When we were developing the Triplett WiFi Hound, we focused on creating a tester that
would let even an inexperienced technician troubleshoot problems with the wireless
environment quickly. We also knew how important it was for that same technician to be
able to clearly communicate the problems to the customer. Finally, true to our 100+ year
tradition, we wanted to ensure the Tester was affordable for the technician. We hope you
enjoy using your WiFi Hound for many years to come!
First, let’s discuss what the WiFi Hound is not – it is NOT a mapping system to tell you
where to place Access Points in a home or office. It is a spectrum analyzer that allows you
to see all of the RF activity that is happening in the environment. This Tester is far more
sophisticated than the free apps you get on your smartphone. The WiFi Hound has a full set
of features for the Field Technician, which we will get into later.
Some basic information… this model covers both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless spectrum,
including Zigbee. Before you ask, yes, we will have another model out soon that will cover
Z-Wave. Z-Wave operates in a different part of the wireless spectrum, and thus requires
different hardware, so it will be a separate model when it is released.
What is a Spectrum Analyzer vs just the free app on your phone?
A spectrum analyzer shows everything that is happening in the spectrum, regardless of
what is creating the signal. You will often see free apps people use on their phone or tablet
that show other Access Points that are broadcasting in the area. However, those Apps are
not able to show EVERYTHING in the spectrum, and it’s all that other stuff that is often
causing problems. That is the fundamental difference between those “free” apps and this
Tester. Those free apps will only get you so far; they are not true Spectrum Analyzers.
Android-based tester with custom hardware and shock-resistant case. Many Android
features are deliberately disabled, and Bluetooth should always be set to OFF.
FRONT
Touch-screen user interface. Keep the screen clean. You can wipe it with a dry cloth, or use
a touch-screen-approved mild cleaner. It is a capacitive touch screen, which means that
your finger completes the circuit. Do not touch it with a fingernail, or try to press harder to get it to work. Pressing hard on the screen will cause irreparable damage which is not
covered under warranty. If the touch screen is not responsive, it may be due to callouses on
your fingers, or oil or debris on your fingers or the screen.
The Power Button is located on the top of the tester, to the far left. Since this is an Androidbased piece of equipment, you must PRESS AND HOLD the Power button for three seconds
then release it to turn on the Tester.
Caution: If you accidentally press and hold the Power button and the Volume button at the
same time, you will accidentally access the Android Operating System programming screen.
If this happens, you will have to do a HARD REBOOT of the Tester (shown next page), and
then power it back on (being careful to avoid pressing the volume button at the same
time!).
As mentioned earlier, if you press the power button and the Volume control at the same
time by accident, you will enter into the Android OS control screen. The only way to get out
of that screen is to use a paperclip to do a Hard Reboot. If you press the power button and
see the above screen, you are in the correct place. Give the Tester a minute to fully boot
up.
This is the WiFi Hound Startup Screen. This is the screen you will see once the unit has
completed its boot-up process. Swipe up from the Lock icon to begin using your Tester.
This is the WELCOME SCREEN. You will only need to add this information once. To add more
Technicians or select a different Technician, you can go to Settings > Company Info in the
Main Screen after you have completed the Initial Setup here.
This creates the FOLDER on the tester in which all of that specific client’s data is kept. It is
important to fill in both the Client Name and Location Name. In this example, the Client
Name is University of NYC, and the Location Name would be, for example, a specific
campus/building/floor/wing, etc. This will make it easier for you to find historical data on
call-backs. You should put some thought into standardizing a naming convention for you
and your technicians so everyone knows exactly how to create Client Names and Client
Locations.
While you can choose to Skip adding this information at this stage, we recommend you go
ahead and add your own personal home or business address instead as your first “client”
so you can use it to start capturing data and getting used to the Tester.
Notice the Company and Client information comes out on the Main Screen on the top. This data, along with the Time and
Date, and connecting to the local WiFi network, is controlled at “Settings” in the bottom left of the screen.
