Product Description

WIFI FINDER PLUS FINDS WIRELESS NETWORK INSTANT NS

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #33419 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Kensington
• Model: 33086
• Platform: Windows
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 6.00" h x 3.00" w x 9.00" l, .26 pounds

Features

• Kensington WiFi Finder Plus Detector Handheld Filtering for 802.11b/g and Bluetooth Networks Ref 33086

Manufacturer's Description
The convenient, one-button WiFi Finder Plus quickly indicates signal strength for all 802.11b, 802.11b/g and active Bluetooth enabled networks within range. Compact device attaches easily to laptop carrying case or key chain. Silver case with 6 LEDs and built-in flashlight.

Customer Reviews

Well built, and it works for wireless 'b' and 'b+g', a great buy [not so simple for draft-n though]
This little 'key fob' device has a 4 bright green LED strength meter and is 7 x 4 x 1 cm in size. It has a classy solid feel rubbery plastic case with a simple silver click switch to switch on the meter and measure the WiFi strength. It measures 'g' and 'b' wireless strength (not 'a') in about 5 seconds. The more green LEDs the more the signal (if there is little or no signal you get a red flashing LED). There's also a single blue LED for detecting local active bluetooth - it lights up next to our cordless phone base. The WiFi strength meter 'filters out' other signals like mobile/cordless phones and microwave interference. More importantly it seems to work very well with our D-Link home wireless 'b/g' network. Note that the Finder's guide says it Detects 802.11b and 802.11 b+g (g networks in b compatibility mode), i.e. it probably uses the 22 Mbps b signal for detection and can't detect a wireless router set to 54 Mbps 'g' mode only. So to check out your wireless signals leave the router in b+g compatibility mode for siting PCs/laptops/antenna/router etc.. and then switch to 'g [or draft pre-n] only' after your wireless hotspots have been located - after which the PC's Windows signal strength icon can be used for fine tuning anyway.

This WIFI Finder is really useful if you have a network PC in a weak signal location as it helps you quickly find a better site for the wireless router or PC antenna. It's far faster and easier than using Windows XP to show the signal strength (and you don't have to lift the PC up and down). You can move about the house in minutes mapping where the high and low signal areas are. The WIFI finder batteries seem to last ages as well (2 x CR2016 - supplied). I have replaced all my WIFI antennas on the router and PCI cards with more powerful D-Link DWL 50ATs and, more importantly, use a Hawking SMA 2.13m antenna extension cable (£15 from Amazon) to relocate the WIFI antenna to the nearest high signal area - found with this Kensington WIFI Finder. In most cases this is about 4 foot above the PC monitor. I also used Windows XP's WiFi strength/quality to fine tune the antenna's position (as the Finder Plus seems to measure strength, rather than quality). My home wireless 'g/draft pre-n network' now runs at full speed [300 Mbps] all the time with no drop outs.

So this Kensington WIFI Finder Plus was a great buy for me and our four home networked PC's. It's also easy to take along and find local hotspots when out and about with a notebook [assuming there's a wireless b signal - if the wireless routers set to say 300 Mbps draft pre-n only the WiFi Finder won't register any signal]. On the move others have complained that this device is a little insensitive of low signals - a red flashing led doesn't mean zero, you can possibly still connect, albeit most likely at a reduced and unreliable connection rate.

Inconsistent results
I'd hoped to use this to place laptops in a slightly better location, but the reading results are so inconsistent that it's not been useful. Pressing the button makes the LEDs light in an up-and-down pattern then after a couple of seconds you get red, 2, 3, 4 or 5 lit. If you hold the button then it is supposed to continuously show the wifi strength which would be good if it was more consistent. There's also a little orange torch on the back.

Unreliable
I have now had two of these devices. The first was dead on arrival and was replaced. The second is now just over a year old and has seen use only about half a dozen times and has just died. Look elsewhere for something reliable.