Spectrum Analysis with Ekahau Analyzer

As an IT professional, there are too many tools to select from. It’s easy to get carried away and have some tools that whose purpose may overlap.

There are a handful of spectrum analyzers available for purchase. Some better than others, yes.

But one of those tools, the Ekahau Sidekick, can be multipurpose.

A few ways the Sidekick can be used:

• Validation site survey
• Packet Capture
• Spectrum Analyzer
• Stores Ekahau project files

I have separate tools that can perform each of those functions. But I hate carrying so many tools in my bag. It hurts my back.

Ekahau Analyzer

As part of the Ekahau Connect subscription, Ekahau released a much needed application called Ekahau Analyzer.

I assume it was born out of the many requests by Wi-Fi experts who did not want to open Ekahau Pro to perform spectrum analysis.

By leveraging the power of the Sidekick, one could connect it via lightning or USB-C to an iPhone or iPad to get high resolution output from the Sidekick.

I can do with one less tool, right? Maybe.

Ekahau Analyzer can validate the health of your Wi-Fi network by comparing it to a Requirement Profile.

It’s an easy pass/fail indication. But I didn’t see an option to change the Requirement Profile within Ekahau Analyzer. There isn’t a way to map that information anywhere on a floor plan so you’ll have to note the location manually.

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Most importantly, you have a view of both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz spectrum. The measurements are fast and with high resolution.

I wasn’t able to see that any interference was detected for me so I’ll have to assume that capability isn’t there yet. As a Wi-Fi professional, you’d have to identify that based on your education and experience.

Is Ekahau Analyzer Worth It?

It’s a good start for Ekahau Analyzer. I can see the application improving. What I’d like added to Ekahau Analyzer is the ability to add notes, zoom into a specific frequency, have export capabilities, and a separate waterfall view.