MetaGeek blogs

Chanalyzer 3.2 Beta

ChiefGeek — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:05:33 -0700

Hi everyone! I haven't blogged in a while... I guess we've been pretty heads-down working on some new features for Chanalyzer 3.2 We invite you to download the Beta, grab your Wi-Spy 2.4x and go nuts.

Troubleshooting big areas? Chanalyzer 3.2 can handle multiple Wi-Spys simultaneously, and cover larger swaths of wireless landscape. Just network additional Wi-Spys with the Recon application and the sky's the limit. Each Wi-Spy is displayed in a separate tab allowing you to monitor each one individually from a central location. Troubleshooting a million square foot campus will no longer be that much different from troubleshooting the corner coffee shop.

Need more detail? With Hardware Configuration you can zero-in on a certain section of spectrum and go after it. This "zoom lens" is useful if you need to look at individual channels in more detail. Just right-click on the channel of interest, and Chanalyzer will zoom in to where you need to see better.

Hardware Configuration Screenshot

InSSIDer Updated

Trent — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:12:56 -0600

We finally released an updated version to your favorite open source utility: InSSIDer. We've made some major bug fixes and improved how we handle unsupported cards. We've also added the ability to highlight multiple access points for tracking purposes. Just hold CTRL and select the ones you'd like. You can now re-order the table headers to organize the information you use the most.

Some of our MetaGeek friends translated the software into German and Swedish! Thank you Christopher Lim and Hans Liss for your contributions! If you would like inSSIDer in another language please see the dedicated forum topic.

You can download the latest version from our support page! /support/downloads

InSSIDer has done very well since we released it back in January. It won a Bossie award from InfoWorld, read the great review:

... Today we favor inSSIDer. Although it does require Vista or Windows XP SP2 to run, inSSIDer provides signal strength information and the ability to group wireless devices by SSID, channel, RSSI, and MAC address, using most any wireless network card.

Thank you for helping us make inSSIDer such a great tool!

Preparing for Interop NY

ChiefGeek — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 11:28:04 -0600

We've been working hard to get ready for Interop NY, which is September 17-18. If you'll be at the show please stop by our booth (#1212) and say hi!

Chanalyzer 3.1 is Official!

ChiefGeek — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:29:49 -0600

We decided to shake things up a bit this time and only have Chanalyzer 3.1 in beta for a month instead of the eight months of beta that Chanalyzer 3.0 endured. Chanalyzer 3.1 can utilize your Wi-Fi radio to gather information about the neighboring Wi-Fi networks, which is then displayed in the sidebar. You can also select networks to be drawn over the top of the Topographic View, which really helps in visualizing your wireless landscape as the screenshot below shows!

Chanalyzer 3.1 with Wi-Fi Overlays

Now you can also troubleshoot your wireless networks without leaving your desk :-) Just install our new Recon application, which is a simple Wi-Spy 2.4x data server and then connect to it remotely from anywhere with Chanalyzer 3.1. Networking doesn't always work like it should (if it did, we wouldn't be in business), and every network is set up slightly different. If by chance, something goes a little haywire, please let us know so that we can fix it!

Download Chanalyzer 3.1 today.

Technorati Profile

MetaGeek is now on Twitter!

Trent — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:51:27 -0600

The Chief Geek and Intern 1 have been super stoked about our new MetaGeek twitter account. If you are on twitter you should definitely follow us: http://twitter.com/metageek.

Even if you are not on twitter, you might be interested in following the RSS of it. When someone sends in a cool recording, or we stumble across an interesting article, we'll put it up on the twitter page! Maybe we'll even drop some inside hints about that ever-so-elusive 5 GHz Wi-Spy . So join us on twitter.com!

Check out some of the last 'tweets' here.

inSSIDer + Chanalyzer 3.0 = Chanalyzer 3.1 Beta

ChiefGeek — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:42:56 -0600

When we began working on inSSIDer the goal was always to use it to improve Chanalyzer. After we completed Chanalyzer 3.0 we began working on the integration of inSSIDer with Chanalyzer and are proud to announce the first public release of Chanalyzer that displays Wi-Fi network information.