CAPTURE (We will discuss the CAPTURE features later.)
WIFI
If you are familiar with the Android OS, then you know that swiping down from the top right corner of the device will get
you into a Settings screen where you can connect to the local WiFi. DO NOT USE THAT FEATURE. Instead, go to Settings >
Connect to WiFi. Once you have connected, use the Android Back Arrow to get back to the WiFi Hound Main Screen. You
will need to connect to WiFi if you want to send reports directly from the Tester using your generic company email
address. (NOTE: as of the time of this training, email addresses cannot be technician-specific.)
BATTERY AND CHARGING STATUS
The lightning bolt indicates the Tester is charging (i.e., the Tester is connected to an AC outlet via the power adapter
provided). Only use the adapter that comes with the unit as an aftermarket charger may cause problems. You can also
charge the Tester using the Micro USB port, however charging by that method is EXTREMELY slow, and the Micro USB
port will not charge fast enough to compensate for the power the screen uses. You can power off the screen without
powering off the Tester by pressing the Power button for less than 1 second. Press it again for 1 second to turn the screen
back on.
NOTE ABOUT STARTUP
Get into the habit of always selecting the correct Technician and Client every time you boot up your WiFi Hound. Confirm
you have the right Client selected whenever you get on-site, and when you start to Capture data.
Use this feature to access the Android UI and connect the Tester to the local wireless network. Connecting to
the wireless network you are trying to test will also give you a Throughput Speed readout in the upper right
part of the display.
CHANGE DATE AND TIME
You want to do this as soon as you initially set up your Tester.
COMPANY INFO
This is your own business information. You can manage your Technician list and selection here.
MANAGE CLIENTS
This is where you add client information, add buildings/campus locations, etc.
CHECK FOR UPDATE
This will automatically check for an updated version of the WiFi Hound firmware and install it for you. You
must be connected to a WiFi network that has internet access for this to work. We do not recommend doing
firmware updates when on a jobsite. A partial download, or the Tester losing power during an update could
disable the unit completely, so do not run updates when you are at the jobsite.
RESET SETTINGS
This is the FACTORY RESET. Please call Triplett Technical Support prior to using this feature as doing so will
remove all the existing client and business data from your Tester.
The Channel Width selection is designed to help narrow the viewing range and make it
easier for you to troubleshoot saturated wireless environments. You will not see the impact
of your selection until you select the next option in the Frequency View Range filter.
Notice that when you now go into the Frequency View Range, it lists the Zigbee channels. If
you had selected b or g, for example, then the corresponding North American channels
referring to 802.11b or 802.11g (Channels 1-11) would show instead.
After you are done using the filter, you can then reselect the Frequency View Range filter
and change it back to All Channels to change back to the full, unfiltered view.
For efficiency and channel management, it is usually best to utilize 20MHz-wide channels
for 802.11/b/g/n routers, and either 20MHz-wide or 40MHz-wide channels for 802.11ac
routers. Very few commercially available products (i.e., phones and tablets) are capable of
taking advantage of bonded channels in either the 2.4GHz spectrum or the 5GHz spectrum.
If you encounter a bonded channel in the field, you should question why that person has
set up a bonded channel, particularly if it is on the 2.4GHz spectrum (i.e., on the 2.4 GHz
spectrum, bonded channels will interfere with any standard channels it happens to overlap
with). If that end user is looking for increased speeds but is not using specialized
equipment that can take advantage of the bonded channel, or the bonded channel is
creating interference for neighboring WiFi networks, the next step would be to recommend
the person hardwire their equipment to the network rather than using WiFi.
RECEIVED SIGNAL STRENGTH INDICATOR (RSSI) VIEW RANGE
This filter controls the RSSI range that is displayed. A couple notes on this feature:
1. Selecting “Reset” will set the Tester to the maximum dBm of that specific Tester. Due to
variances in tolerance, this number may differ slightly from Tester to Tester.
