Lab 1 –Analysis of WiFi Spectrum

School of Engineering Technology and

Applied Science (SETAS)
Information and Computing Engineering
Technology (ICET)

CNET324 - Wireless Networks

Course Lead: Dr. Sattar Hussain
Lab 1: Analysis of WiFi Spectrum
Prepared by: Dr. Sattar Hussain, @ Centennial College, 2024

Section No.

Obtained Mark
Name (out of 20) Student ID Signature*

Due Date

*By signing above, you attest that you have contributed to this submission and confirm that all work you
have contributed to this submission is your work. Any suspicion of copying or plagiarism in this work
will result in an investigation of Academic Misconduct and may result in a “0” on the work,

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 Lab 1 –Analysis of WiFi Spectrum

Overview
Determining minimum signal strength requirements in the coverage area is the most important
part of the network requirements list. Desired signal strength for optimal performance varies
based on many factors, such as background noise in the environment, the number of clients on
the network, the desired data rates, and what applications will be used. An open channel will
always be best when deploying a wireless network, but if you have to share a channel between
two or more networks, adjacent channel congestion is the one you’ll want to avoid if at all
possible. When deploying a WiFi network, make sure there is at least 20 dB between the RSSI
level of your network and other neighbor’s networks, as illustrated below:

Chanalyzer software is a tool that helps plan, deploy, manage, test, and
troubleshoot Wi-Fi and other RF systems. It detects frequency spectrums
and the strength of RF signals in the air and passes that information to
Chanalyzer software for recording and visual analysis of your wireless
environment. Chanalyzer turns RF spectrum data collected from Wi-Spy
into highly interactive charts and graphs, allowing you to visualize your
wireless landscape. It displays wireless access points and other
transmitters as they appear in the spectrum, giving quick insight into
whether interference is WiFi or non-WiFi related. Wi-Spy devices cover
different frequency bands used by WiFi and many other non-WiFi
devices (900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5 GHz ISM bands).
This lab is designed to help you observe, analyze, and understand WiFi and non-WiFi spectrum
signatures, identifying 802.11channels and patterns, bandwidth utilization, and signal strength. It
helps to collect all the necessary data to test WiFi network performance and track down nearby
interferers and transmitters. The software also offers tools to prepare a professional report to
summarize channel traffic, network performance, and bandwidth utilization at a given interval of
time.
Objective
Upon completion of this lab, students will be able to:
 Identify WiFi and non-Wi Fi signature patterns
 Identify detectable networks

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 Tracking down transmitters and interference

 Examine the spectrum footprint of common sources of interference
 Identify bandwidth utilization for different WiFi channels
 Build a professional report from the collected data
 Determine the best channels to deploy WLAN

Hardware/Software Requirements:
 3 Lenovo laptops with Windows 7 or 10
 One Wi-Spy DBx USB-connected spectrum analysis hardware adapter
 Wi Spy Chanalyzer visualization software

Important Notes: read the following notes before starting your lab
 Handle lab equipment with extra care. Dropping or misusing equipment may
damage them. Ask your professor if you are not sure about any step of the lab
procedure
 Return all equipment and accessories to the cabinet in a neat and organize way
otherwise 5 marks will deducted from your lab mark. Tied up all cables, adapter
and return them to their storage box.

Procedure
a. All screenshots must show the time stamp at the right-bottom corner.
b. Note: You are required to print your name and your lab partner's name on every single screenshot
submitted within this lab.
c. Throughout this lab, student groups will be assigned different numerical values for some of the
analyzed parameters. The lab instructions use the letter x to refer to a certain parameter value.
Whenever you see an x, replace this x with the group number.

Task 1: Standalone Network Setup with Open Authentication

1. Disable all security and firewall capabilities on the laptops. Make sure to disconnect from
Centennial WiFi networks.
2. Set up a wireless network using a single WAP321 access point and two PCs. Refer to
CNET304 lab review for the detailed procedure on how to set up a single access point
network.
3. Enable wireless radio and Single Access Point Setup. Change the wireless channel from
auto mode and select a channel number as follow:
Group # Channel #
1 9
2 2
3 3
4 4

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5 5
6 10
7 7
8 8

4. Establish WiFi connection between two laptops.

5. Change the SSID Name to XXYYZZGRx, where x is your group number.
6. Ping the two laptops to test the network’s connectivity.

