How to use an Apple iPad or Apple iPhone as a Wireless LAN Professionals Toolkit

In previous blog posts, Ive talked about the various mobile hardware platforms one might use to help in Wireless LAN Professional design, troubleshooting and analysis work. In the first blog of the series we covered Android phones and Android Tablets, as well as Apple iPads and iPhones. iPads, iPhones and Androids: Network Tools for the Mobile WLAN Professional. <
http://blogs.aerohive.com/blog/the-wireless-lan-architecture-blog-3/ipads-iphones-and-androids-network-toolsfor-the-mobile-wlan-professional >

The second installment covered the software and apps available for the Android platform. Top 20 Android Apps for the Enterprise Wireless Networking Professional. <
http://blogs.aerohive.com/blog/the-wireless-lan-architecture-blog-3/top-20-android-apps-for-theenterprise-wireless-networking-professional >

In this final post Ill be reviewing the apps Ive found useful in my 802.11 consulting work. Ive purchased and reviewed probably 10 times more apps than Ill cover here. Many developers have tried to address the needs of network admins some have developed individual apps focused on a single function. Others have tried to build groups of functions in a single app. After much time evaluating and testing the various tools and apps available here are the ones I keep on my personal devices to help in my Wi-Fi work. Many of the apps are available for both iPhone and/or iPad. Some are iPhone only, and can be run on the iPad with a small screen, or use the 2X button to expand to full-size on the iPad. A couple are iPad only and arent available on the iPhone platform. A while ago Apple removed some apps that called on Private APIs to be removed from the iTunes AppStore. I have not listed those unavailable. If you already have them downloaded and in your iTunes account you can still run them. But if not, you cannot currently download or purchase these from the AppStore. Sorry about that. Check out this list of those older but currently unavailable apps. http://wlanbook.com/iphone-wifi-scanner-apps-banned-by-apple/ In no particular order on to the top 30 iOS apps for Wireless LAN Professionals

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

Theodolite
Comes in an iPad and separate iPhone editions. This tool is great for documenting site design for both PtP and PtMP wireless bridge links as well as for outdoor access coverage. Includes GPS coordinates, bearing, azimuth, inclination as well as a zoomable camera. I have used this tool on almost every outdoor job Ive had. A great addition to your toolbox. (perhaps alone is worth getting an iPad 2 with a camera)

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/theodolite-hd/id425456242?mt=8 iPhone Free Pro iPhone - $3.99 iPad HD - $3.99

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

RF Toolbox
This is my first go to app for calculating anything related to RF. It contains two sets of tools. One set of calculators and tools for RF, and another for doing GPS calculations. Both are easy to use, aesthetically pleasing to look at, and professional in their approach. This one is Highly Recommended.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rf-toolbox/id320704516?mt=8 iPhone - $7.99 Works small on iPad

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

WiFiPerf
Developed by a skilled WLAN professional and his team this is a tool dedicated to providing accurate iPerf traffic to/from your iOS devices. It can be used to go from an iOS device to any iPerf3 compatible server. (like their own Mac OS X iPerf3 < http://wlanbook.com/iperf3-mac-os-snow-leopard-lion-iperf/ > ) If you have two iOS devices, one can be the server, and the other the client. Providing an industry standard iPerf performance testing of Wi-Fi to the device.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wifi-perf/id458836095?mt=8 iPhone & iPad Universal - $49.99 (has been on sale for $9.99 check with developer)

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

System
This system utility shows a variety of system information, memory, processes, disk, and battery status. But I like best the quick view of OS, cell connectivity, and WiFi connectivity including MAC address and IP address of your iOS device.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/system-manager-for-memory/id423542379?mt=8 iPhone/iPad Universal $1.99

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

Get Console
This utility makes your iPhone/iPod Touch or iPad into a quick terminal console. So much easier than carrying around a spare laptop. With just the simple cable attachment, you can connect to your switches, routers, and laptops via RF-45 console port and configure, update or review your configs using SSH or Telnet.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/get-console/id412067943?mt=8 iPhone/iPad Universal - $9.99 Youll need one of these special 30-pin to RJ-45 adapter cables. Not cheap. Not at all. But small, lightweight, and gives you exactly what you need without carrying larger, heavier options. http://www.get-console.com/shop/ Cable - $59.00