2. The Range as shown is -100.27 “Start” and -4.22 “Stop”. WiFi signals are rated on
strength in dBm. Therefore your “Start” range is the most sensitive (which will show the
Access Points and “noise” in the spectrum that is farthest away); this is often referred
to as the “Noise Floor”. The “Stop” number is the least sensitive, and therefore the
“strongest” signal is what is shown here. We recommend leaving the Stop dBm at
whatever the unit’s default number is, then adjusting the Start number as needed,
although there may be times when you want to adjust both numbers. Whatever you
choose must fall within the maximum range of the Tester’s hardware, or you will see an
error message. For example, you could not select -102 dBm for the Start number on
this unit, but you could select -99.
Adjusting the noise floor (i.e., Start number) can help you focus on only those things that
have a strong enough signal to potentially cause interference with the wireless network you
are troubleshooting. In the above example, you may be troubleshooting the JewellWireless
network, but the interference from machinery (i.e., the tall, skinny waveforms to the left of
the JewellWireless access point) are not occurring in the same area that the JewellWireless
network is broadcasting, so that would not be the cause of the poor WiFi. You would then
look for other causes.
When working in a campus environment, there will often be multiple Access Points (APs)
that are broadcasting the same SSID. (Imagine being at The Hotel LaGrande, and there is
WiFi throughout the enormous, 20-story building. This hotel could have a hundred APs, and
all those APs would be broadcasting just one SSID – LaGrande_WiFi.) In order to
troubleshoot a specific Access Point, you must determine what the MAC Address is of that
AP since the MAC Address is the only unique identifier for an Access Point.
While the Real Wave view will show you everything that is happening in the Wireless
Environment (including signals that are in the area that are not created by wireless routers),
the Service Set Identifier (SSID) Table will only give you a list of the wireless networks in the
area.
When many people think about troubleshooting wireless networks, they usually think
about a free app on their cell phone that gives them signal strength data and a list of the
wireless networks and the channels that are in use, similar to the table shown above.
However, do not mistake SIGNAL STRENGTH for SIGNAL QUALITY. And this distinction is
where you need a professional Spectrum Analyzer like the WiFi Hound
properly troubleshoot a wireless environment. You can have very strong signal strength, but
incorrect channel management and/or interference which will still cause poor wireless
network performance.
Click CAPTURE and then select from the drop-down menu. Here, the Snapshot feature is
shown. A Snapshot will take a screen capture of the entire screen. Be sure to add a Note
right after you take a Snapshot, detailing
• Where you were located in the client’s facility when you took the Snapshot;
• What you saw that was of concern to you, and why it is important; and
• Any recommendations you have for addressing the problem(s).
If you get into the habit of writing a Note after each Snapshot, it will be easier to add the
information when you create a report for your client later.
You can record video of the screen by pressing the VIDEO button, then click START NOW.
The VIDEO button will turn green while the video is recording. When you want to end the
recording, simply press the VIDEO button again.
Due to file sizes, you may not be able to send video via email off the Tester. In that case,
you should use the Micro USB plug on the left side of the Tester, and connect the Tester to
a Windows computer to access the on-board files and copy them. To free up memory and
maintain optimal performance, be sure to delete the files from the Tester if you do not
need to keep them on the Tester for future reference.
Data Logging currently creates a .csv file that must be interpreted. Future releases of the
WiFi Hound software will include a simplified visual timeline instead, so be sure to register
your Tester in order to receive the software update!
As mentioned before, we recommend that you add a Note after you capture each piece of
information (e.g., after each snapshot or video) about what you are seeing and where you
are in the client’s facility. For example, “Far left corner by window [always work clockwise
in a room], notice the 6 competing APs and interference from the neighboring restaurant’s
microwave ovens.”
Select Reports > then choose your next step. If you are creating a new report, select
COMPILE. If you have already created a report, or want to watch video, go to REVIEW. If you
want to email an existing file to your client, select SEND (email must be set up on the
Tester, and you must be connected to the internet to send email).
