WiPry User Manual

2.4 GHz Wireless Troubleshooting

Rev: Orig
 TableofContents

Section1GettingStarted
1.10Quickstart Guide
1.20Compatibility

Section2HowWiPry Works
2.10Basics
2.11ScreenLayout
2.12ColorLegend

2.20HowToSolveWirelessSpeedIssues
2.21AvoidInterference
2.22EducateCustomer
2.23IdentifyInterferenceSource
2.24OptimizeChannel
2.25Undo/RelocateHardware
(Featuresused:Decay,HeatMap)
(Featuresused:APUtilization)
(Featuresused:HeatMap)
(Featuresused:ChannelGuide)
(Featuresused:SignaltoNoiseRatio)

2.30AdvancedFeatures
2.31WaterfallMode
2.32Screenshots/Email
2.33Datalogging
2.34Other(pause/play,powermeter,average,directionalantenna,
average,raw,ZigBee)

2.40Reference

TheBestPracticeIcon

TheFieldApplicationIcon

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Section1GettingStarted

1.10Quickstart Guide
InserthardwareintoiPad.Then,launchWiPry appintheAppleAppStore.

AttachextensioncabletoWiPry hardwareandleaveitconnected.iPadcaseis
compatiblewiththeextensioncable.

1.20Compatibility
WiPry isa2.4GHzspectrumanalyzerthatworkswithanyiPad,iPhone,oriPodtouch
thathasthenewer,smallerconnector(calledLightning).AsofApril2015,hereisalistof
thecompatibledevices:iPhone6Plus,iPhone6,iPhone5C,iPhone5S,iPhone5,iPad
mini3,iPadmini2,iPadmini,iPadAir2,iPadAir,iPad4,iPodtouch[5th
generation]. WiPry isafreeappbutrequiressoftwareversion6.0ornewer.Itdoesnot
currentlysupportAndroidor5GHz.

Section2HowWiPry Works
2.11ScreenLayout
Acrossthebottomofthescreen,menuoptionsexist.Tappingonanyofthese
options,revealsfeatureswithinthatmenu:

HideMenuBar Signaltonoiseratio Visualchangesonly Stop/start Appversion

Changetheway Channelguide Email,screenshots, Featurenot

wirelessactivityis options. savecustomsetup. availablewiththis
displayed. tool.
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Section2HowWiPry Works

2.11ScreenLayout
Thearrowpointinguprepresents
amplitude.Thehigherthesignalsareon
thescreen,thestrongerthesignal.

Thearrowpointingtotheright
representsfrequency.Thistool
measuresfrom2.4GHzonthefarleftto
2.5GHzonthefarright.

TheinitialSSIDscantakestwominutes
(seetoprightcornerfortheexact
countdown).Aftertheinitialscan,each
subsequentscanis20seconds.

ToenabletheWiFichannelguide,tap
locatedinthetopleftcorner.Then,tap
anyoftheboxeslisted(113)to
highlightchannelactivity.Tohidethe
WiFiguide,justtap.

Channelspecificactivityisimportantto
thespeedandreliabilityofyourwireless
signal.Interferencecancauseslow
speedsandattimesnoconnectionat
all.

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Section2HowWiPry Works

2.11ColorLegend
Thecolorslistedinthedefaultviewillustrateaheatmapofthewirelessactivityas
picturedbelow.Thehotcolors(likered)representcontinuoustransmissions.

Lightpurple singlepacket
Blue lessthangreen
Green lessthanyellow
Yellow lessthanred
Red noisefloor,continuous
transmissions

Redactivitycancausesignificantinterference,whichaffectswirelessspeedand
reliability.Hereswhatactivitylookslikeandhowitaffectsspeed:

Baseline VideoStreamingoniPad

iPhone5=37.4megs(Ookla) iPhone5=27.2megs(Ookla)

VideoStreaming+MicrowaveOven

iPhone5=8.9megs (Ookla) 5
Section2HowWiPry Works

2.21AvoidInterference
Interferenceacrosstheentire2.4GHzspectrumisvisualizedbelow.Hereshowto
duplicatethesetupshownbelow:

Step#1Thedefaultviewincludestheheatmap,whichisthesettingthatdisplaysthe
colorsbelow.
Step#2Inthisillustration,decayisalsoenabled.Decayisthewhitesquigglylinethat
providesanaverageofthesignal,whichfades(ordecays)overtime.Enablingdecay
canbedonebytappingthespectrummenuinthebottomleftcorner.Then,tap
nonebelow .Thentap.
Step#3Tappingthe signinthetopleftcornerwillexpandthechannelguide.
Then,tappingonanyoftheboxeswillhighlightthechannelactivity.Channel13is
highlighted.

