AirCheck G3 Reviews

I use AirCheck to track down rogue devices connecting to my access point.

The airCheck is the real-time spectrum analyzer to see clients that could be connecting to our network, not just rogue networks out there, but rogue clients and other interference in that particular spectrum.

The solution doesn't have much functional information online. Most of the information online is regurgitated from marketing brochures. I purchased the solution for a job and sold it afterward because it is expensive.

The AirCheck is no longer available and its software is not updated for current use. Additionally, it is not compatible with Macintosh and must be run on an emulator to access the outdated Windows software. Since Fluke sold all its intellectual property to NetAlly, there is no longer any support for the original Fluke AirCheck, which further influenced the decision to discontinue it. Going forward, I would attempt to buy the newer NetAlly product.

I have been using the solution for a couple of months.

The solution is stable.

The upfront cost of the solution is around $4,000. This cost does not include service contracts for support.

I give the solution a ten out of ten.

New users should consider purchasing the latest edition. The outdated models lack the latest Wi-Fi band, rendering them a poor investment. I made the mistake of buying an outdated version on eBay for $500, which I only used for a single project. I eventually had to resell it since it was incompatible with the new Wi-Fi band that emerged in the past five years. Hence, it is advisable to invest in the new version.

I use it primarily for signal distribution, identification, Cat5 and Cat6 identification, access point, decibel levels, and identifying all areas of IT equipment onsite.

I use the device in one area to identify access points. This device not only identifies access points, it tells me audibly and visibly the strengths of the decibels. So, it allows me to advise installation crews where exactly to place certain types of equipment, like access points.

I am a site administrator for about 25 sites. At one particular site, they reported that the circuit was totally down. This means that their communications with their PCs, tablets, and telephones (which were Voice over IP) were not functioning. Therefore, the entire site was down. This was a state facility. 

My job is to resolve the issue regardless of what the problem is. When I go out and troubleshoot, I'm able to take that NetAlly device and verify the equipment is working. I can verify if the LAC has signal coming into the facility along with every access point from that point forward. Thus, I can troubleshoot the entire system from point A to point Z for that matter. About two weeks ago, I had to do that and it saved a lot of time and money. 

The state was going to overnight some very expensive equipment, and I told them that I didn't need that equipment because NetAlley identified that our equipment was functioning perfectly. To make a long story short, the problem was on the provider's side, not ours.

It is a very clean device. It has resolved troubleshooting issues 100 percent, streamlining our networking operations.

All of the features are valuable. It is a wonderful tool. It allows me to troubleshoot and bypass network operating personnel. It takes the place of an IT troubleshooting department, because now I can do all the troubleshooting. I can walk into an environment and know what is going on. I don't have to call for IT assistance.

The solution’s one-button AutoTest feature is able to identify common problems. This is a major feature and plus for this particular device. You are able to hit one button and then identify different areas of the IT environment.

The information provided by the solution for resolving connectivity and performance problems is very thorough. The reporting functionality is extremely good as I can pass that information on with little input. The device will identify issues and problems, e.g., the diagnostic material. When you have Internet access, it sends the information to your email address, which is very useful.

The battery life needs improvement. For example, when you are doing an Ethernet test, that seems to drain the battery pretty quickly.

I would like it if they could somehow build/develop a type of fiber optic module with the device. That would be good. 

The tool itself has a series of features. I think that each set of features should have its own way of identifying, "Here is the problem, and this is how NetAlly fixes that problem or resolves that issue." Typically what happens because there are so many features, marketing might not be familiar with all the things that a solution can do and the problems that it will solve. So, they'll give two or three quick phrases of what it can do, and if you're not really familiar with the issues, then you won't understand what is being said.

Approximately a year.

It is a pretty rock-solid device that is well-built.

I have never used the technical support for this device.

I used several tools previously. I used toners, butt sets, Sidekick, and Fluke tools, but AirCheck is an all-in-one solution.

The first time I used it, there was return on investment. It is not only the time involved, but its ability to solve issues for the client quickly. The client is impressed with what you're telling them, because now you can show them (by means of this device) where the issue lies, which gives the customer confidence. Before I get to the customer, I have to travel. A lot of that time is now saved.

This solution has provided visibility into our network that we could only get by using many other tools. One device takes the place of many, which is time efficient and cost-efficient. 

It saves me a tremendous amount of time when I am troubleshooting. For example, if a site only has 20 devices, then you could save three or four hours. However, if a site has 100 devices spread out over a mile, then it could save you a couple of days.

The solution has made our networking staff more productive, saving me at least 20 hours a week.

