Fluke Networks today announced the AirCheck WiFi Tester, a dedicated handheld tool that delivers quick and easy troubleshooting for today's increasingly complex wireless local area networks (WLAN).
Offering simple, intuitive operation, the rugged new Wi-Fi tester can be learned and used in minutes by frontline IT professionals, even if they have little previous wireless network experience, and is an affordable option for every enterprise, large or small.
“Companies are increasingly reliant on WiFi networks, but many continue to see them as less reliable than wired alternatives.”
The AirCheck tester provides a single, handheld solution for engineers and technicians looking for fast and effective WiFi network visibility. Through an intuitive interface, users can easily verify and troubleshoot 802.11 a/b/g/n network availability, connectivity, channel utilisation and security settings. The AirCheck tester allows users to identify coverage and connectivity problems, find unauthorised or rogue access points (APs), see overloaded networks and channels, detect interference and validate security settings.
“Companies are increasingly reliant on WiFi networks, but many continue to see them as less reliable than wired alternatives,” said Arif Kareem, President, Fluke Networks. “This is partly because time- and resource-pressured IT personnel do not necessarily have the training or the tools they need to monitor and troubleshoot network issues. AirCheck addresses the requirement to arm frontline IT personnel with an affordable, easy-to-use, portable tool that provides comprehensive WLAN visibility across all WiFi standards.”
The new AirCheck tester is quicker, easier to operate and more portable than any other WiFi tool on the market, making it suitable for everyday use by network support staff irrespective of their level of WLAN training and expertise.
Booting up in less than three seconds, AirCheck automatically starts discovering networks, access points and channel activity immediately. The tester, which has a five-hour battery life, is suitable for one-handed use and most operations require only one or two key presses. Testing sessions can be saved with the press of a single key, and then downloaded via the USB port to a PC for report generation or archiving with AirCheck Manager software. These features are particularly valuable for trouble ticket resolution or escalation, enabling broad access to all the session data captured by the AirCheck WiFi Tester - saving time and resources.
“Solving WiFi issues can be a challenging, frustrating, and sometimes bordering on impossible task,” said Peter Rysavy, WiFi Consultant, Rysavy Research. “AirCheck takes the mystery out of the WiFi environment, enabling practically any network professional, regardless of their WiFi knowledge, to quickly diagnose and solve the most common problems. I highly recommend this product.”
The speed and simplicity of the AirCheck tester not only enables the entire IT organisation to troubleshoot wireless LAN issues, it has also been proven to save organisational resources by reducing time needed for troubleshooting. “We could easily save one or two full workweeks over the course of the year,” said Brad Pritchett, IT Director of Eastside High School (Sammamish, Washington).
Its intuitive interface is built around a 2.8-inch full colour LCD screen and a simple menu-based system that can be navigated using just five buttons. The tester measures 3.5 in x 7.8 in x 1.9 in (8.9cm x 19.8cm x 4.8cm) and weighs only 14oz (0.4kg). AirCheck Manager software, which is supplied with the unit and runs on a host PC, manages all AirCheck profiles and the information collected from multiple AirCheck testers. The software can help IT support personnel close trouble tickets more efficiently or fully document the problem for support escalation.
Pricing and availability:
The AirCheck WiFi Tester will be available in the second quarter and can be purchased from Fluke Networks channel partners worldwide. For South Africa/sub-Sahara Africa, visit: http://www.bitrate.co.za or call (27)116063736 or e-mail sales@bitrate.co.za.
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Fluke Networks
Fluke Networks provides innovative solutions for the installation and certification, testing, performance management, monitoring and analysis of copper, fibre and wireless networks used by enterprises and telecommunications carriers. The company's comprehensive line of Network SuperVision Solutions provide network installers, managers, owners, and maintainers with superior vision, combining speed, accuracy and ease of use to optimise network performance. Headquartered in Everett, Washington, the company distributes its products in more than 50 countries. More information can be found by visiting Fluke Networks' Web site at http://www.flukenetworks.comor by calling (800) 28-FLUKE.