Today there is a router in almost every home. But such an abundance Wi-Fi routers could not but affect the quality of the signal.

Very often networks overlap one another and interruptions in the Internet signal occur. And this despite the fact that he is strong and nothing visible should interfere with him.

The reason may just be the overlap of several access points on one channel. For apartment buildings this problem is especially relevant. Only the user should distinguish between problems with the signal and the router. This is how a smartphone on the Android platform completely freezes at the stage of downloading torrent files. Here the reason is different.

Wi-Fi breaks can occur as follows:

1. A tablet or smartphone behaves as it wants - when it connects normally to the network signal, when it doesn’t connect at all;
2. A sharp drop in download speed without good reason (and low speed observed on internal resources);
3. Communication is lost in a certain place in the apartment, where there are no barriers.

The reason for all these troubles is precisely the use of the same communication channel by many points wireless routers. Subsequently, congestion of this channel leads to low speed and connection interruptions.

Solving a problem quickly means changing the channel. Most users don’t even know how to analyze this situation and how to change the “Auto” setting on their router.

How to change the communication channel to different types routers can be read at this link.

Free programs that can be easily downloaded on the Internet will help you analyze the state of your wireless network for:

• smartphones with different platforms;
• laptops and PCs.

There are thirteen channels in total for signal transmission in Russia. So, of these 13, the first, sixth and eleventh channels do not intersect. But not all countries use 13; in the USA, for example, only 12 are allowed. For different versions The operating system has its own characteristics regarding the use of certain channels.

So Windows 10 does not see channel 13, and in the router settings it is impossible to change the region to Europe in order to correct access to this channel.

Version 7 of the OS also does not see channels larger than 12. Therefore, when choosing another unloaded channel, this must be taken into account.

This is exactly what analyzer programs are needed to identify free channels, configure the router on them and work calmly.

If the user has a problem connecting to any channel or the signal lags due to channel congestion, then you can ask the technical support of the official Windows website for answers to your questions.

The most convenient and simple programs that analyze the occupancy of communication channels are the following:

1. inSSIDer 4 - download;
2. Free Wi-Fi Scanner - download;

These programs will help you learn other useful information about networks. You can recognize the type of security and signal speed. Convenient graphs help you analyze the signal. The figure below shows how the channels overlap different users and which access point has the highest frequency signal.

An example of network analysis using InnSider

When downloading the program from the official website, the user should pay attention to the terms of use. Very often today they offer only demo versions of programs with a period of use of no more than a month. after that you need to buy the program.

As can be seen from the picture, after analysis it is clearly seen that the most crowded channel is 6. That is, you should disconnect from it and select free 2, 3, or 4, or any other except the first and eleventh, which are also already occupied.

Network analyzer for Android

Most convenient for smartphone on the Android platform, use the Wi-Fi Analyzer program. No problems searching or downloading. The user logs in via his phone Google service Play and through the search finds this application and downloads it. When the smartphone is turned on, you can download the application via a PC.

After installation, you can go into the program and analyze communication channels. It will be immediately visible at what frequency the router operates and on what channel. All this will be indicated on the available charts. Just select channels and properties in the settings.

That is, in the illustrative example there is no need to change anything, because the signal does not intersect with almost anyone. In the same program, you can select the “channels” tab in the properties and see which channel has the highest and best signal. The rating is indicated by stars.

The example shows that the best signal without interference is on channels 12,13 and 14. The program installs quickly and erases quickly. Therefore, users should not be afraid that the application will take up a lot of memory on the device.

There is another convenient tab in the same application that will show the signal frequency. With such a pointer, you can move around the apartment and choose exactly the place where the signal will be the strongest.

How to change automatic channel selection on a D-Link router?

There are a huge number of routers on the market today. But according to statistics, the most frequently purchased model is the D-Link model. How can I disable auto channel selection on it?

To do this, dial in address bar Internet address 192.168.0.1. In the window that opens, type admin in both the login and password. Unless the user himself changed them. The standard login and password are always written to back cover boxes from under the router.

A window appears, in which you select “advanced settings”, and then the basic ones, as in the figure above. After selecting the basic properties of the wireless network, you should find the “channel” line in the window that appears and select from it the free channel that any program for analyzing communication channels showed.