The price is fairly expensive, if you are a single individual. For me, it's well worth the cost of the unit. Depending on the nature of the work that you're doing, the upfront costs can be expensive. Typically, what happens in an environment is a department might have one device as opposed to technicians having them individually.

We purchased our unit outright.

I am the only one using AirCheck right now due to the cost of the device.

I looked at several brands. I do a lot of research before I make decisions on technical tools. It just so happened that the makers of this particular device had a client that I was very familiar with, and it was a medical facility. That particular example made me look further into this particular unit. Being used in a medical facility of a significant magnitude, I was pretty comfortable with my decision in using this device at a state-run facility.

Thoroughly research the functionality and features of this particular tool. I am finding that the tool itself has so many features and so much functionality that the cost benefit could be missed. A client looking into the device might not realize its potential or ability to solve certain niche problem.

It is easy to use. A novice would have to get used to trusting the tool. More advanced technicians would find this tool extremely helpful. The learning curve depends on the level of the technician. If you are a novice, then the learning curve might be overwhelming. However, for an advanced technician, the learning curve is pretty quick and intuitive.

I would rate this solution an eight (out of 10). If they fixed the battery, it would be a 10.

I work in the wireless team in the HQ, we don't visit the sites. We mainly provide remote support, design and validation. We bought the G2 to understand how the new functionality work (we already had the previous generation Aircheck) and to train our implementation and support teams to troubleshoot with it whenever there is an issue.

Right after buying  the tester, we created a guide for our internal use, and then I distributed the guide to our support engineers. Now, they have their own G2 testers and, whenever in the field, they follow my guide and  troubleshoot the issue while I can see the test report in Link-Live cloud portal and evaluate the results remotely. We currently have four devices. Each device is assigned to a support team, and each support team has five or six people.

Generally, the most common issue we encounter is an access point going down, meaning no coverage. Some of our sites have also specialised IoT devices that are very sensitive to interference on 5GHz channels so, being able to see the interferers on the G2 is a massive help.

With a laptop, you need to install different software packages and not all such software gives you the same information as the G2; you need more than one software solution to match the same capabilities. With the Aircheck, you go and you have everything in one device.

For example you need a packet capture software (and dedicated hardware if you don't have a Macbook) and something for signal strength. With the G2, you have a lot of tools in one package. Not to mention that you can connect the G2 to a wired port and conduct a basic cable test. We were using at least two or three other tools to identify issues before we had the G2. While having one tool instead of many hasn't really affected our cost of troubleshooting, because many other tools are free, the time and the complexity have been greatly reduced for sure.

You don't need to be an expert to use the tool. A person who is not an expert in WiFi might not know the meaning of signal strength and what is a good value or a bad value. With AutoTest you have a very simplified view. This is fantastic because, while the support guys might not be able to resolve the issue, they can at least point more senior people in the right direction. And that saves a lot of time.

It's very good that everything is saved in the cloud. You have historical data and you can and say, "Okay, well on that day we had this issue and today it's this other issue." You can identify a trend.

And it has reduced troubleshooting time by 50 percent.  I can definitely see an advantage with it.

I use it sometimes when I want to quickly see the MAC address of a wireless client. With the AirCheck, it is really a 30-second job. If I had to do it with a laptop, it would take at least five minutes. You can pinpoint a particular client and see which access point it is connected to. You can do a packet capture. You can do a lot of stuff. Everything is linked and that's very good. If I had to do it the old-fashioned way, I would need software to find the MAC address, then log in into the controller, see which access point it is connected to, then do a packet capture with different software. It would be a much longer process. The AirCheck has definitely made me more productive.

I like everything in the G2. Compared to the old AirCheck it is a massive step forward. I like the cloud functionality. That's very useful because somebody can go onsite, someone who is not really skilled, and I can see the test results from the office. This is my favorite function. 

I also like the remote session and the ability to log in to the device remotely. You can log in to the tester with your computer and can see the screen and operate the tester remotely. This is a very cool function, but it's very advanced. And I think you need to be connected with a cable to do that. But it is still a very good function because you can give the tester to level-one support guys and, even if they are not wireless experts, in the worst case, you can operate the tester remotely from the office.

I also like the packet capture functionality. It's very good. While you are onsite and troubleshooting the signal, you can identify a particular client and start a packet capture. And you can download the packet capture from the cloud; that's a new development. Before, you had to download it manually. Now it's on the cloud as well.

The solution’s one-button AutoTest feature to identify common problems is good. 

With the solution’s one-button AutoTest feature, not all the information is particularly useful. It could be improved with a bit of artificial intelligence saying, "Okay, the G2 sees this problem, maybe this could be the issue," and it would give some suggestions. Right now, when you do the AutoTest you get a bunch of data, but you still have to do some analysis. If you look at some wireless vendors, when there is a problem they give you serious correlation possibilities. For instance, if there is a low signal, it might be due to this or that. You have an idea of where to start your troubleshooting.

