It’s been three years since I reviewed my favorite WiFi scanner / finder, Canary Wireless’s Digital Hotspotter. I’ve reviewed other scanners, but always liked the Hotspotter best due to its one button super fast scanning ability. That’s why I was very happy when the folks at Canary Wireless sent me their 2nd generation Digital Hotspotter HS-20 to review.

Packaged in an easy to open container, the HS-20 comes with everything you need to find wireless hotspots (access points) in your general vicinity. That includes 2 AAA batteries and a one page (on the back of the package) set of instructions.

About the size of a deck of cards and with a footprint of 3.19 x 2.13 x 0.65 inches, this new unit looks quite different than the first generation hotspotter. Now it has a three line backlit LCD instead of narrow one line display.

The front surface of this finder is made of Black shiny (yes, it’s a smudge and fingerprint magnet) plastic, while the back has a nice texture that resists smudges and fingerprints. Too bad the front isn’t made the same as the back.

The only buttons on the HS-20 are located on the Right side. There are three rubber covered buttons that have good tactile feedback. The top button is the power button. Pressing this button will power the scanner on and automatically start the wifi scanning process. Below the power button are the up and down buttons. When there are multiple wifi hotspots (the Hotspotter can detect up to 20 access points at one time), these buttons will allow you to page through them.

If no buttons are pressed within 30 seconds, the device will automatically power off. That’s all there is to using the HS-20. Simple right? Just press the power button, wait approximately 7 seconds for scanning to complete and view the details. Easy. Now, this new model is slower than the original hotspotter, which would only take about 3 seconds to complete a scan. Still, 7 seconds isn’t bad.

This scanner uses true a 802.11 engine, to provide no false triggers from Bluetooth, cordless phones, or other devices.

The three line LCD displays various information about the found hotspot. In the upper Left corner, there is a five bar signal strength meter. Directly across from the meter is a counter for the number of hotspots found and the currently viewed hotspot. Line two shows the SSID. SSID stands for service set identifier. That just means it is the name given to the wifi hotspot. The SSID in the example above is the name I’ve given to my home network. If the SSID has been set to not broadcast, you’ll see something like the image below: SSID Unknown. When you see this, you know it’s a private hotspot and one that you’ll probably not be able to connect to.

The last line of the display gives you more info about the hotspot. It will list if it is secure or open, the encryption type (none, WEP, WPA, WPA2), Access Point type (b/g/n), Speed and channel number. The Hotspotter scans 14 channels. While only 11 channels are used here in the US, 13 channels are used for wifi in Europe and 14 in Japan. You can use the Hotspotter to help you troubleshoot a flaky wireless setup as most access points are set to channel 1, 6 or 11 by default. If you see more than one network on the same channel, it is likely that you may experience problems with interference.

While testing this scanner, I noticed that it was able to find access points / hotspots that the previous model was not. I brought them both to my day job and the older digital hotspotter found nothing, while the HS-20 found 4 hotspots. All 4 were SSID: Unknown though…

While writing this review, I started wondering if people even use wifi scanners these days? I’ll admit that my original Canary Wireless Digital Hotspotter has been occupying space in my gadget drawer for a long time now. Typically, if I’m looking to find a hotspot, I just use my Macbook Pro to see if anything is available. For me, the only time I ever look for a hotspot is in an airport anyway.

But then I recalled a time not too long ago when the IT guys at my day job were trying to find a rogue hotspot in our office. They walked around with a wifi finder for the task. So maybe the average Joe might not have a daily use for this product, but there are people that do.

Canary Wireless has made worthy update to their original Digital Hotspotter. It now has a larger backlit display and a nicer form factor. The price remains the same as the original, but on par or lower than other wifi finders with LCD displays. I think I’ve found my new favorite scanner…

Filed in categories: Gear, Wireless

Tagged: WiFi, WiFi Scanner

Canary Wireless Digital Hotspotter WiFi Finder HS-20 originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 5, 2008 at 11:08 pm.

