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Re: How to align antennas: need good program

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Jeff Liebermann

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Dec 23, 2020, 12:39:14 PM12/23/20
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On Sun, 20 Dec 2020 04:18:51 -0000 (UTC), wifi user
<nom...@nospam.org> wrote:

>Anyone suggest the best (preferably FREE) program to measure wifi signal
>strength for aligning antennas. For windows machines 7-10. Something
>that is intuitive, easy to install and use. This is for single user home
>computer complicated manipulations are not needed. Just move antenna and
>measure change in strength in real time.

For Windoze, there are Wi-Fi Analyzer style programs and apps
available. For example:
<https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/search/shop/Apps?q=wi-fi+analyzer>

More programs:
<https://www.google.com/search?q=windows+10+wifi+signal+strength>

Other ways to display Wi-Fi signal level and quality:
<https://www.windowscentral.com/how-determine-wi-fi-signal-strength-windows-10>

Probably all Wi-Fi products include software for configuring and
managing the wi-fi client radio. The software should have some kind
of wi-fi signal level and SNR indicator included.

Or, just type this at the CMD prompt:
netsh wlan show interfaces

Whether it is intuitive, easy to install, and use is mostly determined
by the expectations of the user and not so much by the program. Try a
few programs and demos and see which one seems best for you.

--
Jeff Liebermann je...@cruzio.com
PO Box 272 http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

Jeff Liebermann

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Dec 23, 2020, 10:38:07 PM12/23/20
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On Thu, 24 Dec 2020 02:49:02 -0000 (UTC), wifi user
<nom...@nospam.org> wrote:

>Jeff Liebermann <je...@cruzio.com> wrote in
>news:h6v6uf1jdpli74ifh...@4ax.com:
>
>> On Sun, 20 Dec 2020 04:18:51 -0000 (UTC), wifi user
>> <nom...@nospam.org> wrote:
>>
>>>Anyone suggest the best (preferably FREE) program to measure wifi
>>>signal strength for aligning antennas. For windows machines 7-10.
>>>Something that is intuitive, easy to install and use. This is for
>>>single user home computer complicated manipulations are not needed.
>>>Just move antenna and measure change in strength in real time.
>>
>> For Windoze, there are Wi-Fi Analyzer style programs and apps
>> available. For example:
>> <https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/search/shop/Apps?q=wi-fi+analyzer>
>>
>> More programs:
>> <https://www.google.com/search?q=windows+10+wifi+signal+strength>
>>
>> Other ways to display Wi-Fi signal level and quality:
>> <https://www.windowscentral.com/how-determine-wi-fi-signal-strength-win
>> dows-10>
>>
>> Probably all Wi-Fi products include software for configuring and
>> managing the wi-fi client radio. The software should have some kind
>> of wi-fi signal level and SNR indicator included.
>>
>> Or, just type this at the CMD prompt:
>> netsh wlan show interfaces
>>
>> Whether it is intuitive, easy to install, and use is mostly determined
>> by the expectations of the user and not so much by the program. Try a
>> few programs and demos and see which one seems best for you.

>Thanks the suggestions. I lost my alfa radio wifi readout gui when I
>upgraded windows as the driver package was designed for windows 7 and
>there is no driver for 8.1 So the only readout I have now are the bars
>from MS at the bottom.

Which model Alfa radio? I have a few USB client radios buried
somewhere. I haven't tried them on Windoze 10 yet. Have you checked
if you have the latest firmware?

Using "bars" and cute icons for aiming an antenna is futile.
Constantly changing numbers (-dBm) are not much better. A meter or
large bar graph is probably best. There's a potential problem if you
leave the "wi-fi analyzer" style program running continuously. The
data transfer stops while the meter is doing its thing. That's why
these programs sample the signal level typically every 15 seconds.
That's nice for throughput, but makes antenna aiming rather slow and
painful. Crank up the sample time while aiming the antenna, but be
prepared to slow it down, or turn it off, when you want to use the
wi-fi link.

Good luck.
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