Remember – the pre-filled information on this report is controlled at SETTINGS, so it is very
important that you input your company information, and the client’s information
accurately.
If you want to change the order of the image or text files, you can press the text or image
file and hold it until you see a “fly out” image, and then just drag it where you want to
place it in the report. (Note – you cannot modify the position of the headers.)
If multiple technicians will be sharing one WiFi Hound, you should set up a single email
address that can be used by all of your technicians when emailing completed site surveys.
For example, you may want to have your IT department create a dedicated
“WiFi_Survey@MyAwesomeCo.com” email for simplicity.
The above graphic shows the Channel Allocation for the 2.4GHz part of the WiFi spectrum. You are likely
already familiar with Channels 1-11 if you are trying to troubleshoot a wireless network. A few key things to
keep in mind when you are troubleshooting:
Always start with Channel Management
Due to the widespread adoption and use of wireless networks, saturation in the wireless environment is a
common problem now. When you are trying to determine why your wireless network may not be working
the way you think it should, first look at
• How many competing wireless networks are in the area
• If all of the competing wireless networks are on non-overlapping channels (i.e., Channels 1, 6, or 11)
• If any competing wireless networks are on channels that overlap with the channel your network is on
If there are not many wireless networks in the area, congratulations! You are one of the few people who are
experiencing that bliss and can feel free to go to the next page. If there are competing wireless networks,
continue reading below.
Picture a 15-lane highway with 3 trucks, side-by-side, that are hauling airplanes
Yup. In the image above, we want you to close your eyes and imagine that the numbers 1, 6, and 11 in the
wide blue spheres are trucks, and the blue spheres themselves are airplanes on a flat-bed trailer. It would
look something like the next page, right?
Picture a 15-lane highway with 3 trucks, side-by-side, that are hauling airplanes (continued)
Now imagine that the truck driver in Lane 1 (aka, Channel 1) can only see other trucks and their cargo if the
other truck is also in Lane 1. If the other truck is in Lane 2, the truck driver in Lane 1 won’t even know they
are there and may accidentally crash into it.
This is how a wireless network functions on 2.4 GHz. If NetworkA is broadcasting on Channel 1, and NetworkB
is also broadcasting on Channel 1, those two routers will negotiate for that space. One router will be quiet
while the other router sends its information, then the second router will take its turn. This happens in
microseconds, and is therefore unnoticeable to the end user.
However, if NetworkA is on Channel 1, and NetworkB is on Channel 2, then those two routers cannot
negotiate with eachother for airtime and will instead send signals that will crash into one another, resulting in
poor WiFi network performance. This is an inherent limitation with 2.4 GHz routers.
Best Practices
Any router that broadcasts on 2.4GHz should only be set to channels 1, 6, or 11. Do not use other channels.
You may have to get the owners of the surrounding WiFi networks to agree to a building-wide channel
management program. This can be difficult, but is often necessary.
Example Channel and Power Management in a Strip Mall
Assuming Bays 114-106 are one open space since they are delineated with dotted lines,
and assuming that Bays 104, 102, 100, and 90 are separate retail stores, and assuming no
additional interior walls, this is an example of how you might allocate the channels in this
location if, for example, your client was in Bay 104.
How many Access Points would be needed is entirely dependent on the location and any
mitigating factors (e.g., brick walls, high metal shelving, etc.), so do not assume the above
scenario will resolve your specific situation. The above is only for illustrative purposes.
NOTE:
Only use the Low or Mid-power settings on a router/Access Point (AP). Do not apply “high”
power on a router/Access Point as the signal from the AP may be received by the user’s
equipment, but the user’s equipment is not likely to have enough power to send a
response the same distance. Your phone/tablet/computer simply doesn’t have the same
power. Setting an AP to High Power is akin to giving a megaphone to a politician so
everyone in the stadium can hear them during a campaign speech, and then expecting
someone at the far end of the stadium will be heard by the politician (even though they
don’t have their own megaphone).
