Wi-Fi finders aren’t the most exciting devices around, but they come in handy if you want to check for wireless connectivity without firing up your notebook. Kensington’s WiFi Finder Plus has a column of LEDs that indicate signal strength for any 802.11b/g networks in range. Of course, a positive test doesn’t mean that the network is accessible, but you can rest assured that you’re looking at a true network, as the Finder filters out irrelevant 2.4GHz signals (such as microwave ovens and cordless phones). The keychain device also has a moderately bright flashlight and an LED that denotes active Bluetooth networks.

It’s easy to get sucked into the habit of heading for the nearest McDonald’s or Starbucks when you need to find a Wi-Fi hotspot but at $5 to $10 per connection, this quickly becomes expensive. Why pay latte prices for Wi-Fi when you can get it for nothing?

Free public hotspots are proliferating in city parks, libraries, independent coffee shops, universities, and airports (including those in Las Vegas, Orlando, and Sacramento). The problem is finding free hotspots when you’re offline. The solution: Download hotspot directories before you travel.

Free hotspot locators are available from AnchorFree and JiWire. AnchorFree has a version for iPods, and both companies let you access their online directories from cell phones using a WAP browser.

Alternatively, you can use Wi-Fi Finder.

Who needs GPS when you have Wi-Fi?

The Loki service has mapped out the Wi-Fi networks in most major U.S. cities, letting you use your Wi-Fi equipped PDA, smart phone, or notebook to pinpoint your location. Loki installs as a toolbar in Internet Explorer or Firefox, which allows you to look up nearby movies, stores, restaurants, weather, traffic, and other information. My two favorite Loki services are driving directions and the location of Wi-Fi hotspots. Other channels provide Amtrak train schedules, a radio-station finder, apartment rentals, and real-estate values.

A nice touch: At the press of a button, you can send an e-mail or SMS with your location to a friend, who then clicks a link to look at a map and get directions to join you. Another way-cool feature lets you create “geotags” to attach to blog entries, Flickr uploads, and other Web-based content, showing the location at which it was created. Best of all, Loki is free!

The performance of Wi-Fi devices could suffer as the 2.4 GHz ISM band becomes more popular and congested. There’s a solution for this : Wi-Spy. THe world’s smaller 2.4 GHz spectrum snalyser. Designed specifically for troubleshooting and analysing Wi-Fi networks, it shows the signal strength for all Wi-Fi networks as well as Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz cordless phones, microwaves, Zigbee and all other 2.4 GHz transmitters.

It help in identifying a Wi-Fi interface and possesses a frequency range of 2.400 - 2.485 GHz.

Wi-Fi Network on Channel 11

Product maker : MetaGeek

It’s not hard to find a Wi-Fi hotspot. They’re everywhere these days and therein lies the problem. Sure, there are plenty of places for a notebook user to get online wirelessly. But how many of those Wi-Fi networks are truly open, usable by anyone wandering down the street?

That’s what makes Canary Wireless’s Digital Hotspotter more than a cute gadget, it doesn’t just tell you that a Wi-Fi network is in your vicinity, it tells you the network’s SSID, channel number, and signal strength, and whether it requires a password.

Most Wi-Fi hot spot locators have a few LEDs to inform you of the presence of a wireless signal and its general strength. The Canary Digital Hotspotter HS10, on the other hand, provides comprehensive hot spot information on a 12-character LCD. The HS10 displays the network name (SSID) or cloaked signal strength (SSID suppressed) in one to four bars, whether the network is open or secured, and the operating channel.

If multiple wireless networks are present, the frontpanel push button scrolls through additional networks. The HS10 is bulkier and pricier than LED-based locators, but the additional information will probably be worth the trade-off for Wi-Fi reliant travelers.

The Kensington WiFi Finder Plus quickly finds Wi-Fi signals and displays their level of strength. With this device you don’t need to boot up your notebook to track down Wi-Fi hotspots. The WiFi Finder Plus detects 802.11b/g and active Bluetooth networks within range. It also automatically filters out signals from cordless phones, cell phones, and microwaves.
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