15 Best WiFi Analyzer Apps & Monitoring Tools [Jun 2023]

ByLawrence Williams Hours Updated

WiFi analyzer software allows you to maintain and track the router device status, speed, WiFi usage, signal strength of all your wireless connected devices. Wi-Fi Analyzer is a tool that helps you to track the status of your Wireless Network. It provides detailed network reports and also helps you to organize Networks by name, access point, or Vendor. It also offers smarter scalability for large environments.

Following is a handpicked list of Top WiFi Analyser Apps with their popular features and website links. The list contains both open source (free) and commercial (paid) software. Read more…

Best WiFi Analyzer & Monitoring Software: Free/Paid

Name Platform Free Trial Link
👍 SolarWinds WiFi Analyzer Mac OS and Windows. 30-Days Free Trial Learn More
👍 ManageEngine OpManager Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android 30-Days Free Trial Learn More
Paessler PRTG Windows, macOS, Linux-64 Bit, iOS, iPhone, and Android. 30-Days Free Trial Learn More
Wifi Heat Map Mac OS and Windows. 30-Days Free Trial Learn More
WiFi Explorer Mac OS 7-Days Free Trial Learn More

1) SolarWinds WiFi Analyzer

SolarWinds WiFi Analyzer is a tool that offers proactive monitoring and troubleshooting across a wireless business network. It helps you keep track of crucial Wifi-analysis factors to achieve better wireless device and service insights.

#1 Top Pick
SolarWinds WiFi Analyzer
SolarWinds WiFi Analyzer
5.0

Provides multi-vendor network monitoring

It helps you to monitor and manage wireless networks.

Supported platforms: Mac OS and Windows

Free Trial: 30-Days Free Trial

Visit SolarWinds

Features:

  • Provides multi-vendor network monitoring
  • It helps you to monitor and manage wireless networks.
  • Provides network insights for deeper visibility
  • It helps you to detect and resolve WiFi issues within a customizable dashboard.
  • It is one of the best WiFi analyzer apps that perform straightforward WiFi analysis.
  • This WiFi analyzer allows you to visualize network paths and create WiFi heatmaps.
  • Smarter scalability for large environments

Visit WiFi Analyzer

2) ManageEngine OpManager

OpManager is a comprehensive network performance monitor and Wi-Fi analyzer software that offers complete visibility and control over your wireless networks. View critical metrics and actionable insights that enable you to effectively manage your Wi-Fi environments from its centralized console.

#2
ManageEngine OpManager
ManageEngine OpManager
4.9

Enables simplified wireless network performance and availability tracking.

Helps track crucial Wi-Fi metrics including SNR, signal strength,

Supported platforms: Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android

Free Trial: 30-Days Free Trial

Visit ManageEngine

Features:

  • Enables simplified wireless network performance and availability tracking.
  • Offers in-depth insights into the hardware health of the associated network components.
  • Helps track crucial Wi-Fi metrics including SNR, signal strength, traffic transmission rate, and more.
  • Aids network admins stay ahead of resource exhaustion and connectivity issues by tracking resource utilization metrics and network packet loss.
  • Triggers instantaneous AI-based alerts to aid network admins tackle network issues before they cascade into costly network downtime.
  • Enables network monitoring on the go with integrated iOS and Android mobile app.

Visit ManageEngine

3) Paessler PRTG

Paessler PRTG is a WiFi monitoring and analyzer tool that helps you to analyse all network devices on your network, including WiFi routers. The interface of PRTG allows you to easily interpret all the data collected on your Wi-Fi networks by creating graphs of real-time data and charts of the historical data.

#3
Paessler PRTG
Paessler PRTG
4.8

Measures wireless traffic volumes

Spots device problems easily

Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux-64 Bit, iOS, iPhone, and Android.

Free Trial: 30-Days Free Trial

Visit Paessler PRTG

Features:

  • Measures wireless traffic volumes
  • Spots device problems easily
  • PRTG sensors help you to configure the network and promptly notifies as soon as WiFi networking disruption occurs.
  • You can set the alarm system for your WiFi network.
  • Analyzes every aspect of your wireless networks

Visit Paessler PRTG

4) Wifi Heat Map

Wifi Heat Map is a tool that automatically create custom Wi-Fi heat maps. It helps you to track response time, availability, switches, and more.