After this, the connection may be interrupted briefly and restarted again. If this does not happen, you need to check the router settings again and if there is a dialog box in the upper right corner asking you to save changes, you need to click and save it. After this, the data transfer and download speed should increase.

With the help of such simple manipulations, any user today can correct minor errors in the wireless network in their apartment without calling a technician or paying for their services.

So, how to choose this very high-speed and high-frequency channel wireless communication?

1. Launch the analyzer program;
2. Determine a free channel;
3. Find the place in the apartment with the highest reception frequency
4. Check non-overlapping channels (1,6,11 - if they are free) at this frequency, for example, reception speed and jumps;
5. Install the selected free channel with a high reception frequency - reconfigure the router, accept the changes.

Thus, fixing problems with lost signal and lost speed turned out to be very simple, you just need to strictly follow the above steps.

Thanks to specially created programs, the procedure for discovering and connecting to Wi-Fi, as well as organizing a wireless Internet access point, is greatly simplified using only a laptop or other device connected to the global network.

The following guide will help you understand the huge variety of such applications and introduce the basic techniques for working with them.

Advantages and main purpose of such programs

They provide ease of search, connection and creation of Wi-Fi hotspots.

When analyzing the presence of wireless networks, such programs are capable of automatic mode determine the stability of connections, sort by the strength of the transmitted signal, etc.

Many utilities are supplied with regularly updated hotspot databases, which allows the user to quickly find a Wi-Fi network even when outside its coverage area.

Some applications allow even a novice user to easily create their own hotspots. All that is usually required of a person is to click, create a point, and assign it an original name.

The utilities are designed not only to work on Windows PCs, but also on mobile platforms Android and Windows Phone.

Most often they are used in laptops and smartphones, since they are already equipped with built-in Wi-Fi modules from the manufacturer.

Activating it is not a problem on mobile devices, but to enable it on a laptop you need to know about some of the nuances of the laptop model you are using.

How to enable Wi-Fi adapter on a laptop?

To connect to Wi-Fi on a laptop, you must activate the module with a switch or key combination.

To enable wi-fi adapter on a laptop, you need to do the following:

Various button combinations can be used. If they do not have characteristic patterns, then it is recommended to go through the options from “F1” to “F12”, of course, not forgetting to hold the “Fn” button.

Application for connecting to Wi-Fi “Maxidix Wifi Suite”

In less than four years, this utility has managed to gain popularity among users all over the world.

Many similar programs do not have a Russian interface, but Maxidix does not have this drawback.

Often professional programmers prefer this application, as it allows you to establish 100% control over Wi-Fi connections.

In addition to the basic functions of detecting and connecting to wireless networks, it is capable of counting consumed traffic.

Thanks to the use of a special algorithm, the procedure for connecting to Wi-Fi takes several times less time.

The program shows geographic location, has the function of exporting and importing network profiles and much more.

WeFi

The utility searches for networks to connect to Wi-Fi.

Two main advantages have made it popular all over the world:

1. The application is distributed free of charge;
2. The utility's database contains hundreds of millions of Wi-Fi networks around the world.

The main disadvantage of the application is the lack of a Russian interface.

Even when there are no available access points within the user’s radius, he can quickly find the closest one on the map and, for example, quickly get to it by metro.

Flexible application settings allow you to adapt it to the specific needs of the user.

If a network connection is required constantly, then the utility can be launched simultaneously with the end Windows boot in computer.

Sociable people will like the “Online status of friends” option. Through it, the user will always know the location of his friends and acquaintances, or rather, which point they connected to (the point is displayed on the map).

There are versions of the utility designed not only to work on PCs, but also on operating systems. Windows systems Phone and Android.

Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector

If you need a real radar for wireless networks, then this free program equipped with a similar built-in tool.

The application analyzes the stability and speed of the connection. The user only needs to click on the corresponding virtual keys: “Test” and “Speed ​​Test”.

Experienced users and specialists often use this utility to select the optimal location of the router.

Thanks to the accurate results of analyzing the quality of the wireless signal broadcast, reliable communication between the access point and, for example, a smart TV or computer will be ensured.

The application is also convenient for determining the location of surveillance cameras that use a wireless communication channel with a router and PC.

Unfortunately, all modifications of the application do not have a Russian-language menu.

However, using the application is not difficult even without knowledge of a foreign language.

