A user equipped with a laptop or smartphone with a WiFi heat map software application enters the premises and either loads up an existing map of the area or creates one from scratch. He or she then begins the heat mapping processing, carrying the laptop or smartphone from one location to the next, recording where WiFi is working well and where. The Throughput Heat Maps are currently only available on the iOS App, freely available on the iOS App Store. Steps: How to Use the Throughput Heat Maps in the UniFi iOS App. Go to More Maps and tap on the image of the map to select it. Remember you must first add a map in the webUI in order to edit it in the iOS App. NetSpot is the easiest native wireless site survey software for Mac and Windows. You need just a few clicks to load your office plan or area map before starting a network site survey. To begin, just point to where you are on the map and NetSpot starts measuring wireless signal right away. You can move around and collect Wi-Fi data of the entire. This increase in speed is due to the use of the multi-channel antenna (MIMO), the use of two 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency ranges, and Medium Access Control (MAC). The Wi-Fi board is about 20 meters. In this project, we want to create a WiFi heat map using the ESP8266, Arduino and 3.5″ TFT LCD.
Perform wireless network analysis, optimization, and simulation with high-definition visual Wi-Fi heatmaps that take the guesswork out of network coverage and performance.
What is a Wi-Fi heatmap?
A Wi-Fi heatmap is a visual representation of the wireless signal coverage and strength. Wi-Fi heatmaps are generally overlaid on top of a building or facility floorplan to help give network owners a clear idea of where problem areas are located in relation to the collected survey data.
Plan more accurately
Design networks for your unique requirements with simulated heatmaps and validate with real-world testing.
![Android wifi heat map Android wifi heat map](/uploads/1/2/6/4/126419055/850408022.jpg)
Visualize your network
Remove the guesswork out of optimization and visualize your network performance with easy-to-understand heatmaps.
Get actionable outcomes
Find and fix coverage gaps that occur over time to maintain and optimize for a high-performing wireless network.
Creating Wi-Fi Heatmaps with Ekahau Connect
Heatmaps are a critical component of the Ekahau Connect suite of Wi-Fi tools. Generate simulated Wi-Fi heatmaps to test access point (AP) placement using Ekahau Pro in your initial design phase or connect your IPhone or iPad to Ekahau Sidekick and visualize real-time network coverage heatmaps from your site surveys with Ekahau Survey for iPhone & iPad.
Ekahau Sidekick
Precise, plug-and-play Wi-Fi diagnostic and measurement device for professional survey results.
Ekahau Survey
Collect more data points and generate more accurate survey heatmaps right from your phone.
Ekahau Pro
Free Wifi Heat Mapping Software
The industry-standard tool for designing, analyzing, optimizing and troubleshooting Wi-Fi networks.
Types of Wi-Fi Heatmaps and Visualizations
Signal Strength
Displays the signal strength of the selected set of APs in dBm.
Displays the signal strength of the selected set of APs in dBm.
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR)
Shows the ratio of the signal strength relative to the noise in the environment.
Shows the ratio of the signal strength relative to the noise in the environment.
Channel Overlap
Shows how many APs are overlapping on a single channel in the given area.
Shows how many APs are overlapping on a single channel in the given area.
Network Health
Provides a summarized overview of the network based on whether defined network requirements are met or not.
Provides a summarized overview of the network based on whether defined network requirements are met or not.
Associated Access Point (AP)
Predicts which AP the client devices will be associated, or, if Hybrid Site Surveys have been made, displays the actual associated AP.
Predicts which AP the client devices will be associated, or, if Hybrid Site Surveys have been made, displays the actual associated AP.
Capacity Health
Displays whether the network meets the Capacity Requirements.
Displays whether the network meets the Capacity Requirements.
Channel Bandwidth
Displays channel bandwidth to better visualize your 802.11n/ac/ax network characteristics such as channel bonding.
Displays channel bandwidth to better visualize your 802.11n/ac/ax network characteristics such as channel bonding.
Channel Coverage
Displays the channel of the AP with the strongest signal strength in each location.
Displays the channel of the AP with the strongest signal strength in each location.
Data Rate
Displays the potential rate at which the client device can communicate with the AP.
Displays the potential rate at which the client device can communicate with the AP.
Interference/Noise
Displays interference/noise as a result of co-channel interference and other noise that may have an impact on performance.
Displays interference/noise as a result of co-channel interference and other noise that may have an impact on performance.
Number of APs
Shows how many APs are audible in a given location.