Additionally, it would be a huge boost if the AirCheck could be used for site surveys, a bit like the Ekahau Sidekick. I think this feature is coming, but -in general- more functionality towards surveying (for example turn the G2 in a survey access point) would be useful.

Also, we use 802.1x authentication for the corporate network so, to onboard the G2 I need to download the certificate onto the device. It would be nice to have this functionality through the cloud as well. Right now, you need to do it through the software (windows only) by connecting your laptop physically to the AirCheck. This is one aspect that could be improved. Lastly, many companies are worried about the security of data in the cloud and SSO through API integration is the norm today. I found Link-Live API support it a bit lacking on this side. So far, we haven't been able to integrate it into our single sign-on procedure.

I have been using AirCheck G2 for one year. 

We bought it a year ago and then we required our support team to buy it as well as part of their standard toolset, so it's still kind of new in terms of our usage. They haven't explored all the functionalities of the tester yet. It has a lot of potential, but it is still not used 100 percent.

I haven't had any issues so far. It's always been super reliable.

It probably could be scalable, but that would be a strategic decision of the vendor. I guess some features are locked and it depends on the firmware release. I think the device can do more, hardware-wise. It could be that they are testing new features before releasing them. Potentially, it is scalable, but not massively scalable, otherwise people wouldn't buy the bigger brothers, the OneTouch or the EtherScope.

I haven't dealt much with the technical support. The tester has been reliable.

I have only enquired once about API integration and they did reply quite fast. During the transition when NetAlly took over Netscout there was a bit of delay with support responses. Now, it should be fine.

We had the old AirCheck, the one from Fluke Networks. But the G2 is a huge move forward. 

If you know what you're doing, it's not that difficult. If you don't know about certificates and advanced wireless stuff, it can be a bit difficult.

Less experienced users might need guidance in order to take full advantage of the tool, that's why I created a step-by-step guide for our internal use.

It would be good to have a series of tutorials, some videos, and a properly structured course. If you work in the field, you don't have time to read a PDF guide.  A series of videos "from A to Z", to explore all the menus, sub menus, and use cases, would be useful. It is especially important to explain  how to read the results. For example, what does it mean that this device has this signal rather than that signal? What are the implications?

We did everything in house.

For a big company, there is a slower return of investment because, in a big company, it doesn't really matter. At $2,500, it is no big deal. For a consultant, it is a huge value because your time is money. It sounds like a paradox, but -in my opinion- for a smaller company there is a better return on investment than for a big company.

In a big company, if there is an issue with the WiFi, the support team can work on that ticket for one week as priorities changes all the time. So if it takes a week or, say, three days to solve an issue, it might go unnoticed in some companies. In big environments time is stretched somehow.  But for a small company with limited man power, time is everything. You show up on a site and troubleshoot issues very quickly. You could finish the job in one hour instead of three hours and move to the next customer. It's a massive return on investment.

It is a bit expensive, to be honest. For a big company it's not a big deal. But for a small firms, like a wireless consultant or small IT support company, it is hugely expensive and that's a shame because it is a fantastic tool. 

Netally have a unique position in this market so I guess they can do whatever they want. Fair enough.

Because I work in a big company, it is a no-brainer. The yearly maintenance fee is okay; if I were a consultant, I would still buy it, but it would be a huge investment. Overall, it's a good tool to have. 

We tested something from JDSU, which is slightly different. Really, there is nothing on the market like the G2 (apart from other more expensive testers from the same company).

I have learned that I can use G2 for more than I thought. Initially I thought, "Okay, I can go and check the coverage." But actually, there are so many things you can use it for. Sometimes you quickly need the MAC address of a wireless client. You take the G2 and you see that straight away. That's one of my favorite things. It's like having a multi-tool. We often use it for quickly finding information while we are doing other tasks, things that are not necessarily support. Suppose we are testing a new access point and it is mounted on the ceiling and we need to get its MAC address quickly. It's quicker to look at the G2 than to log in the controller (or use a software scanner) and find the MAC address.

We also bought the LinkRunner testers and we use them a lot. I was also looking at the OneTouch because at one point I was approached by a vendor that was offering a massive discount (it was going end-of-life) and it was a very attractive  price. The OneTouch, from a wireless perspective, does more or less the same thing as the G2; I couldn't justify this expense to my manager.

As far as maintenance of the G2 goes, it's very easy. You don't need to know anything, other than checking for software upgrades. I believe you still need a laptop to upgrade the firmware, unless they've changed something recently.