Third-party WiFi testers vs wireless controllers – why both matter

Controller versus WiFi tester. (Image: IoTXperts)

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"Even with a high-end enterprise wireless controller, networking teams often find themselves flying blind trying to optimise and secure their WiFi networks. Here is why a handheld WiFi tester is still a non-negotiable part of your toolkit," says Jeroen Dubbelman, MD of IoT Xperts.

A wireless controller provides a network-centric view. It has deep visibility into access points, radios, channels, power levels, roaming decisions and policy enforcement. From a design and operational perspective, this metadata is invaluable. Controllers excel at proactive management, optimisation and maintaining best-practice configurations across large environments.

A third-party WiFi tester offers a client-centric view. It is portable and sees the network exactly as a user device does at a specific location, at a specific moment in time. This perspective is critical when users report issues that the controller cannot see.

For example, when a user experiences poor connectivity in a particular office, meeting room or corner of a warehouse, the controller may show everything as healthy. From the client’s point of view, however, interference, roaming behaviour or signal quality may tell a very different story.

There’s the matter of neutrality. Controllers are vendor-specific by design. Independent testers offer an agnostic view, which is invaluable when validating designs, troubleshooting complex issues or making long-term architecture decisions.

Wireless controllers and third-party WiFi testers are not competitors. They are complementary tools that answer different questions.

One tells you how the network thinks it is performing; the other shows you how it is experienced by users.

In wireless networking, you need both perspectives to deliver value to the business, but note the following points Wi-i testing excels at:

• Hunting rogue access points.
• Finding WiFi shadows affecting users.
• Checking security, seeing that all access points are set for enterprise-grade encryption.
• Adding further security with the right tool, using NMAP to check vulnerability at the edge.

If you are looking for examples of WiFi testers that help you address these gaps, here a few worth exploring:

1. NetAlly – Aircheck G3E-PRO at https://www.iotxperts.co.za/product/netally-aircheck-g3e-pro-kt/.
2. NetAlly – EXG-300E at https://www.iotxperts.co.za/product/netally-exg-300e-network-tester/ which adds copper and fibre wired network testing.
3. Finally, if you are interested in including cyber security testing for your WiFi tester – NetAlly – CyberScope-Air-E at https://www.iotxperts.co.za/product/cyberscope-air/.

In conclusion, network engineers are hired to keep the WiFi fast and to ensure it remains secure and user access remains consistent.