Wi-Spy DBx Set Up

1. Attach the Omnidirectional antenna to the Wi-Spy
DBx adapter. Connect the Wi-Spy DBx to a USB
hub on the 3rd laptop.
2. Locate the Chanalyzer shortcut on the desktop or at
the start menu and run the program. Wi-Spy should
immediately begin to capture signal patterns.
3. If the Chanalyzer does not detect the wireless card in your computer automatically, click
“Wi-Fi” in the menu bar at the top, and select the wireless card you’d like to use.

NOTE: Wi-Spy is a spectrum analyzer. It is not capable of reading at the WiFi packet
layer. Therefore, Wi-Spy will not appear in the WiFi card drop-down list.

4. In the menu bar, select “View >> Wi-Fi

Channels”. This will change the x-axis to display
the WiFi channels instead of the specific frequency
range. Make sure the 2.4 GHz band is selected.

Getting Familiar with Chanlyzer

1. In the top left corner, you can see the frequency range
the Wi-Spy is currently examining – this is the session
that is being recorded. Chanalyzer, by default, displays
the 2.4 GHz range. Rename the session by clicking on
the pencil icon to CNET324Gx, where x is your group
number.

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 Lab 1 –Analysis of WiFi Spectrum

2. The top graph is the OVERVIEW Pane. This displays actual real-time radio capture data.
In the toolbar above the pane, you will find different display options for WiFi network
overlays and interferers. The Density View displays the data in a range of colors from the
blue for infrequent transmissions to red for constant utilization (and high risk of
interference). The left graph is the Waterfall View – it is a historical picture of the radio
capture. You can adjust the size of the graphs by grabbing and dragging the bottom of the
graphs. Enlarge both graphs a little.

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 Lab 1 –Analysis of WiFi Spectrum

3. The DETAILS pane contains several tabs with more in-depth information about WiFi
networks and their channels.
4. At any time hover the mouse over the Overview Pane. This creates a hovering box above
the cursor that displays specific numbers regarding a particular frequency amplitude point
as shown below.

5. Select the Density view from the menu at the top of the Overview Pane

6. In the DETAILS Pane, select Networks Table, identify your network SSID, and check the
box at the left to the network name. Uncheck all other networks. In the Overview Pane,

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 Lab 1 –Analysis of WiFi Spectrum

Chanalyzer will draw an overlay in the Density view labeled with your network name
similar to the screenshot shown below:

[1 mark] Take a
screenshot and paste it below

7. [2 mark] For your network parameters, fill out the following table. Note that to calculate
the channel bandwidth, switch to frequency view.

Channel Number of APs Signal Max. Rate 802.11 Channel Interferers

# Associated with Strength (Mbps) Standard(s) Bandwidth (Other SSID
your SSID (dBm) (MHz) Utilizing Same
(BSSID Count) Channel)

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 Lab 1 –Analysis of WiFi Spectrum

5 1 -31 144.4 b/g/n 19.6 -

8. In the DETAILS Pane, select Channels Table. Your display should look like the one
below:

9. [1 mark] Take a screenshot and paste it below

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 Lab 1 –Analysis of WiFi Spectrum

10. [1 mark] Find and list below the channel with the maximum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).

Channel # 5

Max. SNR 59dbm

Answer the following question:

Q1: [2 mark] Would you prefer to relocate your AP to this channel? Why and why not? Consider
here, non-overlapping channels, SNR, bandwidth utilization, and load balance.

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11. In the DETAILS Pane, select the Network Graph tab. Your DETAILS Pane display
should look like the one below

12. [2 mark] Move with the laptop that has the Chanalyzer 15 meters away from your AP.
Observe how the signal Amplitude in dBm is changing with the distance from the AP.
Take a screenshot and past it below

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 Lab 1 –Analysis of WiFi Spectrum

13. In the DETAILS Pane, select %Utilization Graph. Your DETAILS Pane display should
look like the one below

14. [1 mark] Use ping –n 20 to ping one of the PCs from the other PC. Once the pinging
process completed, record the maximum percentage of bandwidth utilization for the
channel your network is currently using:

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Channel Utilization (%)

15. At the cisco WAP321 porta1, select Wireless and change the Mode from 802.11 b/g/n to
802.11a. This will force the network to work at the 5-GHz band. Scroll down and click
save. You will be disconnected due to this change. Reconnect both laptops to your
network.

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16. Repeat the pinging process, then from the menu on the top, select Wi-Spy and switch to
the 5 GHz band. In the DETAILS Pane, select %Utilization Graph. Your display should
look like the following

Q2: [2 mark] Compare the channel width and Utilization Percentage of the 5
GHz channel with those of the 2.4 GHz channel.