Chanalyzer 3.1 Beta can utilize your Wi-Fi radio to gather information about the neighboring Wi-Fi networks, which is then displayed in the sidebar. You can also select networks to be drawn over the top of the Topographic View, which really helps in visualizing your wireless landscape as the screenshot below shows!

Chanalyzer 3.1 with Wi-Fi Overlays

At MetaGeek we really dig Wi-Fi and networking, so we've also been working on a TCP interface for Chanalyzer, allowing you to connect to remote Wi-Spy 2.4x. Just install our new Recon application, which is a simple Wi-Spy 2.4x data server and then connect to it remotely from anywhere with Chanalyzer 3.1 Beta.

Now, as we all know, networking doesn't always work like it should, and every network is set up slightly different. We've tested these new features and feel they are robust enough for you to try out, but if by chance, something goes a little haywire, please let us know so that we can fix it!

Also, we have decided to not place any time limits on this beta, so it will continue to run forever, if you so choose (unlike the Chanalyzer 3.0 betas).

Download Chanalzyer 3.1 Beta today!

Ryan, Chief Geek

Server Crash

ChiefGeek — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:38:39 -0600

Sorry everyone... our metageek.net server had some major issues today. We've restored a backup image from early this morning. The Chanalyzer 3.1 Beta and Recon downloads will be available shortly. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Ryan, Chief Geek

Wi-Spy makes it into Popular Science magazine!

ChiefGeek — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:47:34 -0600

The June 2008 issue of Popular Science showcases the Wi-Spy 2.4x in "The Goods" section as one of the top "12 must-have products."

Popular Science, June 2008, p. 19

Interop Survey Winners

ChiefGeek — Wed, 07 May 2008 12:13:45 -0600

Last week at Interop we conducted a brief survey to gather information about network sizes and the breakdown between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz usage. After the show we randomly selected two survey participants as winners of Wi-Spy 2.4x. The winners were Brandon Ross from Xiocom, and Larry Lires from NetworksInternational. Congratulations Brandon and Larry!!!

Network World Video Interview

ChiefGeek — Mon, 05 May 2008 10:13:38 -0600

Keith Shaw at Network World interviewed me as part of their live coverage of Interop Las Vegas 2008. This was my first video interview! The interview focused on the 5 GHz Wi-Spy demo that we showed at Interop and how Wi-Spy differentiates itself from its competitors. I can't embed the video in this post, but you can check it out here.

The Geeks are going to Interop!

ChiefGeek — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:30:44 -0600

MetaGeek will be at Interop Las Vegas next week. We will have Wi-Spy 2.4x + Chanalyzer 3.0 on display. We will also be demoing prototypes of Wi-Spy 5x!! So if you will be at Interop come by our booth (#261) and say hi.

eWeek and Wi-Fi Planet Reviews

ChiefGeek — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:09:33 -0600

Wi-Fi Planet and eWeek both published reviews of Wi-Spy 2.4x with Chanalyzer 3.0 today. The eWeek review says "Wireless administrators looking to get their feet wet with SA in the 2.4GHz band—either to perform simple or sporadic spot checks or as a technology pilot before investing in larger-scale solutions such as AirDefense Enterprise—should check out MetaGeek’s affordable Chanalyzer and Wi-Spy 2.4x combination pack."

The Wi-Fi Planet review takes an in-depth look at the recording abilities of Chanalyzer. "In our time with the Wi-Spy, we let Chanalyzer run for about six hours,
and upon viewing the data were easily able to discern a variety of problem areas, including nearby access points occupying the same channel and a 2.4 GHz wireless mouse that was causing periodic interference."

"Those looking to employ something more than blind guesswork when it comes to identifying potential wireless networking problems will appreciate the capabilities of MetaGeek’s Wi-Fi 2.4x, a spectrum analyzer that can help you discern how well—or poorly—your wireless signals actually fare in the air. Anyone that needs to keep a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network in crowded environs will want to check out the Wi-Spy 2.4x."