#4
Wifi Heat Map
Wifi Heat Map
4.7

Find and fix wireless dead zones

Map locations of connected clients

Supported platforms: Mac OS and Windows

Free Trial: 30-Days Free Trial

Visit SolarWinds

Features:

  • Find and fix wireless dead zones
  • Map locations of connected clients
  • You can find which network application uses the most bandwidth.
  • Provides visual analysis for a device with a delivery path
  • You can see changes along the path and fins service provider issue
  • The tool allows you to drag and drop performance metrics on a timeline
  • Monitor the logical component of the SDN (Software Defined Networking) environment.

Visit SolarWinds Heat

5) WiFi Explorer

WiFi Explorer is a WiFi scanner and a wireless analyzer. It is built to assist WLAN and IT infrastructure with design and validation for troubleshooting wireless networks.

WiFi Explorer

Features:

  • Built For all wireless environments.
  • It provides detailed network reports.
  • Custom column profiles and column pinning
  • Helps to organize Networks by name, access point, or Vendor.
  • This Wi-Fi spectrum analyzer helps you to detect associated clients.
  • Provides support for capture file import.
  • Spectrum analysis, BLE & Zigbee integration
  • Provides remote capture and sensor support.

Link: https://www.intuitibits.com/products/wifiexplorerpro3/

6) Ekahau HeatMapper

Ekahau HeatMapper helps you to perform wireless network analysis, optimization, and simulation. It offers the best high-definition visual WiFi heat maps. This analyzer software also provides the best network coverage and performance analytics.

Ekahau HeatMapper

Features:

  • It is one of the best Wi-Fi analyzer app that allows you to visualize your network.
  • Allows you to get actionable outcomes.
  • It helps you to design networks for your unique requirements.
  • It helps you to collect data points and generates accurate reports.
  • It also provides a precise, plug-and-play Wi-Fi diagnostic and measurement device.

Link: https://www.ekahau.com/solutions/wi-fi-heatmaps/

7) Acrylic Wi-Fi

Acrylic is a free Wi-Fi analyzer that allows users to scan and analyze local wireless routers in a compiled table of relevant details. It provides all the important metrics like MAC address, SSID, RSSI, channel, and vendor.

Acrylic Wi-Fi<

Features:

  • Shows WiFi channels in 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz.
  • It helps you to visualize signal strength and WiFi graphs.
  • This Wi-Fi analyzer allows you to optimize performance and troubleshoot your wireless networks.
  • It offers a rich info display for Windows-based computers.
  • Good for complex, multi-router setups.

Link:https://www.acrylicwifi.com/en/

8) InSSIDer

InSSIDer is a WiFi analyzer tool that gives you visibility in your surrounding WiFi environment. This tool is very useful in SMB networks.

InSSIDer

Features:

  • Analyzes your WiFi configuration, including channel settings, security, signal strength, and the impact of neighboring WiFi networks.
  • Allows you to improve the WiFi security and speed.
  • It helps you to discover the busiest channel.
  • Provides complete WiFi device details.

Link: https://www.metageek.com/products/inssider/

9) Wireshark

Wireshark is a widely used network monitoring and WiFi troubleshooting tool. It allows you to apply coloring rules that can be used to the packet list for quick and intuitive analysis.

Wireshark

Features:

  • It provides live capturing and offline analysis.
  • Captures network data, which you can browse using TTY-mode and TShark utility.
  • Offers standard three-pane packet browser.
  • You can capture files compressed with gzip, which can be decompressed on the fly.
  • You can apply coloring rules that can be used to the packet list for quick and intuitive analysis.
  • Supported platforms: Windows, Linux, macOS, Solaris, FreeBSD, NetBSD, and many others.

Link: https://www.wireshark.org/

10) Network Analyzer

Network Analyzer is a WiFi analyzer tool that provides network information within the iOS Operating System constraints.

Network Analyzer

Features:

  • Easy-to-use interface.
  • Displays signal strength of wireless devices.
  • Shows transmission times to nearby devices.
  • Highly rated app in many app stores.
  • Integrated internet speed test
  • Provides support for IPv4 and IPv6.
  • Supported platforms: iOS and Android.