5GHz does not have the same issue with channels as the 2.4GHz spectrum has insofar as
NetworkA on Channel 36 will be able to negotiate with NetworkB on Channel 38 for
airtime. However, it is important to note that 5GHz does contain Dynamic Frequency
Selection (DFS) channels, which are also used by radar systems.
•Take time to learn how to recognize specific waveforms (e.g., Bluetooth is tall and skinny, APs are a
gradual mountain, and other stuff is sometimes just naturally occurring or not identifiable, etc.).
•Walking the Floor – You can use the WiFi Hound to try to find the Point of Origin of a signal by walking the
area methodically with the Tester. The closer you get to the source, the taller the waveform will be. Any
sort of rhythmic spike is likely originating from a machine, although depending on the environment, it may
not be easy to isolate the origin. Remember – radio waves bounce off surfaces, especially metal. Radio
waves also have difficulty going through dense materials (e.g., brick).
•Don’t need to know… -- Sometimes people become mired in “What’s this? What’s that?” when they are
looking at a Spectrum Analyzer. Humans always seek answers and understanding. However, it is
important to remember two things – 1) The natural environment produces it own RF sometimes, and 2)
certain conditions will allow radio waves to be carried over much longer distances from the source than
would be considered “normal”. In either case, it is not usually necessary to identify the origin and stop the
interference in order to set the client up with a Wireless Network that is stable. The answer may simply
be, “We need to move you to a 5GHz AP;” or “This interference could be a neighbor’s microwave when
they get home at 6pm and are heating their dinner. Here’s what we can do to work around that;” or “Let’s
hardwire your security system to stop it from interfering with the rest of your wireless space;” or “We
really need to do a building-wide Channel Management Plan and that will alleviate 90% of the problems
all of you are seeing.” Stay focused on solving the problem, and don’t get distracted by the random
popping waveform on the Spectrum Analyzer.
Tall, skinny waveforms are typically (but not always!) originating from a Bluetooth-enabled
piece of equipment, like a phone, tablet, or IoT product. Zigbee uses slightly wider channels
than Bluetooth. Don’t get bogged down in identifying every little wave you see in the
spectrum, just know that these exist in the wireless environment and you may or may not
be able to either isolate the point of origin or stop the offending signal.
The WiFi HoundTMcomplies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the
instruction manual may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not
occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be
determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation distance between the equipment and the receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
Triplett / Jewell Instruments extends the following warranty to the original purchaser of these goods for use. Triplett warrants to the
original purchaser for use that the products sold by it will be free from defects in workmanship and material for a period of (1) one year
from the date of purchase.
This warranty does not apply to any of our products which have been repaired or altered by unauthorized persons in any way or
purchased from unauthorized distributors so as, in our sole judgment, to injure their stability or reliability, or which have been subject to
misuse, abuse, misapplication, negligence, accident or which have had the serial numbers altered, defaced, or removed. Accessories,
including batteries and fuses, are not covered by this warranty.
To register a claim under the provisions of this warranty, please contact the distributor from which you purchased the product from for
warranty consideration.
ALL WARRANTIES IMPLIED BY LAW ARE HEREBY LIMITED TO A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS FROM DATE OF PURCHASE, AND THE PROVISIONS
OF THE WARRANTY ARE EXPRESSLY IN LIEU OF ANY OTHER WARRANTIES EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED.
The purchaser agrees to assume all liability for any damages and bodily injury which may result from the use or misuse of the product by
the purchaser, his employees, or others, and the remedies provided for in this warranty are expressly in lieu of any other liability Triplett
may have, including incidental or consequential damages.
Some states (USA ONLY) do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or
exclusion may not apply to you No representative of Triplett / Byte Brothers or any other person is authorized to extend the liability of
Triplett in connection with the sale of its products beyond the terms hereof.
Triplett reserves the right to discontinue models at any time, or change specifications, price or design, without notice and without
incurring any obligation.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have other rights which vary from state to state.