Inthisexample,thereisnoclearchannelin2.4GHzduetoanunknown
interferencesource.Thisinterferencewaslimitedtotheinsideofthehome
(interferencedisappearedwhenwalkingoutside).Whennoclearchannelexistsin
2.4GHz,thecustomercanadddualbandadaptersonwirelessdevicestoutilize5
GHzforbestspeedsoracceptslowerspeedson2.4GHz.
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Section2HowWiPry Works

2.22Educate
Apartmentcomplexesarenotoriousforhavingwirelessissues.Thatspartlybecause
wirelessbandwidthisbeingsharednotjustwithinaparticularhomebutwithnearby
neighborsthatsharethesamechannel.AccessPointUtilizationgradeseach
AWG/Routerwithinagivenwirelessenvironment.Showingacustomerapoorgrade
ofD(likeshownbelow)helpsputwirelesscongestionincontext.Unfortunately,thisis
thebestthatcouldbedoneforthiscustomer.Althoughspeedswerenotimproved,
educatedcustomersaremuchmoreunderstanding.Hereshowtoduplicatethesetup
shownbelow:
Step#1Tapspectrummenuoptioninthebottomleftcorner.Then,tap
justabove.
Step#2EachAWG/Routerisgradedinthefarrightcolumn.

AccessPointUtilizationisonlyavailableafteraninitialtwominutescan.The
gradewillchangeastheenvironmentchanges.Inthisexample,thegrade
fluctuatedbetweenaDandanF.

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Section2HowWiPry Works

2.23IdentifyInterferenceSource
ThisscreenshotwascapturedduringspeedtestonanHPlaptop.Notonlywerewireless
speedsaffectedonthelaptopbutitwasalsocausingproblemsforeveryotherwireless
device.Poweringdownthelaptopfixedtheproblemforalldevices.Itwas
recommendedthatthecustomerdisableHPwirelessnetworkcardanddirectlyconnect
thelaptopusinganEthernetcable.Noactionsarerequiredtoduplicatethesetup.This
isthedefaultviewwithheatmap.

HPLaptop BandwidthSpeedTest(Thisisaproblem!)

Normalbandwidthspeedtest

Itseasytoresetthesoftwarebacktothedefaultview.Justtapthesettings
menuoption.Then,tap..Supersavvy
techsmayalsowanttosavetheirfavoritesetup(s).Justbelowthereset
config optionisanoptiontosavethreedifferentsetups.Afterasetuphas
beensaved,justtap andthescreenwillload.
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Section2HowWiPry Works

2.24OptimizeChannel
Noteverychannelyieldsthesamewirelessspeeds.Manuallytestingspeedsonvarious
channelsgivessignificantlydifferentresults.Inthisexample,speedsvaryfrom2331
megsdownafteroptimizationand4.74megsdownbeforethechange.Hereshowto
duplicatethesetupshownbelow:

Step#1Heatmapisenabledaspartofthedefaultview.Taptheplussigninthetopleft
cornertoexpandthechannelguideshownbelow.Thisishelpfultoquicklyidentifythe
channelofeachAWG/Router.

Step#2Ookla isaseparateapp(verybottomofscreen).Ittrackseachspeedtestand
displaystheactualwirelessbandwidth.

Beforeoptimizingchannel
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Section2HowWiPry Works

2.25Undo/RelocateHardware
ConvenientsetupoftheAWG/Routerisofteninabasementormechanicalroomfar
awayfromwherewirelessinternetisused.Thiscanbeaproblembecausethesignal
strengthwillattenuate(orlosestrength)asittravelsfurtherawayfromthesource.So
whenshouldtheAWG/Routerberelocatedtoamorecentrallocation?IftheSignalto
Noise(SNR)ratioistoolow.Theindustryminimumis25dBm forVOIPandvideo
streaming.Hereshowtoduplicatethesetupshownbelow:

Step#1Tapcursorsmenuoption.
Step#2Tapon.Ensuresetupmatchestheimagehere
Step#3Then,setonecursoratthepotentialofyouraccesspoint
(solidline)andtheotheroneatthenoiselevel(dottedlineat
thebottomofthescreen).TheSNRiscalculatedforyou
(27.52dBm).ThiswasnotsufficientforaVOIPAT&TMicroCell.Recommended
relocatingtherouterclosertotheVOIPsystem.
Step#4ToviewSNRratioslidethemenubarawaybyswipingarrowinbottomleft.

VOIPoveracellphone(especiallyon2.4GHz)isachallengingrequest.Customer
couldimprovetelecommunicationsbyhardwiringVOIPbox(likeanOBi)
directlyintotherouter.Usingacordlessphonewiththissetupyieldsa
farsuperiorexperienceforthecustomerANDtheAWG/Routerwould
notneedtoberelocated.
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Section2HowWiPry Works

2.31WaterfallMode
OneofthechallengeswithRFisthattheenvironmentisconstantlychanging.The
defaultsettingonourappisforarealwaveview.Thisdisplaysactivityinrealtime.But
interferencecancomeandgo.WaterfalldisplaysRFovertime.Thenewestactivityisat
thetopofthescreen.Anditfallsdownthescreenastimeelapses.Theoldestactivity
isatthebottomofthescreen.

Step#1Toviewwaterfallmode,tapthespectrummenu.
Step#2Then,tap.