Shows how many APs are audible in a given location.
Packet Loss
Displays the relative packet loss % over the floor map, as measured from the last 10 packets.
Displays the relative packet loss % over the floor map, as measured from the last 10 packets.
Throughput (Max)
Displays the theoretical maximum net throughput (excluding overhead) per location, given ideal circumstances.
Displays the theoretical maximum net throughput (excluding overhead) per location, given ideal circumstances.
Difference in Signal Strength
Shows the signal strength difference in measured values between the primary and secondary coverage of your design or survey in your network environment.
Shows the signal strength difference in measured values between the primary and secondary coverage of your design or survey in your network environment.
Difference in Number of APs
Shows the change in the number of APs between the primary and secondary AP location in your design or survey in your network environment.
Shows the change in the number of APs between the primary and secondary AP location in your design or survey in your network environment.
Difference in Interference
Shows the interference difference in measured values between the primary and secondary AP in your design or survey in your network environment.
Shows the interference difference in measured values between the primary and secondary AP in your design or survey in your network environment.
Poor WiFi can get in the way of experiencing our devices to their full potential. Most new electronic devices today, and especially those intended for entertainment, will be WiFi-enabled. Having a weak wireless signal can drastically limit what you can do with your device, and could mean using it isn’t practical at all. For example, devices aimed at video streaming or online games are unusable with poor connections. The same is true if you rely on WiFi-enabled devices to work at home. Productivity can be severely hampered by weak signal strength. By conducting a WiFi site survey, you can create a WiFi heat map and get to the bottom of your poor WiFi. Once you’ve done this, you can take action to correct it and experience more from your devices.
What Is a WiFi Heat Map and What Is It Used For?
Put simply, a WiFi heat map is a visual representation of the wireless signal strength of a network. WiFi heat map software typically overlay colors onto the map of the building. By looking at the colors and how they are distributed around your building, you can easily identify WiFi dead spots.
Create Wifi Heat Map
The goal of WiFi heat map software is to give people control over their WiFi network. If you’ve always wondered why the signal is spotty in the room next to your router, the WiFi heat map can help you identify why that is. For example, furniture, walls, and metal and block signals. Other radio wave emitting devices like radios, baby monitors, and microwaves have also been known to cause interference. Neighboring WiFi networks can also cause problems. A WiFi heat map makes it easy to identify problems you may otherwise have missed and form a solution. For example, you might expect a good WiFi signal in the room next to the router because the signal hasn’t had to travel far. However, if you have a thick bookcase on the wall the signal needs to travel through, which might be blocking the signal. Similarly, if you have your WiFi-enabled device located on a shared wall in a flat, you might be getting radio noise from your neighbor’s WiFi router.
How to Heat Map WiFi
To create a WiFi heat map, you first need to download and install WiFi heat map software. There are many WiFi heat mapping apps out there, but we’d recommend NetSpot for the majority of users for its ease of use and comprehensive features. Follow these steps to get started:
- Download NetSpot to your Windows or Mac laptop. You will need NetSpot Home, PRO, or Enterprise.
- Once you have opened the app, select Survey Mode. Then simply click “Start a new survey”.
- You will be asked to create and name a new project, and choose the zone and area type.
- You will then upload a map of your area by clicking on “Load from file”. If you do not have a map of the area ready, you can create one with NetSpot’s “Draw it” option. You can also start with the sample map to make the process even easier.
- When you start the mapping process, you will need to carry your laptop with you as you walk around the space, marking your approximate location each time you stop in a different location.
- Walk around and cover the whole area you want to be analyzed by the WiFi heat map software. NetSpot will help by showing your path and using green circles to denote the areas it has covered. You can use this feature to quickly see any areas you have missed.
- When you’ve finished, simply press “Stop scan”.
How to Read a WiFi Heat Map
Your finished WiFi heat map will use colors to represent areas of strong and weak signal. Green means excellent signal and will typically be present around the router itself. As the colors move from green to the warmer colors, the signal is weaker. Yellow would be considered good signal strength. Orange is weaker than yellow, and red is weaker than orange.
You might find the map looks how you expected it to, with red areas located far from the router. However, you may also find some surprises such as unexpected dead spots in areas you might expect a better signal. If this is the case, you should take a closer look at those areas of your space and try to figure out why. You can make amendments and create a new heat map to see if your solution worked! WiFi heat map software is great for helping you work towards an optimal WiFi setup.
Comments
comments