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

iSSH
A full-featured SSH and Telnet terminal emulator. For when you just need to config one of your network devices over the Wi-Fi connection.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/issh-ssh-vnc-console/id287765826?mt=8 iPhone/iPad Universal - $9.99

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

VNC Viewer
An easy quick way to access your VNC servers with your iPad. Ive done all the exercises in our Aerohive training sessions via this app. You can access Linux, Windows, or Macintosh system anything you can run a VNC server on. Youll be connecting via your iOS devices WiFi connection for quickest response times.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vnc-viewer/id352019548?mt=8 iPhone/iPad Universal - $9.99

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

Emerald Time
Nothing fancy here just an NTP time server tool. You can check multiple sources of NTP time and get the average. When you need accurate time here you go.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/emerald-time/id290384375?mt=8 iPhone/iPad Universal - Free

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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GeoQuick
Just a fast, accurate way to capture your current GPS coordinates. You can easily bookmark, and even export your bookmarks to a .kmz file to view in Google Earth. It just does as its name suggests. Quick GPS coordinates!

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/geoquick-premium-gps-location/id326124331?mt=8 iPhone - $.99 Works small on iPad

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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Network Swiss-Army-Knife
A full-featured tool for those who work with networks. It is currently only an iPhone app so it looks a bit small on an iPad. But it has lots of useful features. All easily accessed via a simple and colorful interface. I think I use the MAC lookup the most, but it has many features that might be quite helpful in your position.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/network-swiss-army-knife/id348849561?mt=8 iPhone - $3.99 Works small on iPad

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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Nice Trace
Like its name suggests this is a very nice Trace Route app. With a detailed help screen, and an easy-to-read display. This is my first tool when doing traces. This tool is from Pavel Ahafounau who makes some of the best network diagnostics tools available on iOS. Check out his web site for the other great tools he has to offer. http://happymagenta.com/index.html

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nice-trace-traceroute-monitoring/id322722672?mt=8 iPhone - $1.99 Works small on iPad

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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MAC Address
Sometimes you just need quick access to your MAC address, Internal IP and External IP. You might also need the special UDID of your iPhone or iPad. Nothing fancy. Just does what it says.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mac-address/id386545612?mt=8 iPhone/iPad Universal - Free

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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Netstat
Another simple tool that also does just what youd think. It allows you to see what ports and services are being used on your iOS device. Track what TCP sessions are open. Works very much like other netstat utilities youve used in the past. A staple in any network troubleshooters bag of tricks.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/netstat/id400071873?mt=8 iPhone/iPad Universal - Free

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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IT Tools
This app contains a suite of tools you might find useful in troubleshooting network connections. Features include; Traceroute, Ping, DNS Queries, Interface Table, Routing Table and more.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/it-tools/id324054954?mt=8 iPhone/iPad Universal - $4.99

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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LanScan
This utility comes in an iPhone or an iPad version (HD for the iPad). This app allows quick, easy & readable access to a variety of network scans: TCP scans, ARP scans, NetBios scans, Bonjour scans, Reverse DNS, and Port scans. Full details are available to see what services and ports might be available at the target device. Quite useful in Penetration Testing and checking security of your Wireless LAN.

LAN Scan http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lanscan/id378965540?mt=8 LAN Scan HD http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lanscan-hd/id461551081?mt=8 iPhone - $3.99 iPad HD - $6.99

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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iNetQCheckPro
Very detailed and professional network testing app with full reporting capability. Youll be impressed with the wealth of information available in this software.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/inetqcheck-pro/id357068335?mt=8 iPhone - $4.99 Works small on iPad

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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Cell Towers
Ever wonder why you are getting poor 3G reception on your iOS device? This app shows you graphically where all the cell towers are near your location, or any location you enter. You can zoom in to the map and even get specific distances from any location to the nearest cell tower. Screen capture these results as part of your site documentation. This app comes in an iPhone and separate iPad app.

