LAB REPORT: IROCK! WIFI SENTRY
On the Hunt for a WiFi Signal
Sunday, January 22, 2006; Page P02
RESEARCH QUESTION: Bouncing around trying to find a strong WiFi signal -- which enables users to establish a high-speed Internet connection without plugs or wires-- usually involves turning on a laptop, waiting for applications to load, testing the connection and shifting positions to get the best signal. And when you do all this just to find out you're out of range . . .
WiFi sensors to the rescue. The devices (about the size of a car-alarm remote) claim they can detect hot spots within a few hundred feet. Several models costing about $30 are on the market (including the Intego WiFi Locator and the JoBe Keychain Internet Finder), but we were drawn to one of the newest: First International Digital's irock! WiFi Sentry. At $19.99, the price is right, and we liked the claim that it could find signals without getting false readings from microwaves or cell phones. We wondered: Is this toy really that efficient?
METHODOLOGY: We went to four locations in the Washington area with no knowledge of their connectivity. The fifth location was our Arlington home, which acted as the control.
RESULTS: After you point the sensor in any direction, irock! is supposed to tell you if there's a decent connection to be had. It has a four-LED signal indicator (one LED means a weak signal; four LEDs means an excellent one), which helps to not only find the connection but also acts as a compass so that you can reposition to get the strongest connection available. Alas, irock! can't divulge whether a WiFi hot spot is free, private or requires a credit-card access fee, a major weakness (Canary Wireless just unveiled a $59.95 version that does). You'll have to log onto your laptop to determine that.
Here's what we found:
Test 1
Test site: The Capital Hilton lobby, 16th and K streets NW
Irock! reading: 4 LEDs (strong signal)
Price: Free
Comment: Irock! scored, as the signal here is stronger than the one at our house.
Test 2
Test site: The bar at Spezie, 1736 L St. NW
Irock!: Three LEDs (relatively strong signal)
Price: Not free, but we were able to tap into the neighboring Starbucks's T-Mobile HotSpot, which can range in price from $39 a month for unlimited use to less than $10 for per-hour or daily use.
