Wi-Fi may not be ubiquitous yet, but it's getting there. From airports and hotel lobbies to hot spots and your neighbor's untethered network, many public and private places are home to Wi-Fi signals. The Chrysalis Wi-Fi Seeker is a key chainsize device, much smaller than similar gizmos. The Wi-Fi Seeker aims to eliminate the need to turn on a notebook computer or PDA and use a program like NetStumbler to sniff out wireless presence and signal strength.
The $29.95 gadget has a button on top, and when it's pressed, four red LED lights begin flashing. If an 802.11b/g access point is within range, one or more of the lights will stay illuminated. More lights signify a stronger Wi-Fi signal.
Remember that Wi-Fi shares spectrum with other wireless devices. "It's able to differentiate between an 802.11b/g network, cordless phone, microwave oven, and baby monitor," says Eric Seedman, president of Chrysalis. ExtremeTech, PC Magazine's sister Web site, performed tests and found the device good at tasks such as leading testers down a street toward a Starbucks with Wi-Fi. The device failed within inches of a microwave oven, but from a few feet away it worked fine.
Chrysalis has a patent pending on the Wi-Fi Seeker and will start selling its product in June at www.wifiseeker.com.