PeerSpot user
Gerente Soporte Técnico at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
User
Allows for preparation of more real designs, but needs improvement in real surveying.
Pros and Cons
  • "It allows us to prepare more real designs. Later, we validate them with actual surveys."
  • "Less time consumed doing the real surveys."

What is most valuable?

The support for multi-floor surveys.

How has it helped my organization?

It allows us to prepare more real designs. Later, we validate them with actual surveys.

What needs improvement?

Less time consumed doing the real surveys.

For how long have I used the solution?

Since 2012.

Buyer's Guide
AirMagnet Survey
May 2024
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What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

The main issue was when you define obstacles for the wi-fi signal, you cannot define the height of them. For example, if you have a brick wall of 1.7 meters (6 ft.) high and on top of it a 60 cm. (2 ft.) window, you are only able to define a 2.20 meters brick wall. For example, this setup is very common in schools where they prefer to have the wi-fi router outside of the classrooms.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

In general, it is very stable, most of the issues were with Windows stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

No.

How are customer service and support?

Customer Service:

An eight out of 10.

Technical Support:

An eight out of 10.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We acquired this solution to work with Ruckus Wireless eq., the AirMagnet version that we used was a OEM for Ruckus.

How was the initial setup?

It is very straightforward to implement, the only issue is if you change wi-fi for the MAC address.

What about the implementation team?

In-house

What was our ROI?

Not applicable.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

This version was okay in price when it was dedicated to only one vendor. The moment we began needing more of the vendor's support, the cost became very high; we switched to another solution.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Aruba and VRF Plan.

What other advice do I have?

I recommend doing a comparison between the newer version of AirMagnet and Ekahau before purchasing.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
it_user622740 - PeerSpot reviewer
National Services Manager at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Consultant
It carries out wireless surveys and records wireless signal strength.

What is most valuable?

It carries out wireless surveys and records wireless signal strength. That's what we use it for.

How has it helped my organization?

The software really does what it has been doing for years now. It records the wireless signal strengths and that's mainly it. It doesn't really improve our process. It just does what it's supposed to.

What needs improvement?

Since it crashes 1 out of 20 times, it would be great if they could make it more stable.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We use it on a daily basis, and it crashes 1 out of 20 times.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It seems to be something with the software, or with the Windows' configuration.

How are customer service and technical support?

We have used technical support. They obviously continue working on improving it. Their support is good.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We haven't really used any other solution because there really wasn't anything out there like AirMagnet. It had no other competition at that time.

How was the initial setup?

The setup was pretty straightforward.

What other advice do I have?

The more you use, the better you get at it.

Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
AirMagnet Survey
May 2024
Learn what your peers think about AirMagnet Survey. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2024.
770,428 professionals have used our research since 2012.
it_user561648 - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Engineer at a tech company with 51-200 employees
Vendor
The Spectrum Expert is useful in troubleshooting and day-to-day operations of wireless engineering.

What is most valuable?

The Spectrum Expert is very useful in troubleshooting, and just day-to-day operations of wireless engineering.

How has it helped my organization?

It just makes the whole process of doing wireless network surveys way smoother, and way faster. It does the same for any kind of wireless network troubleshooting.

What needs improvement?

I would just like to see integration of more wireless cards to have a broader group of cards you could use, instead of just a couple of specific ones.

I would like some more documentation, or training materials. I know I don't use the software to it's full capability. A lot of it's just because I don't know it's full capability. It's probably out there and I just haven't found it, or looked for it hard enough, either.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used this for four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I don't believe we have had any stability issues with the software itself. I have had some issues, but I believe it was related to the actual laptop that the software was running on. I don't believe it was the software or AirMagnet product issue.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I haven't seen any problems in the uses I have used it for, but I haven't really done any large-scale testing with it. Most of the stuff I do is fairly small-scale stuff.

How are customer service and technical support?

I have had to call support a few times over some minor issues, and I never had any problems. I would rate them 5/5.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

This is the first and only solution I have used.

How was the initial setup?

Setup was pretty straightforward. When I started using it, it was already set up. I just got a rundown from somebody else that was familiar with it. It seemed pretty straightforward.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I did not evaluate any alternatives.

What other advice do I have?

It is a good product and has good support. There is a lot of positive feedback from the wireless community, or networking community, so it's a trusted brand.

Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
PeerSpot user
it_user599034 - PeerSpot reviewer
CCIE Engineer at a tech services company
Consultant
We are using the multi-floor planner.

What is most valuable?