Wi-Fi finders or detectors are nifty little gadgets to keep in your gear bag for those times when you want to scope out nearby hotspots, without booting up your laptop or traversing menus on your WiFi enabled phone / PDA. These finders are typically small pocket friendly devices, whose sole purpose is to report information regarding detectable hotspots. I have one today from StarTech.com that not only will help you find nearby access points (hotspots), but can turn your computer into one.

The WIFIDETG comes packaged in a small cardboard box that unlike some plastic packaging, does not require a blow torch to open. Yay!

Hardware Specs

Wireless standard: IEEE 802.11g/b
Frequency Band 2.4000~2.4835GHz
Data Rate 54/48/36/24/18/12/11/9/6/5.5/2/1Mbps auto fallback
Security 64/128/256-bit WEP Data Encryption, WPA (TKIP with IEEE 802.1x) and WPA2 (AES with IEEE 802.1x)
Antenna Internal
Battery 4.2V Rechargeable Li-Polymer
Transmit Power 16dBm (Typical)
Dimensions: 3.58 x 1.12 x 0.55 inches (91 x 28.5 x 14 mm)
Weight: 1.06 oz (30 g)

Package Contents

WiFi detector
USB extension cable
CD with WLAN software / driver
Instruction manual

This WiFi Finder is similar to the ZyXEL AG-225H WiFi Finder that I reviewed last year. Like that device, this one is also a small USB dongle type of adapter with an LCD display.

The body of the finder is made of shiny Beige and Brown plastic, that feels reasonably rugged.

Pull the cap off the end to find a USB connector which is used for two functions. The WIFIDETG has a Lithium Ion rechargeable battery that charges while the adapter is plugged into a USB port on your computer. The other use is to allow the adapter to turn your computer into a WiFi access point or to add WiFi capability to your computer if that feature is not built in. More about that later in the review.

The top edge of the finder has a slider On/Off switch and a Back and Next button which allows you to view additional hotspot details when more than one is detected. The buttons are small, but have adequate feedback.

On the opposite edge of the adapter, you will find a Seek/Lock button. Pressing and holding this button for 4 seconds will cause the finder to try to detect a signal with a dedicated SSID. In this mode, the finder will constantly refresh the display, so you can try to walk around to find the strongest signal.

Using this device is very easy. You just flip the switch to On and wait approximately 10 seconds for it to scan for WiFi signals. Once it is finished, the three line display will show various details about the signal(s) that it found. On the top line, left corner, you’ll see that the finder detected 1 signal and it is showing the information for that signal: 01/01. The little open padlock denotes that the signal is open. The G means it’s an 802.11g wireless signal (B would indicate an 802.11b signal). The bars on the Right edge show the signal strength. The next line on the display shows what channel is being used, what type of encryption (Open, WEP, WPA or WPA2) is being used and then if the signal is using Infrastructure mode (IN) or Adhoc (AD). And finally the bottom line of the display shows the SSID name and the battery charge level. If the SSID is too long to show, it will scroll. That’s why the SSID in my images look a little strange. My SSID is gadgetnet.

If no WiFi signals are detected, the adapter will let you know.

As a finder, this one is the second fastest one that I’ve reviewed. The fastest so far is the Canary Hotspotter Finder. That one only takes about 2 seconds to report results. The WIFIDETG takes approximately 10 seconds from the time you flip the switch to the On position.

The only thing I can think of that might make this finder better would be if the backlit display was brighter.

Besides using this device to find hotspots, you can also use it to create a hotspot (access point) or to access one. This is done by installing the included ZyDAS Wireless LAN software on a Windows OS based PC.

The software is easy to install and easy to use. I tested the software on an old Dell Inspiron laptop lacking built-in WiFi. After I installed the software, I plugged in the WIFIDETG and it immediately found my SSID and connected. No configuring needed, it just worked. I was surfing sites quickly and easily. The USB wireless LAN adapter has transfer rates up to 54Mbps.