Link: https://techet.net/netanalyzer/

11) AirMagnet WiFi Analyzer PRO

WiFi Analyzer Pro is one of the best WiFi network analyzer for real-time, accurate, independent, and dependable analysis. It helps you to analyze 802.11 wireless networks without the need of missing any traffic.

AirMagnet WiFi Analyzer PRO

Features:

  • Offers complete Wi-Fi interference scanner.
  • Provides details on wireless network connectivity, WiFi coverage, performance, and network security issues.
  • You can perform testing from the client’s perspective, independent of network infrastructure.
  • It helps you deliver a complete inventory of devices that are operating in the environment.
  • Highlights issues that need immediate attention with a live snapshot
  • Built-in Wireless expertise features

Link: https://www.netally.com/products/airmagnet-wifi-analyzer/

12) Omnipeek Network Analyzer

Omnipeek is a Wi-Fi analyzer tool that offers rapid-fire analytics and insights so you can make the best decisions quickly about your network speed, application performance, and security.

Omnipeek Network Analyzer

Features:

  • Intuitive Graphical display and visualization
  • Quality network analysis workflow
  • It helps you to proactively find all types of network issues.
  • Provides integrated flow and packet-level analysis.
  • Allows you to monitor distributed networks remotely.
  • Provides voice and video monitoring and troubleshooting.

Link: https://www.liveaction.com/products/omnipeek-network-protocol-analyzer/

13) NetSpot

NetSpot is a WiFi analyzer tool that allows you to assess WLAN interference as well as other network performance parameters. The software provides color-coded areas of signal strength. For example, weak signals are highlighted by purple or blue color.

NetSpot

Features:

  • It helps you to detect network interference.
  • WiFi footprint on an office layout
  • Signal channel analysis
  • Allows you to analyze your Wi-Fi coverage.
  • Visualize and troubleshoot your wireless network.

Link: https://www.netspotapp.com/

14) Kismet

Kismet is a wireless network analysis tool and an intrusion detection system. It works with WiFi networks but can be expanded via plugins to handle other network types as well. This WiFi analyzer tool works with WiFi interfaces, Bluetooth interfaces, and some SDRs (Software-defined radio).

Kismet

Features:

  • It is one of the best Wi-Fi analyzer apps that allows standard PCAP logging.
  • It has Client/Server modular architecture.
  • It also provides plugin architecture to expand core features.
  • Multiple capture source support
  • Distributed remote sniffing with the help of light-weight remote capture.
  • Provides XML output for integration with other tools.

Link: https://www.kismetwireless.net/

15) WiFiInfoView

WifiInfoView is a Wi-Fi analytics tool that works on both Mac and Windows OS. This software provides information about wireless networks in your local area, including network name (SSID), MAC address, etc.

WiFiInfoView

Features:

  • Provides large amounts of data about networks.
  • Displays data in multiple ways.
  • Does not need any installation.
  • You can export data in various formats.

Link: https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wifi_information_view.html

16) LizardSystems Wi-Fi Scanner

LizardSystems is a WiFi interface scanner that helps you to locate visible wireless networks and their corresponding information. This software obtains the network name (SSID), signal strength (RSSI), MAC address (BSSID), maximum and achievable data rate, etc.

LizardSystems Wi-Fi Scanner

Features:

  • It helps you to detect security standards like WPA, WEP, or WPA2 for wireless networks.
  • You can add device name and model number discovery of access points.
  • Customizable graph color for any wireless network
  • You can filter the list of detected wireless networks by specified parameters.
  • It displays wireless connection parameters and manages wireless connection profiles.
  • You can connect and analyze all the detected networks.

Link: https://lizardsystems.com/wi-fi-scanner/

17) Homedale

Homedale is a Wi-Fi analyzer that helps you scan Wi-Fi / WLAN access points and monitor their signal strength. It enables you to detect access points with Google geolocation and open WLAN map service to locate yourself.

Homedale

Features:

  • It helps you to monitor the signal strength of selected access points in a graph over time.
  • You can check the usage of all Wi-Fi channels and find the optimal channel for your access point.
  • It displays an icon that shows the currently connected access points.