We are using the multi-floor planner, which is very useful for us to create heat maps. We are also using the AirMagnet site survey. It's really helpful for us to know in which areas we are losing the signal and in which areas the signals are very good. So, this is very nice for us.

We have created lots of plans through this AirMagnet tool. It's very good.

What needs improvement?

Whenever we are doing the site survey, it will catch most of the areas. However, for example, if we are creating the plan after doing the site survey, in some areas, it will show some signals but actually the signals are not there. The client will ask, "It is showing the signal here, but actually the signals are very weak. Even though it is still showing the green light." So, that is the only concern and the problem area. It will show the signal, but actually there will be less signal. That is the only part which can improve.

There are some requirements for new access points for Cisco. Right now, as to what access points we are using, we are not getting the same model more or less. It should have some updates. They should include those new access points, i.e., whichever access points Cisco or any other vendors are making, so they should be there. They should include them in their upgrades and updates, so that we can easily give those specifics to access points and we can start our work. But as of now, what I have found is that there are some model numbers that I'm not able to get the model number in AirMagnet. (I forget the exact model number, actually.) Hence, what we did was, we created it manually. We manually created the access point. Thus, if AirMagnet can upgrade the new model number for the access points and can include it in the updates, it would be really helpful for us (mostly for Cisco).

It should work faster than the current version that we have and should include some more features that can help us. It would benefit us, if we could have some more features. This is totally up to the developers, so as to include the specific features in a later version and how they can build up some new features that can help us. That would be good.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used the AirMagnet solution for the last year, i.e., for more than a year or so.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

In regards to the stability, things are okay. I didn't find any problem with the software as such. Everything was fine. As of now, it's fine. I didn't find any difficulty other than that. It's a good software.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

As for the scalability, it's okay because we are doing at a time up to 15 access points with the controller support; so based on that, it's fine. There's no scalability problem and we can do more access points also at a time.

We were doing at least 3-4 surveys before when our project was here and it was a big project. So we are doing at least 3 to 4 surveys per day and it was good. It's all good. There's no issue with the scalability. It's fine.

How are customer service and technical support?

The last time one of my colleagues opened a ticket for some installation, as there was some problem with the installation/re-installation, we got proper support from the technical guys. There's no issue with support.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Personally, I didn't use any site survey software before, but I don't know about my colleagues. Maybe they used something else. Once I joined this company, I started with AirMagnet itself. Before there was some Snyder solution which was a free software that we used. However, comparing that to this tool, AirMagnet is a good and reliable solution. It's not giving us fake results; it's in real time.

How was the initial setup?

The setup was simple and very straightforward. There's no complexity as such. It's simple.

What other advice do I have?

As I mentioned earlier, the only thing is that we are not able to find the new devices from vendors like Cisco and Aruba; access points. We need them to include those access points and it would be really helpful for us. The rest of the things are okay. It is a good solution. My advice is to include only the newer version of the access points in the AirMagnet tool, so that it will be really helpful for us.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
it_user599016 - PeerSpot reviewer
System Engineer Wlan at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Consultant
It helps us see the wireless coverage plan, the signal strength, signal-to-noise ratio, and so on. I would like it to do more automatic planning.

What is most valuable?

We do site surveys, so we use the Spectrum Analyzer and we use the Site Survey PRO to get a good feel of the signal strength in the company.

How has it helped my organization?

It gives a good view of the signal strength. There are other tools in the market as well, but we work with this one. I'm not sure why we choose this one, but it helps us to give a good feel of the network, the wireless coverage plan, the signal strength, signal-to-noise ratio, and so on.

What needs improvement?

I would like it to be able to automatically calculate the best way to place the access points; more like hybrid manual planning. I'm not sure if the product has that already, but we are not using it, at least.

Other products in this area do more automatic planning. You just give it the wall measurements and the area, and then it plans how many access points you need and where to place them. So, instead of going to the site, you fill in, per wall, the value of the loss. The program will calculate automatically the best place for the access point.

Then, you can check that with the Site Survey, whether it's a good measurement or not.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working for this company the last half year now, so I’ve worked with this tool at least a half a year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We have not had stability issues. The tool works great. Most of the time, it does what we want.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have not had scalability issues.

How are customer service and technical support?

So far, we haven’t needed technical support for this product.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We did not switch. At my previous company, I used another tool. Our company did not switch. We are still using this tool on a daily basis.

How was the initial setup?

Initial setup was not complex.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I cannot provide any advice about pricing and licensing, since I'm just an assistant manager. I'm not involved in licensing and pricing. We do the AirMagnet training internally. All new employees get a demo from the other co-workers.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

This product was chosen before I started working here.

