New Gigacheck Wireless Analyzer Offers Smartphone App Connectivity to Test WiFi and Ethernet Connection Speeds

Press Release Summary:

Greenlee Textron Inc. announces GigaCheck in AirScout® line of wireless analyzers for testing Wi-Fi coverage and wired Ethernet connection. It measures signal to noise ratio, PHY rate and transmit/receive success rates on wireless networks using the industry standard Ookla® Speedtest®. The analyzer provides technicians with tools to validate connection speed on wireless and Ethernet networks and verify whether the customers receive the connection speeds they pay for and expect.

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Original Press Release:

Greenlee Communications Launches AirScout GigaCheck

Easily Verify Network Connection Speeds with Greenlee® Communications AirScout® WiFi® Test System

AirScout® GigaCheck Tests WiFi and Ethernet Connection Speeds up to a full Gigabit

Vista, Calif., (June 19, 2018) — Greenlee Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announces the addition of GigaCheck to its award-winning AirScout® line of wireless analyzers. Controlled via Smartphone app, GigaCheck tests Wi-Fi coverage as seen from the residential gateway and tests wired Ethernet connection upload and download speeds up to 1Gb in real-time.

“Today’s customer demands dependable, high-speed services and expects their service provider will deliver the speed they pay for. AirScout GigaCheck gives technicians the tools needed to quickly and easily validate connection speeds on both wireless and ethernet networks,” explains Oleg Fishel, Director of PLM for Greenlee Communications.

AirScout GigaCheck measures Signal to Noise Ratio, PHY Rate and transmit/receive success rates on wireless networks using the industry standard Ookla® Speedtest®. Upload/download and Ping tests are performed on both Ethernet and WiFi for real-time speed testing.

The AirScout unit connects to the wireless router in one-click and is controlled via a smartphone app. The simple connection and intuitive user interface of the app make it easy for technicians to verify customers are receiving the connection speeds they pay for and expect. Technicians define pass/fail thresholds based upon their SLA and can generate reports and save them in the Cloud for easy transference and transparency of test results.

BTR, Broadband Technology Report, awarded AirScout Enterprise the 2017 Diamond Technology Winner in Wi-Fi Solutions. For more information on the complete AirScout line, visit www.getairscout.com.

Greenlee, under its Greenlee Communications brand, develops Ethernet, Transport, C37.94, Fiber, DSL, Wi-Fi and Copper test solutions, tracing and locating equipment, and fiber/cable jet installation equipment. A broad product portfolio, coupled with solutions-branded Greenlee Utility®, HD Electric Company® and Sherman + Reilly®, creates a single source partner providing unmatched value to the communications and utility markets.

Greenlee Communications

The Greenlee Communications brand offers a complete line of innovative and industryleading test and measurement solutions for the communication service provider industry. Our expertise and innovative solutions address all stages of network deployment enabling the development, installation and maintenance of xDSL, fiber, cable and wireless networks. It is a leading brand of test and measurement solutions in the global communications industry with a long track record of delivering high quality innovative solutions enabling technicians to achieve their goals in a timely manner and with confidence.

Greenlee Textron Inc.

Greenlee Textron Inc. is known as a global leader in the professional tool category. The Rockford, Illinois-based company develops high quality innovative products distinguished by customer-driven design and differentiated by supply chain excellence. It also leverages its powerful brands such as Greenlee Communications and Greenlee Utility in the electrical, construction and maintenance markets worldwide. More information is available at www.greenlee.com.

About Textron Inc.

Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, Textron Off Road, Arctic Cat, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation + Training. For more information, visit: www.textron.com.

Certain statements in this press release may describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

How to speed up Wi-Fi

Here's how you can speed up slow Wi-Fi, and it doesn't necessarily involve buying any new kit. Our expert tips should boost your Wi-Fi.

Routers have their work cut out these days: every new gadget wants to get its internet connection via Wi-Fi. With smart home kit becoming more popular, including light bulbs, thermostats and security cameras, it’s not uncommon for your internet connection to slow down and put a stop to your Netflix binge session.