If you like to get in and muck with settings, here’s what you’ll see…

Even more…

By default, the software loads up in Station mode. That just means that you’re using the adapter to access sites. If you want to turn your computer into an access point of it’s own (so other computers can access the net through you), it’s just a matter of clicking the pulldown menu in the top right corner.

Here you can see the default settings.

And of course settings that you can change if you so desire.

After configuring the adapter to be an access point, I turned on my Apple iPhone and had it search for a new WiFi connection. Sure enough, WLAN_AP showed up and allowed me to connect to it. Again, very easy.

Another settings screen that means nada to me…

The only issue that I have with this product is the price. $75 seems a bit on the high side to me. StarTech’s WIFIDETG WiFi Detector is one of the better ones that I have ever tested though. It’s fast at scanning and the software that comes with it to turn your computer into an access point or station is handy and easy to use. If you need a dedicated finder, I can definitely recommend this one.

Filed in categories: Gear, Wireless

Tagged: WiFi, WiFi Scanner

StarTech.com WiFi Detector with LCD (WIFIDETG) originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 14, 2007 at 8:00 pm.

We have had several WiFi finder reviews posted here on The Gadgeteer. They are great little tools that make finding a WiFi hotspot an easy task. At least easier than the chore of booting up your laptop and checking manually for available networks. Of the 3 reviews (Canary, Kensington and Smart ID) that I’ve personally written, my favorite has been the Canary device. It is fast and can display multiple networks on its small LED display. The only problems with this particular finder is the fact that it is a little bulky to be pocketable, and it runs on alkaline batteries. When the folks at ZyXEL contacted me to gauge my interest in reviewing the AG-225H finder, I agreed as I’m always eager to find a better finder for my gear bag.

Hardware Specs

Standard Compliance: IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g
Frequency Range:
802.11b/g: 2.4-2.4835GHz
802.11a: 5.15-2.25GHz, 5.25-2.35GHz, 5.725-5.825GHz
Data Rate (Automatic Fallback):
802.11b: 11M/5.5M/2M/1Mbps
802.11g: 54M/48M/36M/24M/18M/12M/9M/6M
802.11a: 54M/48M/36M/24M/18M/12M/9M/6M
Power Output:
802.11b: 18dBm @ 11Mbps
802.11g: 15dBm @ 54Mbps
802.11a: 14dBm @ 54Mbps
Modulation Technique: Infrastructure & Ad-Hoc
Security: 64/128-bit WEP Encryption, WPA and WPA2
Host Interface: USB 2.0
Antenna: Internal

Package Contents

AG-225H Finder
CD with user guides and Windows applications
Quick Start Guide
Handstrap
USB extension cable

The AG-225H is more than just a WiFi Finder, it is also a WiFi access point and a USB WiFi adapter, all in one small thumb drive sized package. As you can see, one end pops off to reveal the USB connector. Since the whole module is pretty wide, you might have problems plugging it into a free port on your laptop or computer. For that purpose, a USB extension cable is included.

Along the bottom edge of the finder is the On / Off power switch. The AG-225H has an internal Lithium ion battery which is charged via USB. The battery seems to last pretty long as I didn’t use the adapter for a couple of weeks and it still had a charge when I did need to use it.

On the top edge is the Seek and Next buttons. Pressing Seek will cause the finder to do a new scan for nearby hotspots. Pressing the Next button will display the next found hotspot’s info (if there were multiple hotspots found).

When you first turn the device on, it will initiate a scan. Let me warn you now, scanning takes FOREVER. I guess I’m used to the Canary scanner which takes about 2 seconds to display a result. The AG-225H takes 25 seconds. It’s really painful to wait for the ..Scanning.. message to go away and real data to be displayed. And no, subsequent scans do not speed up. They are all that slow.

Once a scan has completed, the info for the access point will be displayed. Information includes:

Entry number (the finder can keep track of up to 15 networks at one time)
Detect mode: S = default mode, F = free hotspots or WLANs without any security settings, D = dedicated chosen network
Security information: WEP, WPA, or No security
Signal: Will show an A, B, or G to designate what type of band and then a 5 bar graph for signal strength
SSID: Name assigned to the hotspot
Channel: Radio channel for the detected network

You can see my unlocked (shame on me) 802.11g network called GadgetNet in the image above.

