Meritech’s iSite

Price: $2,990 (Survey alone: $1,490)
Pros:  Accurate, supports nearly all Wi-Fi cards
Cons: Documentation lacks some information, isn’t GPS capable

Final Thoughts

I feel the documentation could use some help, but overall, I found iSite to be very useful and accurate for those performing indoor RF site surveys or wireless network installations. Not having GPS capability with this tool prevents it from being recommended for outdoor site surveys, though. In outdoor areas, you often don’t have the visual references needed to find the proper point on the map to click your position. With other tools, GPS streamlines the process for creating outdoor coverage maps by keeping track of your position.

Eric Geier is a computing and wireless networking author and consultant. He’s employed with Wireless-Nets, Ltd., a consulting firm focusing on the implementation of wireless mobile solutions and training. He is an author of Geeks on Call – Wireless Networking: 5-Minute Fixes, and Geeks on Call – PCs: 5-Minute Fixes, published by John Wiley & Sons.