|
|
|
|
June 2008
Editors' Choice Wi-Fi Accessory StarTech Wi-Fi Detective Reviewed by Terry Kibiloski
The Wi-Fi Detective (Retail $74.99), from StarTech.com, is a Wi-Fi finder with LCD that is a must have for the road warrior who is in and out of hotels, airports, restaurants, and other places that provide some extra time to work on the computer but are not always great places to find Wi-Fi connections. When we first received the press release on this product, I must admit that I could not see why anyone would spend money for a device whose features are built in to virtually every laptop on the market. At the encouragement of my Entertainment Editor, I decided to request this product for review. I tell you this because it is important to know that when I say that I love this device, you realize that using it converted me from a skeptic to an enthusiastic user. StarTech.com provides techy uses for this device, which are listed below, but what I fell in love with are the practical uses for this device when on the road. I first took it to a week-long training conference in Atlanta where the hotel had multiple events going on and scattered zones of Wi-Fi connections, provided by the hotel, several conferences, and other nearby hotels. As I watched many frustrated attendees sit down, open their laptops, and curse a bit when they could not get connected, I simply walked around with my Wi-Fi Detective to find all of the “sweet” spots for Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. I felt like a burglar casing the joint. Throughout my week in Atlanta, I was always connected with the strongest signal. On other trips, when stopping at a hotel, I would first walk around the various floors before checking in at the front desk. Road warriors know very well that just because a hotel advertises free wireless, does not mean you will get a strong signal without dropouts if you are on the wrong floor, or at the wrong end of the hallway. At a recent stay at a condo in Florida, my Wi-Fi detective was able to show me the best place in my condo to get a Wi-Fi signal from an open Linksys Wi-Fi network that presumably was being provided by one of the permanent residents somewhere in the vicinity. By now, you should be seeing why I love this incredibly handy device that easily slips into your pocket and can be stealthily used at will as your fellow travelers are lost in the mire of locating Wi-Fi hot spots. I especially love it for locating just the right table at large restaurants to find the one that provides the strongest Wi-Fi signal, even if the hostess does look at me a little funny as I select a table by communicating with my Wi-Fi Detective. I simply tell the hostess that it is a navigation tool that directs me to the best table. I’m sure that brings up interesting conversations among the staff. Now for the more mundane uses of this device, which you will find described at the StarTech Web site. The Wi-Fi Detective instantly detects wireless hotspots, and offers an LCD display for simplified hotspot monitoring, providing the information you need to situate your network clients. Plus, the Wi-Fi Detective acts as a wireless network adapter, turning a wireless station into a WLAN access point with transfer rates up to 54Mbps. This handy device is equipped with a rechargeable Li-Polymer battery that can be charged each time the detector is connected to a powered USB port. For all you techies, full technical features and specifications are listed below. Features
Technical Specifications
To purchase the Wi-Fi Detective at a substantial discount, click on the links below.
StarTech.com Wi-Fi Detective - network adapter
|
|
Send mail to
comptimes@aol.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
|