After clicking on “Radar”, the utility automatically analyzes available networks, and then provides the laptop owner with a list of them in an intuitive interface.

The user becomes available detailed information about each detected point, down to the signal strength and the router manufacturer.

MyPublicWiFi

If you need to create a Wi-Fi hotspot, then it does an excellent job free utility MyPublicWiFi.

A user's router may suddenly stop working, or some people may not have one at all. However, this does not prevent them from actively using their own Wi-Fi access point on their PC.

For this purpose, you will need to perform the following sequential actions:

Note: Before running the utility, you need to turn on the Wi-Fi module of the laptop using the instructions from the first paragraph of this manual.

mHotspot

A program similar to the previous one in its purpose, it allows you to turn a PC into a router and protect the network with an access code, so you don’t have to worry that someone else will connect to the user’s resources.

The utility is not Russified, but it is absolutely free.

The application allows you to manually set the allowed number of network clients.

Data about users connected to the created point is shown in the “Clients” section.

The “Hotspot” tab displays the data reception and transmission speed values.

As you can see, everything is simple, therefore, despite the English-language interface, even a beginner can easily cope with the operation of the application.

Connectify

Another program for creating a Wi-Fi hotspot. Despite the fact that it is paid, it has many fans. It is not demanding on laptop resources and is easy to configure.

After installation and launch of the utility, the following menu will be displayed.

Using 4 tabs, you can configure the operation of the utility.

It is recommended to go to the “Settings” tab and click “Launch Options”.

Specify parameters based on personal preferences, for example, organize the utility to autostart after Windows boots, etc.

In the “Display” tab, you can allow or block the display of advertising.

In the Network Address Translation Settings tab, advanced users can enter specific data, however, the default settings here are already configured for optimal application performance.

Additional settings are located in a separate section “Advanced settings”.

Through the “Languages” item, if “Russian” is not installed, then for convenience it is recommended to select. After this, the application interface will immediately be Russified.

The website laboratory continues to study the segment of search programs wireless internet on city streets, and this time we will look at two interesting and popular applications: Wi-Fi Map and Osmino Wi-Fi.

The first utility contains a huge database about Wi-Fi, as well as reviews, comments about them, and even a kind of game. The second program is also interesting for its information base and a set of functions. Next, we will conduct a side-by-side comparison of the functions of each program and summarize the results for all the tested utilities.

Before reading this review I recommend that readers read the previous material on choosing an application to find free Wi-Fi. Unfortunately, not all programs were included in this cycle. We have selected six of the most interesting and unusual utilities that have received support from popular Russian cities and occupy current positions in the rankings of the Google Play online store.

The test equipment used was Xiaomi smartphones Redmi Note (Miui V8 on Android 4.4.2 OS, Dalvik runtime, MediaTek processor MT6592, 8 x 1700 MHz, Mali-450 MP4 video co-processor, 700 MHz, 2 GB RAM) and Jinga Basco M500 3G (OC Android 5.1, ART runtime, MediaTek MT6580 processor, 4 x 1300 MHz, Mali-400 MP2 video co-processor, 1 GB of RAM), as well as samsung tablet Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (CM 13 based on Android OS 6.0.1, ART runtime, TI OMAP 4430 processor, 2 x 1200 MHz, PowerVR 540 video coprocessor, 384 MHz, 1 GB RAM).

WiFi Map

Acquaintance

Lots of free Wi-Fi hotspots with reviews and photos, offline mode and basic options - what else does a utility that helps you find free wireless Internet need? Probably better WiFi apps Map for Android devices cannot be imagined.

Features of Wi-Fi Map App:

• Convenient and beautiful application;
• Information about free Wi-Fi throughout the planet;
• You can add your own Wi-Fi points and edit passwords;
• Smart search by cafes, hotels, cities and countries;
• Map navigation;
• Search for the nearest Wi-Fi point;
• Determining your current location;
• Wi-Fi hotspots will be available even if the map is not loaded and there is no Internet.

Beginning of work

When you launch WiFi Map for the first time, you will become familiar with the application and its concept. It turns out that WiFi Map is “ social network where users share Wi-Fi passwords for public places." The number of cities and points, as well as other statistical information, is specified.