Below you will see the information I found when I scanned for hotspots at my day job. 5 networks were detected. This one is an 802.11b network with WEP security enabled. The SSID is hidden.

As a WiFi finder, the AG-225H is ok. I would be more enthusiastic if it were 2x faster than it is at scanning. As is, it’s just too painful to wait for it. I do like all the information that it provides though. Speed it up significantly and add a back light and I’d be a happy camper.

The AG-225H is more than just a WiFi finder though. It’s also a USB WiFi adapter and an access point. So, if you scan for an open network that you want to connect to, you hold down the Seek button until the S or F icon on the display turns to a D. At that point, you can plug the adapter into a free USB port on your computer and connect to that access point. Well, you can connect IF you installed the necessary drivers first. Yeah, this USB module is not completely plug and play. You must first install the adapter utility / driver from the included CD first. As of this writing, the CD only includes software for Windows. Today on ZyXEL’s website, I found Mac drivers though. More on that in a minute.

Installation is easy enough, just insert the CD and click the Install Utility button. Once completed, a Z icon in the task tray will show up.

Another utility called FUNK Odyssey Client is also included. I installed both apps on my PC at my day job. You can see some screen shots below. Unfortunately, the machines where I work are locked down pretty tight and as a result the adapter didn’t seem to work with the software. I kept getting popup errors (not shown).

Due to the locked down status of the computers where I did the install, I wasn’t able to test the WiFi adapter features of the AG-225H. You can see the some of different settings and info available in the utility.

Upon looking at the ZyXEL website, I noticed that they had Mac drivers available. I installed them to see if I could go ahead and test the WiFi adapter and access point features of this device. Unfortunately, I still came up short. Although the driver appears to install just fine, it never connected when I would plug the AG-225H into a free USB port. It would just be forever trying to connect. Yes, I did have the Airport turned off and I even had my Ethernet cable disconnected just in case. My Airport Express was powered on and working normally. I even used the AG-225H to scan for it and then lock on it by pressing and holding the Seek button.

As a WiFi finder gadget, the AG-225H does offer helpful information to anyone trying to scan for hotspots. You just have to wait for what seems like forever for that info to display. If you are a patient person, that shouldn’t be a problem. But if you’re like me, forget it. The extra benefit of having a WiFi adapter is negligible considering the fact that most laptops made within the last couple of years already have that feature built in. The access point feature is cool, but I’m not sure how often a person would actually use it. As a result, this $100 gadget isn’t something I would probably pay for. I’ll stick with the Canary finder thank you very much.

Filed in categories: Gear, Wireless

Tagged: WiFi, WiFi Scanner

ZyXEL AG-225H WiFi Finder and 802.11a/b/g USB 2.0 Adapter originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 16, 2006 at 12:46 pm.

Whoo hoo, another WiFi sniffer review! Come on, you can never get enough
reviews of WiFi detectors. Since this is my third such review, I now consider
myself a WiFi savant. Ok, not really… but I have learned a little bit about
these gadgets and it’s my job to convey that info to you.

The WiFi sniffer of the day is
Kensington’s WiFi Finder Plus. The most compact of the 3 detectors that I’ve
tested so far (Smart
ID Detector,

Canary Wireless Digital Hotspotter), the WiFi Finder Plus has a convenient
keychain and flashlight built-in.

The body of the device is constructed in plastic with a rubber coating. On
the back of the WiFi Finder Plus, is the battery compartment which holds 2
CR2016 coin cell batteries. I’m not too keen on using coin cells because it’s a
pain to find replacements when you need them. The other detectors that I’ve
reviewed have both used standard AAA batteries.

Like the other detectors, operation is simple. One button press is all that
is required to scan for nearby 802.11b/802.11g networks. On the WiFi Finder
Plus, this is a long chrome button the runs the length of the top of the device.