What other advice do I have?

If they want a good feel of the network, it has all the tools and information you need to know for problems with coverage and signal strength. It gives a great view of the network that you have in your wireless environment.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Department Manager at a computer software company with 1-10 employees
Real User
Easy to use, stable, and simple installation
Pros and Cons
  • "The heat maps are quite good, and some features are easy to use."
  • "The throughput should be more advanced in the future. They need to add more versions of WiFi than just one."

What is most valuable?

The heat maps are quite good, and some features are easy to use.

What needs improvement?

The throughput should be more advanced in the future. They need to add more versions of WiFi than just one.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using AirMagnet Survey for approximately four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

AirMagnet Survey is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I have found the scalability of AirMagnet Survey to be good. However, it could be able to be used in more types of devices.

We have approximately six people using this solution in my organization. We plan to increase usage. 

How are customer service and support?

I have not needed the technical support.

How was the initial setup?

The installation is easy.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

There is an annual cost of the solution. There are some additional charges, such as support and maintenance.

What other advice do I have?

I rate AirMagnet Survey an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
it_user621834 - PeerSpot reviewer
Engineer/Project Coordinator at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
Consultant
We use it to design and deploy big WiFi networks.

What is most valuable?

I'm using it both for designing purposes and for active site survey.

How has it helped my organization?

It's helping me a lot for designing and for carrying out large implementations. By using this tool, we can also deploy a very big WiFi network. I have used other solutions like the Ekahau Wi-Fi tools, but I think this one is more user-friendly.

What needs improvement?

In terms of the graphical representations, it can be improved.

Right now, the AirMagnet has the latest features, such as the 3-D structure feature, as opposed to the other solutions. I think that was implemented in the last year. So, that was the best feature and the scope of improvement in that sense.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this product for the last four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I feel like the software crashed on my laptop so many times, as compared to when I was using the Ekahau, but it's fine. For me, while using the AirMagnet, it crashed on my laptop around two to three times and this is my experience that I had with the AirMagnet range.

It crashed at any time and affected my work in regards to saving stuff and things like that. Also, it had a small impact while getting back to what I was doing. I didn't save it when I was working on a somewhat big project and it happened to me about two or three times.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

In terms of capacity, it's stable. AirMagnet is stable in regards to the traffic and capacity. I did not feel any difficulty with scalability.

How are customer service and technical support?

I did not use any technical support.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

At first, I started my work in WiFi designing with AirMagnet and then later on, I switched to other solutions so as to seek better compatibility, to check how it works, etc.

I wanted to check what are the differences and extra features that are being provided by other vendors, so that's why I switched to another vendor. Thus, simultaneously I was using maybe two or three solutions at a time. However, I prioritized the AirMagnet ones.

How was the initial setup?

The setup was simple. Even if you don't have much knowledge in terms of WiFi, you will be able to understand what features are included in the software.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

In terms of the prices, I am aware how much this product costs and the other vendor prices as well. However, I don't know how to compare them. In regards to the means of solution or the technical aspects, it's easy to implement it for an open-minded person.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

When I first started using it, I was forced to use this solution because my company was only providing AirMagnet for me. That is when I used AirMagnet for the first time and later on, I got a chance to go check out other solutions. Thus, I didn't get a chance to evaluate other products during my first time experience. Later on, I did look at other tools.

What other advice do I have?

I will definitely suggest the AirMagnet solution for WiFi implementations. This is the best solution that I can suggest to others.

Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
PeerSpot user
it_user591867 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Network Engineer at a university with 501-1,000 employees
Vendor
We use it to verify coverage areas and signal strength levels within campus buildings.

What is most valuable?

The passive survey tool is what we use the most. We use it to:

  • Conduct wireless surveys of our wireless deployment.
  • Verify or adjust wireless coverage within our environment.

How has it helped my organization?

The survey tool helps our department verify coverage areas and signal strength levels within campus buildings that have wireless network access available.

What needs improvement?

I would like to see a clearer representation of different power readings/levels when the survey tool renders heat maps.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using this solution for three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I did not encounter any issues with stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I did not encounter any issues with scalability.

How is customer service and technical support?

Technical support was excellent. They are always very helpful.

How was the initial setup?

The tool has a slight learning curve. AirMagnet has “how-to” videos that quickly teach you how to use the tool like a master.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It’s worth the investment. The survey tool pays for itself.

What other advice do I have?

Try out the tool. You will find out quickly that the AirMagnet survey tool is the most versatile tool out there.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free AirMagnet Survey Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: May 2024
Buyer's Guide
Download our free AirMagnet Survey Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.