The WiFi Map menu is equally divided into four sections: “Map”, “Statistics”, “Offline Wi-Fi Lists” and “Settings”. We will consider each of these sections separately. By the way, the design of the elements is very pleasant; soft colors in the Material Design style are used.

The first menu, which displays the map, has the map itself with points plotted on it and a sliding panel with nearby Wi-Fi hotspots. Of course, our location was shown on the map. Select a point on the map or through the list of connections, then open Additional Information, since the name of the network, the type of access point, its creator, password, date of entry into the database, reviews and photographs. All this will allow you to determine the relevance of the access point.

Interestingly, if this Wi-Fi suddenly does not appear, it has a different password, or other errors are made, then you can fix it all. I tried it this function at work. So, for example, if we correct the password, it will soon change for all users, but if we report the absence of a given access point, then we will need to wait for three or four similar complaints from other users.

WiFi Map is not just an application for finding WiFi, it is an entire social network with user ratings. For each connection to the Internet through applications, for each added point, downloaded map and other actions, we will be awarded points, and our position in the rating table will be adjusted based on them.

We have already seen something similar in the Wiman application, but the developers of this program went further and made it a competition between countries. In real time, we see a competition in the number of free points in a number of socially active countries, of course, Russia is among them. A very interesting thing.

WiFi Map is no worse than its competitors and therefore has an offline mode of operation, for which we also need to download in advance all the information about points in a certain city. The cache size of an average city with 400-700 thousand inhabitants ranges from 10 to 25 MB. This is not a small amount, but it is quite justified, since the application contains a lot of points and accompanying information.

Unfortunately, the application does not include very small cities - this is the only drawback that should be noted.

Testing

In the previous review, we took a small Crimean city called Simferopol as a test. And only one application from the previous test had about one and a half thousand points, but here we know the exact number - on this moment these are 2800 points with free Wi-Fi. In practice, it turned out that almost all the points turned out to be actually working, most likely due to active moderation. The real advantage of Wi-Fi Map over competitors.

Yes, operating system will allow you to find nearby networks and connect to them, but what about add-ons? What if you need to have detailed information on all the Wi-Fi networks around you, troubleshoot your network, turn your laptop into a portable Wi-Fi hotspot, or stay safe on public hotspots? Windows won't help you with all this.

That's why we've found six apps for you. They do everything Windows can't do and more. Five of the six applications are free, while the sixth is not expensive at all.

From MetaGeek is great tool search and collect information via Wi-Fi networks in the area where your computer is located. The program is also useful in solving problems with your own Wi-Fi network.

For all found Wi-Fi networks, InSSIDer shows the MAC address of the router, the router manufacturer (if the program can determine it - usually it can), the channel in use, the SSID or public name of the network, security type, network speed and the like. In addition, the program shows the current network signal strength.

How would you use a program to solve problems with your wireless network? If you saw that a nearby network with a strong signal was on the same channel as you, you would change the channel of your network (most routers allow this), thereby avoiding potential conflicts.

The program also allows you to identify “dead zones” in your area where there is no sufficiently reliable Wi-Fi signal. To do this, just walk around your home or office with InSSIDer turned on. In the future, you can either avoid these places or try to move your router.

Whether you need to solve problems with your network or find Wi-Fi hotspots to connect to, InSSIDer is the program you'll want to download and try.

Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows XP, Vista and 7 (32- and 64-bit)
Download InSSIDer

Here's another great program for finding Wi-Fi networks and providing information on them, such as how far away they are from you. The radar-like screen shows all nearby hotspots. A separate panel offers detailed information on all found hotspots, including signal strength, network type (for example, 802.11n), router manufacturer, transmission channel, etc.

Next to the radar, the panel provides even more detailed information about the network you are currently connected to, including your personal IP address, public IP address, DNS, gateway information, and more.

Why use Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector over MetaGeek InSSIDer? For example, because the simpler and clearer layout of Wi-Fi Inspector makes it easier to present information on hotspots. The program also shows your relative physical distance from the hotspot. And probably no one will deny the usefulness of the radar itself.

However, InSSIDer is better than Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector in terms of obtaining more detailed information on surrounding Wi-Fi networks.

Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows XP SP2+, Vista and 7
Download Xirrus Wi-Fi Inspector

is an excellent, free program that allows you to turn a computer with Windows 7 (the program only works with Windows 7) into a Wi-Fi hotspot, which can then be used by nearby devices - such as a smartphone or tablets of colleagues.