5 LEDs to the left side of the scanning button are your indictors for WiFi
signal strength. These LEDs light up in green and the more LEDs that light, the
stronger the signal. If no signal is detected at all, the bottom LED will light
up in red.

When you first press the scanning button, the LEDs cycle through several
times in marquee style one after the other. After approximately 5 seconds, the
scan is complete. At that point, the LEDs will then pause to show the signal
strength before going off. The scan time seems to take way too long in my
opinion. The other two detectors have no scan time. For them,  just
pressing the scan button will automatically show the signal strength.

You can use the WiFi Finder Plus to find the direction of the signal too. To
do this, you press and hold the scan button. Once it locks on to a signal, it
will then display the strength until you let go of the button. Moving around
will allow you to notice increasing and decreasing signal strength.

There are two other features that this little detector has that the other two
that I looked at don’t. One is a built-in flash light.

The flashlight is located on the front of the device and a pressure sensitive
activation button is on the bottom. The light itself is amber in color and is
pretty wimpy as far as beam strength. You also have to hold the switch in to
light the LED.

The other feature of the WiFi Finder Plus is its ability to sniff out
Bluetooth activity. The very top LED will glow blue when it detects a Bluetooth
device. I didn’t have a whole lot of luck with this feature though when I tried
getting it to detect my
Treo 650.
The only time the LED would light up would be when I set the Treo to device
discovery mode. I could not get the WiFi Finder Plus to ever detect my
Dell X50v Pocket PC. Not very useful if you
ask me.

In use, the WiFi Finder Plus does an adequate job of discovering and
displaying 802.11b and g network signal strengths. I found that the signal
strengths that this detector reports are pretty much equal to the signals
reported by the other two detectors. So, if you want a small detector that you
can use as a keychain or clip to your gear bag, this one will definitely fit
that bill. But, if you really want a device that can also detect Bluetooth
signals, this one is a real dud in that regard.

Price: $29.99

Pros:
Compact
Able to see signal strength in the dark

Cons:
Powered by coin cells
Bluetooth detection is lame

Filed in categories: Gear, Wireless

Tagged: WiFi, WiFi Scanner

Kensington WiFi Finder Plus Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 15, 2005 at 12:00 am.

About a year ago, I reviewed the first of the stand-alone
WiFi detection devices to hit the market, the
Kensington WiFi Finder, a neat
little (3” long) product whose main drawback was that it didn’t work. 
Subsequently, I found (on The-Gadgeteer.com, of course!) the
Smart ID WiFi Detector, a
somewhat larger (4”x2.25”x.625”) and clunkier (1.82 oz) device which worked
reasonably well.  Its size and weight, however, kept it from being an automatic
take-along tool, unless I was planning to wear my ScottEVest infinite pocket
array.  Now, however, a better tool has arrived, the
PCTEL
WiFi Seeker, which, at
2.25”x1.2”x.43” and .735 oz, is about 1/5 the volume and 40% of the weight of
the Smart ID device. 

My first test was to verify a null signal in my 55^th
floor office (the Kensington device occasionally picked up a proprietary network
from the law firm downstairs, a signal not visible to my Linksys CF WiFi card
running on the Linux-based Sharp Zaurus SL-760 which I use for mobile
connection).  I then took the devices to our office kitchen/pantry, where the
microwave oven set the Smart ID detector bonkers, perhaps urging me to take my
Zaurus online and download some popcorn or have a chat with my lunch.  As
advertised, the PCTEL WiFi Seeker did not detect any 802.11 signal present from
a microwave oven. 

Running down to Starbucks, I found that both devices found
the T-Mobile network easily (the Kensington couldn’t see that, or most other
commercial subscriber signals).  The LEDs on the PCTEL, however, were much
easier to see in direct sunlight than the lights on the Smart ID.  Both devices
have four levels of red lights to indicate signal strength (the Smart ID also
has a green light to indicate that it is scanning, the PCTEL does this by
bouncing one red light back and forth across the display to indicate it is
seeking a signal). 

