Source: Tom's Guide | Keywords: wifi, wireless, detector | Themes: Networking
- 1. Introduction
- 2. StarTech Wi-Fi Detector
- 3. Wi-Fi Detector Practical Usage
- 4. StarTech Wi-Fi Detector : Access Point
4. StarTech Wi-Fi Detector : Access Point
In addition to serving as a standalone Wi-Fi detector, the Wi-Fi Detector can also connect to a Windows PC. Plugging in recharges the device and also lets you use the Wi-Fi Detector as either a Wi-Fi client or as an Access Point.
The software is actually the ZyDAS IEEE 802.11b+g Wireless LAN–USB feature, and it works reasonably well. On the wireless client side, it’s just a common Wi-Fi operation of finding the access point and connecting. In our testing there were no issues with hotspot identification or connections - it just worked. As is the case with the standalone mode, though, the device is limited to 802.11 b/g, and will not detect 802.11 a/n access points.
As an Access Point, the Wi-Fi Detector is also easily set up as a basic 802.11 b/g station. The only potential shortfall is on the encryption side. As a client, the WIFIDETG can connect to both WEP and WPA encrypted access points, but as an access point, the device only seems to be able to provide WEP. So unless you’re just planning on running an open access point with the WIFIDETG, you probably won’t get much use of the device as an access point.
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Great review and very helpful. Thanks!
Would have been nice to see how they stack up to the internal catcher you have integrated in notebooks.
That's it? Only 2 devices tested? I am disappointed.
Yeah, I'm with Droseph on this. Surely there are more than 2 of these devices on the market.
And I owned the Kensington detector. It was a useless piece of junk.
Yeah, I'm with Droseph on this. Surely there are more than 2 of these devices on the market.
And I owned the Kensington detector. It was a useless piece of junk.
There's really little point in Carrying one of these devices nowadays anyway. Many Nokia N & E series mobile phones have WiFi built in and come with an app on the main screen that constantly scans for access points, lists their names & allows you to dive in to find out what encryption & signal strength is available. Even older Nokia (WiFi enabled) mobiles that didn't have this as a main screen app allowed you to do the same by loading the "connection manager" app. Far more convenient than carrying an extra device.
Save yourself the money and hassle and buy a Nokia N95
...or you could just open Safari or Mail on your iPhone and it will tell you for certain not only what Wi-Fi is available, but which are locked for security which the other devices won't do. Keychain devices have a bad habbit of picking up WiFi that has no SSID broadcast so even if it claims there's a clear signal, dragging out the notebook usually results in finding out you can't log on anyway.
Most people with a notebook and a need to use WiFi in multiple places typically have PDAs or smartphones anyway, so who do these keychain devices really target anyway? They're just an accessory for retailers to push on people buying a new laptop, or on a kid starting college...
...or you could just open Safari or Mail on your iPhone and it will tell you for certain not only what Wi-Fi is available, but which are locked for security which the other devices won't do. Keychain devices have a bad habbit of picking up WiFi that has no SSID broadcast so even if it claims there's a clear signal, dragging out the notebook usually results in finding out you can't log on anyway.
Most people with a notebook and a need to use WiFi in multiple places typically have PDAs or smartphones anyway, so who do these keychain devices really target anyway? They're just an accessory for retailers to push on people buying a new laptop, or on a kid starting college...
If you have set your router to not broadcast it's SSID, will they show up on either of these units?
If you have set your router to not broadcast it's SSID, will they show up on either of these units?
I personally how this device
http://trendnet.com/langen/product [...] 9UB&cat=84
And it works great
I also own this cheapo D-Link hotspot detector
http://www.dlink.ca/products/?pid=618
One thing, the more expensive TrendNET base itself on the SSID, so the SSID-off access point won't show up. The D-Link will show the presence of an access point even if the SSID broadcast is disabled, but will indeed not show the access point SSID name, only the signal strengh.
try it first