, including their signal strength, their main channels, and their channel widths.
Your aim? Make sure your Wi-Fi network is operating on a channel with the least competing interference from other wireless networks (ideally 1, 6, or 11 for 2.4 GHz networks, or lower channels for 5 GHz networks).
The in-app discovery feature should sound familiar to you if you’ve ever used an app like Fing to find everything on your network. WiFiman will scan your network and report anything it finds, although this process may take some time.
Finally, the Speed Test function does exactly what its name suggests. It will ping various services and report on the quality of your connection, including your upload / download speed, and how long your connection has when trying to connect to Google, Facebook, and Twitter.
As for the iOS version of WiFiman, Apple’s restrictions on what apps are allowed to do on iOS somewhat limit its functionality. Even worse, the app’s most useful features are not available – basically Wi-Fi scanning, which includes a handy graph of Wi-Fi network apps by channel. You can still discover devices on your network and run speed tests, but that’s about it.