Uploadspeedtest
completed

Downloadspeedtest
completed

StartedOokla speed
test

Loggingactivityonsiteisagreatwaytocreateareferencepointataparticular
location.AndalthoughitispossibletologthedatainWiPry,itsnotcurrently
possibletosave(andreplay)thatlogexactlyasyouseeitonthescreen.Logged
dataiscurrentlydisplayedasnumbers/datapoints.

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Section2HowWiPry Works

2.32Screenshots/Email
Capturingandemailingscreenshotsishelpfulforsupervisors.Difficultwirelessissues
canbeforwardedtomanagersorWiFiexpertsforimmediatefeedback.Hereshowto
capturescreenshotsanduseemailinsidetheWiPry app:

Step#1Tapsettingsmenuoption.
Step#2Then,tapandapictureofthescreenwillbecapturedand
emailed(seeimagebelow).Or,ifmultiplescreenshotsareneeded,tap
insteadandimageswillbestoredinphotos.

Screenshotscanalsobecapturedbysimultaneouslypressingthepowerbutton
(ontheAppledevice)andthemenubutton(ontheAppledevice).Thescreenwill
brieflyflashwhite.Thisfeatureisavailableatanytime,notjustwhileusing
WiPry software.

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Section2HowWiPry Works

2.33Datalogging
Datalogging createsarecordofactivitywhileusingtheWiPry tool.Althoughitis
possibletologaslongasthereisbatterylifeontheiOSdevice,thedataisrepresented
bynumbersinaCSVfile.Thisisabitcrypticwithoutawaytorecreatethewaveforms.
So,itisnotrecommendedthatthisfeaturebeusedforthisapplication.

2.34OtherFeatures
Pause/play locatedonthemenubaranditsimplypausesthescreen.Itdoesnottake
ascreenshot/photo.So,itisnotrecommendedthatthisfeaturebeusedatthistime.

Powermeter locatedonthemenubarandisrepresentedbyaswitchtomenu
option.Thisfeatureisonlyavailablewithadifferentpieceofhardware.Itisnot
recommendedthatthisfeaturebeusedatthistime.

Colors locatedonthemenubarandisrepresentedbycolors.Changingthecolors
doesnothaveanymaterialadvantage,andasaresult,itisnotrecommendedthatthis
featurebeusedatthistime.

Directionalantenna thesuppliedantennaisomnidirectional. Thatis,itexistsinevery

direction.But,itispossibletoamplifysignalsinaparticulardirection.Thiscouldbe
usedtopinpointtheexactlocationofaninterferencesource.Directionalantennasare
notsuppliedstandard.Theycanbepurchasedseparately.Hereiswhatisneeded:1x
AsusWLANT157(suppliedbyAsus)and1xConductedMeasurementKit(suppliedby
Oscium):

ActualProduct HowItAmplifiesSignal

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Section2HowWiPry Works

2.34OtherFeatures
Average providesayellowlinethataveragesthesignal.Verysimilartodecay
functionalitydescribedinmoredetailonpagesix.

Raw representstherawspectraldataandisvisualizedbythebluesquigglyline.The
problemwithrawviewisthesignalsaresofastthatitsimpossibletodoanythingwith
thedata.Imagecaptureshere:

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Section2HowWiPry Works

2.34OtherFeatures
ZigBee ViewingZigBeesspecificchannelguideishelpfulfortroubleshootingZigBee
systems.Toaccessthisfeature:

Step1Tapthemeasuremenuoption.Then,scrolldownandtap802.15.4 ZigBee.
Step2TheZigBeechannelguidehasbeenloaded.Nowtapininthetopleftcorner.

SincemostAWG/Routersdefaulttochannels1,6or11,thebestZigBee
channelstouseareoften15,20or25.Thesechannelsdonotoverlapwith
themajorityofWiFitraffic,whichhelpsimproveperformance.

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 Reference
AccessPointUtilization(2,7) Screenshots(2,12)
ApartmentComplex(7) Software,WiPry (3)
Android(3) Speedtest(5,8,9,11)
Average(2,14) SignaltonoiseorSNRratio(2,10)
Avoidinterference(6) TableofContents(2)
AWG/Router(7,9,10) VideoStreaming(5)
BandwidthSpeedTest(5,8,9,11) VOIP(10)
BestPractices(2,3,7,8,10,12) WhyCare(2,5,6)
ChannelGuide(2,4,6,9) WiPry (3)
Colorsmenuoption(13) ZigBee(3,15)
Colorlegend(2,5) 5GHz(3,6)
Countdown,2minute(7)
Cordlessphone(10)
Cursors(10)
DataLogging(13)
DirectionalAntenna(2,13)
Decay(2,6)
EducateCustomer(7)
Email(2,12)
ExtensionCable(3)
Grading(7)
Hardware,WiPry (3)
HeatMap(2,5,6,8,9)
IdentifyInterferenceSource(8,13)
LoadConfig (8)
Lightning(3)
MenuBar(3,10)
OBi (10)
OptimizeChannel(2,4,9)
Ookla (5,8,9,11)
Pause/Play(2,13)
PowerMeter(2,13)
Raw(2,14)
RelocateHardare (2,10)
ResetConfig (8)
SaveConfig (8)
ScreenLayout(2,4)
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