Need Replacement for Wireless Net Watcher

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I used to use a program called Wireless Net Watcher that would list all devices that connected to my Wi-Fi network, which was a handy way to check if anyone was freeloading on my network. It worked great until I recently upgraded my router and Wi-Fi adapter (the old router was dying). I was getting internet dropouts and slowdowns until I finally figured out that WNW was the culprit. Disabling it got rid of the problems and reenabling it would bring the problems back so I had to get rid of it.

Does anyone know of another program that can replace WNW?

 

[Callender]

The ones I've used:

WiFi Network Monitor : Free Tool to Watch/Monitor your Wireless network from hackers/rogue/unauthorised users | www.SecurityXploded.com - scan only. Is fully portable.

https://www.softperfect.com/products/networkscanner/ - Live Display mode notifies new changes

Edit:

Perhaps SoftPerfect WiFi Guard would be a better option. I've just installed it and it's pretty much the same as WNW.

 

[doctore]

Why would anyone freeload on your WiFi network, is it not password protected?

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

...Perhaps SoftPerfect WiFi Guard would be a better option. I've just installed it and it's pretty much the same as WNW.

Thanks! That's what I was thinking. I'll give it a try later on. Right now, I'm tired of dealing with things; it took me forever to figure out why I was getting the dropouts in my internet connections.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Why would anyone freeload on your WiFi network, is it not password protected?

It is but passwords can be hacked. It already happened once. A while back, one of my neighbors (or a drive by hacker) figured out my password (how, I'll never know). I changed the password and haven't had a problem since (although telling a gossipy neighbor what happened and that I was going after the freeloader if I ever found out who it was might have been a factor; you gotta love the rumor mill!). WNW was also handy for determining if a device in the network was sporadically dropping out (until I upgraded the network, that is).

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Well, color me frustrated! SoftPerfect WiFi Guard also has problems. First, it doesn't scan continuously like WNW did; the smallest automatic scan interval I could set it for was one minute. Then, I discovered it also caused my network to pretty much drop out while scanning. The network would be up to full speed again once the scan was over but would drop out again when the next scan would start. :banghead: I can set it to not scan until I tell it to but that doesn't do me any good unless I suspect something is wrong.

Edit: I tried WiFi Network Watcher and it was a slight improvement. The scans were a bit faster and didn't cause the network to drop out; at worst it only caused a mild slowdown. However, it has only two settings: Automatic Scan and Manual Scan. I can set the scan intervals or anything. After the initial scan, I fired up my Kindle, took it off Airplane Mode, checked for updates, downloaded a book, and generally fiddled around for 15-20 minutes. WiFi Network Watcher just sat there and laughed at me. Had I been a hacker, I could have downloaded and/or uploaded just about anything unwholesome during that time. Big whoop! I'm keeping this one for now instead of SoftPerfect WiFi Guard since, at least, it doesn't slow the network down when it is scanning. I haven't decided if I will let it idle or not.