New Wi-Fi Finders Work Well
New Wi-Fi finders from Canary Wireless, Kensington, and Smith Micro work better, and offer more information, than previous devices.
Wi-Fi signal detectors should let you track down a wireless signal before booting up your notebook and wasting power. Unfortunately, early versions of the devices didn't work very well. I tested three new devices and found them dramatically more useful than previous products.
Kensington's $30 WiFi Finder Plus is about the size of a Tic Tac mints box. To use it, simply press a button; if the device locates an 802.11b or g wireless signal, it indicates the strength by lighting from one to five green LEDs. A single blue LED lights in the presence of a Bluetooth signal. The device seemed quite accurate, but with each click it latches on to a single signal, so expect to push the button repeatedly to find the strongest signal.
Smith Micro's $30 QuickLink Mobile Wi-Fi Seeker is even littler than the Kensington unit and has a single button. Hold down the button, and while you walk around, the device will display the ever-changing signal strength of detected 802.11b and g networks in the area, via four red LEDs.
Canary's Digital Hotspotter sells for $50. Bulkier than the other two devices but still easy to pocket, the Digital Hotspotter not only notes 802.11b and g signal strength but also reports the name of the network (SSID), its broadcast channel, and whether the network is encrypted or open.
If you just want to know if a signal exists and how strong it is, either the Kensington or the Smith Micro device will do the trick; if you're interested in finding out more detailed information before you break out your notebook, pay extra for the Canary.
Canary Wireless Digital Hotspotter
Pricier unit offers everything from signal strength to SSID.Price when reviewed: $50Current Prices (if available)
Smith Micro QuickLink Mobile Wi-Fi Seeker
Detects ever-changing Wi-Fi signal strength with one touch.Price when reviewed: $30Current Prices (if available)
Kensington Technology WiFi Finder Plus
Reveals Wi-Fi signal strength or Bluetooth, but you'll click a lot.Price when reviewed: $30Current Prices (if available)