The real test came in Bryant Park, behind the New York
Public Library, where a public WiFi network is available free.  Both devices
picked up this signal, but fairly weakly (two lights on the PCTEL, only one on
the Smart ID), though I had no trouble surfing the net and picking up email. 
However, at one location in the park when I booted my Zaurus I locked to a stray
Verizon signal rather than the Bryant Park network.  I suspect the signal is in
fact pretty weak.  The problem is that in New York City I often get weak signal
readings from stray signals, not all of which will allow me to log on!  A
marginal “okay” from the PCTEL or Smart ID is not a guarantee you will be able
to log on, but it should not discourage a try, either.  Neither device is
infallible or will eliminate entirely the trial and error in WiFi finding. 

Although no WiFi detector I have found is absolutely
perfect, the PCTEL device comes closest to being the ideal stand-alone
detector.  Priced at $29.95 list, or just under $2 more than the Smart ID device
($27.99), it is far smaller and easier to carry and use.  It runs on two CR 2032
batteries, which can be replaced by removing three mini-Philips screws (the
Smart ID takes cheaper but larger AAAs in a slide-open compartment).   

The PCTEL WiFi Seeker is available
here.

Price: $29.95

Pros:
Tiny, light-weight, WiFi detector
Clear display, even in bright sunlight

Cons:
Not always clear when a usable signal is present

Filed in categories: Gear, Wireless

Tagged: WiFi, WiFi Scanner

PCTEL WiFi Seeker Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 28, 2004 at 12:00 am.

Fans of wireless networking (otherwise known as WiFi, 802.11b, or g) will
probably have heard the term Warchalking before. For those of you
that are unfamiliar with this term,
warchalking is the practice of marking a series of symbols on sidewalks and
walls to indicate nearby wireless access points. When these symbols are seen by
savvy users, they can use their WiFi enabled PDA or laptop to connect to the
Internet wirelessly. This practice  was inspired by hobos during the Great
Depression, who would use chalk marks to indicate which homes were friendly to
them.

Warchalking, although useful, isn’t a widely adopted practice and can not be
relied upon when a mobile user is searching for wireless access. The user could
always use their WiFi enabled device to scan for available access, but sometimes
that isn’t quick or convenient. To help solve the issue of speed and ease of
use, handheld WiFi detectors have begun appearing on the market. Not long ago,
one of our readers reviewed the

Kensington WiFi Finder. To say that he was less than impressed with it would
be an understatement. Today I’ll be reviewing another detector: The Smart ID
WiFi Detector.

I didn’t become interested in this product genre until I saw the exact
detector in use this fall during the 2003
Mobius event.
One of our activities involved a scavenger hunt in downtown Seattle, WA. Lucky
for our team, Peter Rojas of Gizmodo had
this gadget with him, and used it to find a WiFi hotspot that we could take
advantage of, for the trivia portion of the hunt. After seeing the Smart ID
detector in action, I contacted
ThinkGeek.com and asked for a sample to review.

The device is small and very pocketable. Made of plastic, it is approximately
4 x 2.25 x .5 inches, and is powered by 2 AAA batteries, which are included.

The front of the detector has 4 red LEDs in a line across the top, one green
LED and a detector button. To utilize the detector, you simply press the button.
The green LED will light up to let you know that the batteries are working, and
that it is looking for a WiFi signal. The 4 LEDs at the top, will pulse to alert
you to the presence of a WiFi signal. The more red LEDs that are lit, the
stronger the signal. It couldn’t get any simpler than that!

Signal detection is instantaneous. Once you press the button, if you only see
the green LED and no red LEDs, then there are no WiFi signals (within 500ft
outdoors, or 150ft indoors) nearby. This device will detect both 802.11b and
802.11g signals. In addition to WiFi, it will also detect Bluetooth and
microwave signals. Don’t worry about mistaking the different signals though,
when the device detects Bluetooth or a microwave, the LEDs will glow steadily
instead of pulsing.

During my testing, I was able to detect the 802.11b access point in my
basement, from outside in my yard, the WiFi network at my day job, some WiFi
signals while driving around the town of Bloomington, IN, my Tungsten|T’s
Bluetooth signal from a maximum distance of 3 feet, and my running microwave
from about 20ft.