iPhone - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cell-towers/id380151486?mt=8 iPad - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cell-towers-for-ipad/id383023217?mt=8 iPhone - $2.99 iPad - $2.99

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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Scany
Another great tool from Pavel. Including Trace, Ping, WhoIs, WakeOnLan, Network Scanner, Port Scanner, Net Info, etc. Very detailed and quite easy to use.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scany-network-port-scanner/id328077901?mt=8 iPhone - $5.99 Works small on iPad

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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Ping Analyzer
When you need more than a simple Ping tool Ping Analyzer adds a graphical interface and recording capabilities. It also tracks average, min, max and jitter. You can save your favorites to return and do re-tests.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ping-analyzer-graphical-network/id406772587?mt=8 iPhone - $.99 Works small on iPad

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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Dot11wavelen
A nice reference guide for 2.4GHz and 5GHz channels by regulatory domain. If you ever need to know which channels are available in your country. You can also calculate physical RF wavelengths by frequency.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dot11wavelen/id339487075?mt=8 iPhone - Free Works small on iPad

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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iNetUtiity
A great little go to utility showing your current connection information, sub-net calculator, and OUI search. And a nice little addition of doing an ARP scan of your local subnet.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/inetutility/id381252959?mt=8 iPhone - Free Works small on iPad

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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Speed Test
An iOS version of the very popular SpeedTest.Net from Ookla. You can save and email results. Ive used this in many on-site situations. Perhaps not the best or most detailed speed test. But customers feel comfortable with the results since they can double check on their own systems.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/speedtest.net-mobile-speed/id300704847?mt=8 iPhone - Free Works small on iPad

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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FCC Test
Another speed test, but this one shares GPS data with the FCC to help with Broadband statistics for the nation. Even without that feature, this provides a consistent, repeatable test platform.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fcc-mobile-broadband-test/id357119507?mt=8 iPhone - Free Works small on iPad

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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SpeedCalc
This little utility help calculate download times based on file size and data transfer method. Thats it. But sometimes it can be just what you need.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/speedcalc/id302888825?mt=8 iPhone - $.99 Works small on iPad

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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Router Helper
This is a reference utility app. It contains screen shots and step by step guides on setting up a wide variety of SoHo routers. Including help for Port Forwarding and Wireless setup. Also contains a section with default username/passwords for most SoHo devices.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/router-helper/id372344153?mt=8 iPad - Free

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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Pinouts
This one is exactly what youd expect. A reference app with graphical pinouts for a wide variety of electronic and electrical connections.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pinouts/id308293309?mt=8 iPhone - $1.99 Works small on iPad

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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CableInfo
Another reference app specific to Audio/Video, Computer I/O, Power, and Telecommunications cables. With graphics, and tabular information for each type of connector. This is iPhone sized.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cableinfo/id333252995?mt=8 iPhone - $.99 Works small on iPad

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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ASCII Code View

A useful utility when you need to double check on ASCII characters. This app shows ASCII, Octal, Decimal and Hex of any character. Or an entire ASCII table. There are lots of this type of app, I just liked the interface of this one. Choose the one that fits your expectations.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ascii-code-view/id315851708?mt=8 iPhone - Free Works small on iPad

iOS Apps for WLAN Professionals

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Bytes
Basically, Bytes is a Binary, Octal, Decimal and Hex Calculator. For those of us who sometimes need to brush up on our non-decimal math this can be a wonderful cheat sheet. Even does Binary Logical Operations.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bytes/id293252548?mt=8
iPhone - $.99 Works small on iPad

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iSIP
Sometimes its just nice to have a SIP client on your iOS device. Of course you can always use the Skype app to make calls but I carry this SIP client to test regular VoIP connections. To test VoIP over WiFi, I have one SIP client on my iPhone, and the other on either an iPad or iPod Touch. It can easily put a Voice load on the network to get real checks of inbound and outbound Jitter, Latency, etc. Of course, youll need to have activated SIP accounts with the appropriate login credentials to use this client.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/isip-sip-phone-on-iphoneipod/id298202722?mt=8
iPhone - $5.99 Works small on iPad

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