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Task 2: Recognizing 802.11 Standard(s) Patterns

You can recognize 802.11 standards and interferers using the patterns they make in the Overview
Pane. To assist with recognizing signatures, there is a library of identifier patterns that can be
found under the Interferers tab.

1. In the DETAILS Pane, select the Interferers tab. Scroll down to

browse the Chalalyzer library of the most common identifier
patterns. Click on one of the 802.11 standards classifier boxes in
the Interferers tab and then hover the mouse over the Density View.
Line up the selected signature with the shape in the Density View, and
check if it best fits your network Density View. Hint: AP transmits at different rates with
different 802.11 standards. Check if you have more than one signature on the same
channel.

2. [1 mark] Take a screenshot and paste it below. Turn off the silhouette by clicking the
box again in the Interferers tab.

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 Lab 1 –Analysis of WiFi Spectrum

Locating Interferers

3. [1 mark] Your instructor will generate continuous interference to jam part of the 2.4
GHz spectrum. In the Overview Pane, locate the interference pattern. Select %Utilization
Graph on the DETAILS Pane. Take a screenshot and paste it below

[3 mark] Based on your observations, answer the following questions:

a) The range in MHz of the interference band:

b) Utilization Percentage in this band:

c) Number(s) of channel(s) that jammed by this interferer:

d) Action to be done if your access point is configured to work within this

band:

Task 3: Report Builder

With the Report Builder, users can highlight and visually explain how network performance was
in an easy, professional manner.

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 Lab 1 –Analysis of WiFi Spectrum

1. Click Report Builder from the top menu and select Add All
Blocks. In the Report Builder window, Click on the Pencil at the
right upper corner. Fill out the Title, Prepared By, and Date
fields as shown (use your name and partner name and the
current date)

2. [3 marks] In the Report Builder window, Click on the Setting icon shown in the
right upper corner. Select Export, use your SSID (network name) for File Name, save the
file as a PDF and submit it separately along with your lab report.

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Task 4 is Optional (2 bonus Marks)

Task 4
1. Switch back to the 2.4 GHz band (802.11b/g/n) and reconnect.
2. Select one of the two laptops connected to your network. Remotely browse the files and
folders of the other network laptop. Refer to Appendix A on how to share and remotely
browse folders and files.
3. Remotely, stream a video and keep it running for about 30 seconds.
4. Observe the %Utilization Graph on the DETAILS Pane. Take a screenshot showing the
%Utilization and best it below. You may need to remotely stream more than one video if
the difference in channel utilization is not clear.

Compare the channel Utilization Percentage of your network channel with the one
obtained before streaming the video.

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 Lab 1 –Analysis of WiFi Spectrum

Interfere Device Finder (Optional Not to be Credited)

Device Finder will enable you to actively seek out the source of interference so you can know
exactly what is happening in your networks. Directional Antenna, an accessory that allows you
to track down offending devices quicker than with a Wi-Spy alone.

1. Remove the Omnidirectional antenna and attach the directional antenna to your Wi-Spy
DBx.
2. Click and drag across the Overview pane to highlight the continuous interferer. A
contextual menu will appear. Select Device Finder as shown

Chanalyzer will now track the amplitude levels over time of the frequency selection made
in the Overview pane. As the user gets closer to the interference source, the line graph
will trend upwards as shown below:

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Appendix A

In Windows 10, you can broadcast your WiFi, Ethernet, or cellular data connection as a Wi-Fi
hotspot. This allows other devices to connect to it.
1. Click the Start Menu >> Settings.
2. Select Network & Internet >>
Select Mobile & hotspot . Now
you should see something like this
screenshot:

3. To configure the Wi-Fi Hotspot’s Name and Password, click the Edit button and fill in
the Network name and the password fields. Click Save when done.

Note that "Turn on remotely" automatically turns to ON if both devices (PC and that
device) are Bluetooth-enabled.

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4. Now switch the Share my

internet connection with other
devices option to ON. Other
devices will now see your
hotspot and connect to it
provided the correct password
is entered.

5. Make sure to save the videos to be streamed in a shared folder.

6. From one of the PCs, remotely browse the shared folder and start streaming the videos.
7. To create a shared folder, right-click on the folder
>>Properties>>Sharing. Click Share.

8. From the File Sharing window, click the drop-down

menu and select Everyone. Click Add and then Share.

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9. Click Done when you get this

window.

10. Click Advance Sharing then in the new window, check

the box next to Share the folder. Click Ok. Click Close
when done.

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