Link: https://www.the-sz.com/products/homedale/

FAQ:

Wi-Fi analysis is a practice to collect, present, synthesize, and evaluate the data from various wireless networks. This type of practice performs analysis and tracks the key performance metrics for reporting. It enables IT departments to monitor network health, identify problems before they develop and furnish solutions.

WiFi analysis performed using a wireless network analyzer helps you know which WiFi channels are used the least and offers some other information. It is needed for comprehensive WiFi optimization.

Here are some of the Best WiFi Analyzer:

The main reason for using a Wi-Fi analyzer is to gather information about available wireless networks to help professionals and home users to troubleshoot WiFi-related problems like ensuring optimal router settings, and more.

With the proper Wi-Fi analyzer tools, you will get a clear picture of what is happening within your networks to identify and resolve issues.

Here are some important criteria that help you to select the right Wi-Fi analyzer tool for your business:

  • A Wi-Fi analyzer should be able to diagnose what is happening with your connection and provides you with the information required to optimize your network.
  • Wi-Fi analyzer tool should be equipped with a Wi-Fi signal analyzer function, which tells where signal weakens across a network.
  • It should also search for the number of lost packets, test internet connection speeds, and scan the web for signal-interruptive noise.
  • The Wi-Fi analyzer should monitor both performance metrics and presentation with actionability.
  • You should look for WiFi analyzer app that allows administrators to check how data points are related to understand developing situations.
  • It should also allow you to check and resolve all types of networking issues based on the urgency and impact.

To detect WiFi interference, you require a WiFi analyzer app with support for both the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. You should also analyze nearby wireless networks to see which frequency bands and channels they are using and which parts of the radio frequency spectrum they are avoiding.

WiFi networks are the radio waves, which helps you to transmit data over the air. That means the signals they send can be blocked by walls or even other electronic devices.

In the 2.4 GHz band, channels like 1, 6, and 11 are some of the best options for a router because they do not overlap with other media.

In the 5GHz band, channels like 36, 40, 44, and 48 are reserved for domestic use. It does not overlap with bands used for commercial, weather, and military purposes. Therefore, it is ideal for 5GHz.

Yes. You should have WiFi extenders on the same channel as your router. However, to avoid any confusion, you can give each extender a different SSID that is also different from the SSID which is assigned to the WiFi router.

Here are some common Wifi Performance issues:

  • Slow connection: Slow connection is a common issue found in WiFi which can be detected with the help of the Wifi analyzer apps. It also allows you to create a signal heatmap to visualize where the signal is strong and where you need to add something.
  • Issue of no internet connection: It occurs when your WiFi connection stops working, or there is a network outage from your ISP. You should also check that your WiFi router is operating or not.
    • However, suppose you see an LED indicator light flashing, it indicates that the router itself could not connect to the internet. In that case, it is a problem from your service provider. If it is working fine and your ISP is not experiencing an outage, you should fix it yourself. First, you have to restart the router and wait for minute to see if it solves the problem by restarting your router.
  • Weak Signal issue: Weak signal is a WiFi problem which occurs when you are not getting full connectivity and speed from your router device. Ideally, you should check the full WiFi signal strength in the status bar of your computer and mobile devices.
  • WiFi speeds lagging behind wired internet connection: This problem happens when you do not get the desired speed promised by your Internet service provider.
  • Insufficient bandwidth for multiple users: All the Wi-Fi networks do not support different types of simultaneous users, so the Internet speed defers for various users while performing different tasks like streaming online content. This happens because of insufficient bandwidth for multiple users.

Computers communicate by broadcasting messages on a network using IP addresses. Once a message has been sent on a network, the recipient computer with the matching IP address responds with its MAC address.


Best WiFi Analyzer & Monitoring Software: Free/Paid

Name Platform Free Trial Link
👍 SolarWinds WiFi Analyzer Mac OS and Windows. 30-Days Free Trial Learn More
👍 ManageEngine OpManager Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android 30-Days Free Trial Learn More
Paessler PRTG Windows, macOS, Linux-64 Bit, iOS, iPhone, and Android. 30-Days Free Trial Learn More
Wifi Heat Map Mac OS and Windows. 30-Days Free Trial Learn More
WiFi Explorer Mac OS 7-Days Free Trial Learn More

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