You might not have to spend any money to fix this: there are ways to speed up Wi-Fi for free. However, if slow broadband or an old router is the culprit, you might need to consider upgrading your package and hardware. Check out our recommendations for the best routers to buy.

But first, try these tips.

1. Move your router

We’ve seen it countless times: routers chucked underneath sofas or hidden in the corner. Sure, it’s understandable that you don’t want an ugly box ruining your immaculate lounge, but if you want good Wi-Fi you need to give your router some breathing space.

The best place for it is in the middle of your home. For most people that’s impossible because your phone line or cable box sits on a wall at the front of your property. However, if you can, get an telephone extension cable and relocate the router so it’s roughly in the centre and as high off the floor as you can.

This will give it the best chance of delivering strong, fast Wi-Fi to all areas.

2. Banish interference

Wi-Fi can be flaky at the best of times, but you’re making it worse if you put cordless phones, microwaves, baby monitors and Bluetooth devices near it. Even some fairly lights will interfere with the signal and reduce speeds to a sluggish pace not seen since dial-up modems from 1999.

So keep the area around the router clear of other electronic devices, or face the consequences.

3. Use the fastest settings

Routers aren’t the most user-friendly things. You shouldn’t be expected to understand the difference between Wi-Fi standards and frequencies, but only the best routers will automatically give you the fastest-possible speeds without some manual intervention.

Essentially, the vast majority of Wi-Fi devices right now use the 802.11n standard but, confusingly, there are two frequencies it can use. If your router is ‘dual-band’ it can deliver Wi-Fi on 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

Since 2.4GHz is more common, yours and all your neighbours’ gadgets are probably fighting it out to share the available channels.

If your phone, tablet, laptop or other device is capable of connecting on 5GHz, switch to that instead. As long as you’re relatively close to your router, you’ll get a faster more reliable connection.

Some routers broadcast two separate Wi-Fi networks so it’s easy to see which is which, but others (notably BT Home Hubs) combine them – you have to log in to the router to set it to show the two bands.

4. Upgrade the antennae

Some routers have aerials which can be unscrewed. If yours is like this you might be able to buy larger versions which have a higher gain. That means a faster, stronger Wi-Fi signal.

A cheaper method – which also helps if you can’t physically reposition your router – is to make a reflector that sits behind the router and bounces the signal back the other way.

Students at Dartmouth College successfully proved that a simple tin-foil reflector can effectively boost Wi-Fi coverage in the direction of the reflector. It also has a side benefit of limiting coverage behind it, so you don’t end up broadcasting into the road outside, or into your neighbours’ houses.

5. Reboot your router once in a while

It’s the computer expert’s standard reply, but have you tried turning it off and on again? This old trick cures a multitude of problems and you might just find that fast Wi-Fi is restored after a reboot.

One thing a reboot does is to kick every device off the network and force it to reconnect. It’s also worth setting a password that isn’t the default just in case anyone is leeching off your connection. With most modern routers secure out of the box, that’s pretty unlikely, but it’s always worth checking.

6. Upgrade your router

If you have an old model, it could well be time to buy something better. Wi-Fi technology has come a long way in the last few years and there are several options.

One is to replace the router with a newer model which uses 802.11ac (preferably get one that supports MU-MIMO for the best futureproofing).

They don't all look like the mad Asus model above but will improve coverage as well as speed. Unfortunately, not a whole lot of devices apart from high-end phones, laptops and tablets support 802.11ac yet so will end up using the slower 802.11n standard, which all current routers support.

A better option could be to invest in a set of powerline adapters with built-in Wi-Fi, although this is appropriate only if you have a certain corner of your home – even a single room – which is currently a Wi-Fi black spot.

More expensive, but also more effective, is to invest in a mesh Wi-Fi system. These kits contain multiple routers which talk to each other and spread consistently fast Wi-Fi across even the biggest homes.

via techadvisor.co.uk