Bottom line: The Smart ID WiFi Detector is fast and easy to use. It’s much
more convenient to use it to look for a nearby WiFi signal, then to open your
laptop or PDA. With this device, you press a button and receive instant
feedback. No waiting. About the only info that it doesn’t give you, that would
be helpful, is if the detected signal is open (unsecured), or closed. But as is,
the Smart ID WiFi Detector makes a fun geek tool.

Price: $27.99

Pros:
Simple to use
Fast detection

Cons:
Can’t show if a detected network is open or closed

Filed in categories: Gear, Wireless

Tagged: WiFi, WiFi Scanner

Smart ID WiFi Detector Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 3, 2003 at 12:00 am.

It is fairly annoying to try to locate new places where your WiFi equipped
laptop or PDA will pick up a signal, if you don’t want to continually set it up
and experiment (perhaps attracting curious onlookers who then smirk when you
can’t get a signal). My experience with Starbucks, hotel, and other hotspot
employees is that many have never heard of WiFi hotspots, don’t know if they
have them, and would rather tell you “no” than invite other questions they can’t
answer, or take the time to direct you to someone more knowledgeable. If you
don’t get a signal, is there one present but too weak, should you try another
spot 10 feet away, or is your computer having issues that need to be addressed?
What you need is a WiFi signal sniffer.

Last March, a company called iDetect had a gadget mentioned on the-gadgeteer.com,
a credit-card sized WiFi sniffer. As a new WiFi Websurfer on my
Sharp Zaurus SL-C700, I took an immediate
interest in this, and emailed the company to learn about product availability.
They promised it for April, but as April passed and May and June, and the web
site showed no updates, I lost hope. Then the web site vanished. I was a sad
surfer. But recently Kensington
announced a non-vaporware product, much like the iDetect model if somewhat
thicker than optimal, which I got last week.

802.11b and 802.11g signal sniffer, Model 33063
Size: 3”x 2 ¼”x 3/8”
Weight 1.1 oz.
2x 2032 button batteries “can last well over 1 year” depending on use

You push the button, and get a reddish blink from the right-hand LED, and the
device keeps blinking white for a few moments while it searches for a WiFi
signal. If it finds one, it turns green, and the other two lights go on as the
signal gets stronger and stronger (I never had more than two green lights,
however).

Alas!!!! I took it around to some known local hotspots, Starbucks and Bryant
Park. At one Starbucks, where I have happily signed up and logged onto the
T-Mobile network many times, I got two green lights at the door, but no signal
indication elsewhere in the store. At another Starbucks I didn’t get any green
signal anywhere; however, when I whipped out my Sharp Zaurus C700 with Linksys
CF WiFi card I had no trouble logging on anyway. In Bryant park, where there is
a public WiFi network, I got one or two green lights in some places, nothing
elsewhere, though I was able to log on with my C700 anywhere I tried. Tech
Support at Kensington reports that there have been other findings of problems at
Starbucks, perhaps because this is a “closed network,” whatever that means. I
did get a surprise when I accidentally pushed the WiFi Finder button outside my
office door and got two green lights (my office doesn’t have a WiFi network); a
colleague reports that his laptop also often picks up a signal from the law firm
downstairs from us. My C700 found this signal and tried to initialize on it but
failed (now that is what I would call a “closed network”).

This is a product that I feel has a need and a market. The technology of
screening out non-WiFi signals at 2.4 GHz, from cordless phones, Bluetooth
networks and microwave ovens, exists in my CF card, so I am confident someone,
maybe even Kensington, will get it right soon. But this product is not the
answer.

Price: $25-30

Pros: 

Great idea
Price I am willing to pay for it
Okay form-factor (smaller would be nice)

Cons: 
Doesn’t work right

Filed in categories: Gear, Wireless

Tagged: WiFi, WiFi Scanner

Kensington WiFi Finder Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 14, 2003 at 12:00 am.