Wi-Spy 2.4x Zigbee Recordings

Trent — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:02:48 -0600

We've been receiving more and more recordings every day, and you know what? We would still love more. In fact by sending in recordings, you help make our software better.

Recently, friends of MetaGeek have sent in some very cool recordings of Zigbee devices they would like to see some zigbee signatures in Chanalyzer so they sent us recordings. I thought I'd share them with all of you.

Ehsan from the University of Texas posted a blog with a recording of every zigbee channel in use. It turned out to be a very nice recording. He also sent us a clean recording of a single device.

Also, our friend who submitted the French Mystery Device. Sent us another recording of Zigbee device recordings:

The recording is made with the 2 modules in a master/slave pooling protocol. Both modules are on channel 22, the base station power is set on 16 dBm (still at 1.5 meter of the wi-spy) and the slave device is also set on 16 dBm power level but it is 5 meters away. We can clearly see the 2 spectra interlaced on channel 22.

If you have found anything interesting, or you need help understanding what you see, email us the recording!

Bob Deely Joins MetaGeek as Geek Prez

ChiefGeek — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:36:33 -0600

I meant to write this post a few weeks ago, but we've been so focused on the Chanalyzer 3.0 release that I didn't get to it. Now that the release is complete and I'm catching up on my work I wanted to officially welcome Bob Deely as the newest member of the MetaGeek team!

Prior to joining Metageek Bob was President of Ox/Gen Inc., Managing Director of Cypress Semiconductor, Director of In-System Design and General Manager of Hewlett Packard's LaserJet Division. He also owns two small businesses including an art gallery and commercial real estate investment company. Mr. Deely is a native of San Antonio, Texas, and married his high school sweetheart, Irene, a native of eastern Washington. They have three grown children and the proud grandparents of two boys and two girls. Personal interests besides his family include visual arts, music, traveling, skiing, golfing, scuba diving, boating and car and home remodeling.

Bob's professional career began in 1975 with Hewlett Packard Co. in Boise, Idaho, as a R&D Engineer developing hardware and software for HP printers. He was considered by many the model for the "Deelybobbers" as well as a "nerd" poster that circulated amongst technology companies. Of course, "nerds" were the precursors to "geeks" and his attire was the classic taped together glasses, pocket protector, high water pants, white socks and calculator at the ready hanging from his belt for any quick multi-variable function analysis. Bob had to abandon his geeky look when he moved into management a few years later. However, if you see Bob around his house today you may catch a glimpse of him in his retro duds.

Faulty WiFi Cards = Bad News for Everyone.

Trent — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:48:54 -0600

Recently here at MetaGeek a broken WiFi card wreaked havoc on the 2.4GHz spectrum. Each network, (a total of 10) had little to no connectivity due to this interference. Were it not for our Wi-Spy 2.4x we would not have been able to identify the culprit.

The following is a screen capture of what the card was doing. It was broadcasting similar to a frequency hopping device, putting an 802.11b signall on every WiFi Channel.

Turns out, the device was a Toshiba Laptop with a broken WiFi card. It somehow malfunctioned one day, ruining network connections on every channel.

This is a big deal. Netstumbler, wireshark, or any other software application will not be able to catch what this device is doing. Interference like this is virtually invisible to anyone without a Spectrum Analyzer.

Network interference hurts company productivity. Here is how a fellow customer resolved a similar issue.
Now you understand how the Wi-Spy 2.4x could pay for itself several times over!

Andy Rauer of the Ontario Science Centre, has 50 Shuttle X PC's, of which he has had 4 of them fail similarly causing trouble for everyone. They have a PN18 Wifi Card. Here is what he said:

The problem was the PN18 WiFi card, installed in a Shuttle-X PC. We have about 50 of these units, where about a dozen or more, might be on at any one time. Of the 50 computers, I've now seen the wide spectrum RF from about 4 units.Usually only after a few days of continues operation

If you happen to have a slow wireless connection, how about you visualize your wireless landscape with the Wi-Spy 2.4x. Let us know what you find!