Of course, the computer itself that you would like to convert into a Wi-Fi hotspot must be connected to the Internet and support Wi-Fi. At the same time, the connection to the Internet does not necessarily have to be wired (although it does not hurt), because a Wi-Fi card on a computer can perform a dual function - on the one hand, it can act as a Wi-Fi receiver, and on the other, it can act as a transmitter.

Setting up a hotspot is simple: Once you're connected to the Internet, launch Connectify, give your hotspot a name and set a password. After this, your computer's Wi-Fi card will begin broadcasting a Wi-Fi signal to which other devices can connect. It is worth noting that your computer will work using the Wi-Fi protocol for which it was created. In addition, it will also support older protocols. For example, an 802.11n signal will allow you to connect devices with 802.11b/g/n.

Setting a password will allow you to restrict unauthorized access to the Internet. The hotspot signal itself is protected by WPA2-PSK encryption.

You can even use Connectify for installation local network without external connection to the Internet. Launch the program as a hotspot and nearby devices will be able to connect to its network, even if you do not have Internet access. This can be used, for example, to transfer files internally working group or for multiplayer games.

It's worth noting that connecting my Mac to a hotspot based on a Windows 7 computer and Connectify caused me problems. However, other computers and devices connected without problems.

Wi-Fi network diagnostics and detection free channels

In this article we will talk about how to detect a free channel WiFi network for more accurate (reliable) configuration of an access point or other wireless equipment. Wi-Fi diagnostics networks is performed by specialized utilities. Among them there are both paid and free versions, the most popular are presented below:

Let's focus on the utility inSSIDer, as it is a powerful tool for diagnosing wireless networks. This program will help you measure signal strength and evaluate the performance of your Wi-Fi equipment in different locations. You can clearly see and check how walls, stairs, doors, and in general the layout and materials of your premises affect the coverage area of ​​the wireless network being served. Moreover, the Home version is completely free.
Currently, in any modern city, every home or office is literally teeming with an abundance of Wi-Fi networks. At the same time, when several wireless networks overlap the channel on which they operate (i.e. several AP In a building, a Wi-Fi network is distributed over one channel), a situation arises when the operation of all Wi-Fi networks on this channel slows down. Scanner inSSIDer will help you discover the best channel for your Wi-Fi.

Features of this software:

• inSSIDer uses your current software wireless card and Wi-Fi connections
• work with Microsoft Windows Vista, 7 and 8.1 (32 and 64 bit)
• tracks the strength of received signals in dBm over time
• Sorting by MAC address, SSID, channel number, RSSI, and time is available

Installing the utility does not cause any difficulties. It is worth noting - if you use several wireless adapters, then in the menu Network connection select the one you need wireless adapter— it will be used to perform scanning. Next, the program will automatically scan wireless networks and display information about the airwaves. Below is a screenshot of the inSSIDer working window:

Working window of the inSSIDer program

Let's take a closer look at the information provided:

SSID– name of the wireless network.
Channel– channel number on which the wireless network operates. It is recommended to use a wireless channel that has the least number of other networks.
RSSI– power level of the received signal. The higher the RSSI number, or the less negative it is, the stronger the signal. Try not to share the Channel number with access points that are close to your network in terms of signal strength.
Security– type of security. In some versions of the utility, the security type WPA2-TKIP denoted as RSNA, A WPA2-AES How CCMP.
MaxRate– maximum speed of the device at physical level(maximum theoretical speed) provided by the access point.
Vendor– access point manufacturer.

In Russia, 13 wireless channels are allowed for use, three of which are non-overlapping (these are channels 1, 6 and 11).
If the wireless adapter installed on your computer/laptop/tablet/smartphone is intended for use in the US, it will only be able to use channels 1 through 11. Therefore, if you set the channel number to 12 or 13 (or if one of them was selected by algorithm automatic selection channel), the wireless client will not see the access point. In this case, you must manually set the channel number from the range 1 to 11.

So, we got acquainted with one of the utilities used for Wi-Fi diagnostics - inSSIDER. In the next article we will talk in more detail about the reasons for the unstable operation of wireless networks - stay tuned to the blog site.