NetAlly EtherScope nXG Reviews

Our company is an IT integrator and we have a lot of work on different kinds of IP networks. We deploy networks, we troubleshoot them, and we optimize them. The EtherScope is very useful in our day-to-day activities when we are onsite too, for example, to check the network drop, which port is on the switch, and to see all the details about the switch.

We also use it to test cables for any kind of damage. It tests all eight wires in the internet cable. It has a small dongle that you can put on the other side of the cable and know the exact length and condition of the cable.

We also use it for testing high bandwidth links, such as 10 Gb fiber links between different buildings, or even different sites. We can use the EtherScope to run a speed test to see what the max capacity is that we can achieve on the fiber.

It helps us to be faster. It definitely improves our workflow because it helps to identify the details that we need from the network pretty quickly, and that saves time. It's definitely a good and valuable asset for our company.

Also, the EtherScope can replace multiple tools. With one tool we can get a lot of insights, from different angles, into the network. The level of detail, from such a simple-to-use tool, is hard to achieve with other such products. There is software on the market, but it's much more sophisticated for getting the same results and details. The benefit is that it's just one tool. The cost is not cheap but it totally pays for itself because it can do so much. For an IT integrator or IT consultancy, it is a must-have tool for troubleshooting customer networks.

In some cases, it has significantly reduced troubleshooting time; we can find the issue faster than before. The reduction in troubleshooting time depends on the issue, but if a user reports, for example, that he has intermittent connectivity on WiFi, this tool can reduce troubleshooting time by half.

It has made our networking staff more productive. We don't use the tool every day because we don't have that many customer issues. This tool is primarily for troubleshooting issues, and we have a lot of other activities besides troubleshooting. I would approximate that it has halved the time we normally require, giving our staff that much more time for other things.

The most valuable feature is the ability to identify the switch port ID, when you plug the EtherScope into the network drop, and many other details about the switch. This is very useful because when you are not in that IDF or network closet but far away from that switch, you can identify the port and then configure it for your needs remotely. It is very useful to know exactly which port and what exactly the switch is. EtherScope can tell if there are network connectivity and access to the Internet along with the info about the switch. That's the most frequently used and the most valuable feature for us.

Another very useful feature is the WiFi analysis. The EtherScope helps us to see if there is any interference in the wireless and it shows radio channels capacity and current utilization with the number of connected clients on those channels. It shows the channelization (width of the band)of both 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands. It is extremely useful for on-spot WiFi analysis and identifying problems in that area.

The multi-technology functionality of the solution, the fact that it does WiFi and wired Ethernet analysis in one device, is also very useful. This combination of different technologies in one device is very handy when you need to do some troubleshooting on site when there is a problem with the network and you don't know where to start. You can test both wired and wireless connections and identify the issue pretty quickly.

We use the pre-programmed AutoTest feature all the time for both wired and wireless. It has all kinds of possible tests in one test that is run automatically. It's very handy to see the results on different layers of the network.

As I mentioned, we use the full line-rate 10 Gb capability to test the fiber speed, the connection between the server and the distribution panel. We run the re-installed application, installed inside the EtherScope. We can run data between the EtherScope and the server and this shows the true throughput that can be achieved, and it can be fiber or Cat 6 cable. It has very rich functionality and its compact size adds a lot of value because it's very convenient to carry it and use it. 

The fact that it is battery operated is also very good.

The tool can be used by anyone with basic technical knowledge. That person can capture all the information. Another great capability of the EtherScope is that it allows you to upload the results to the cloud at the time the test was done, and then, someone with better expertise can access those results and provide analysis. But to use it, you don't need to be technically educated. It's easy to use.

The battery life is a little bit too short.

Also, there are some inconsistencies in how it uploads the test results to the cloud, but it might just need a minor improvement on the software side. When you don't have an internet connection on the EtherScope when you do the testing, it saves the results into memory. When it has an internet connection, it uploads those results, but it doesn't work all the time. Sometimes, you need to manually push it.

I have been using NetAlly EtherScope nXG for around one year.

I'm pretty impressed, it is pretty stable. I haven't seen any sudden shutdown or any kind of serious bugs. It works fine.

Their technical support is excellent. I've had some support requests and the response time was good and my issues were resolved.

We do have JDSU Cable Certifier. It's two big boxes and they're very expensive. We can test any type of cable with them, meaning copper or fibre, and it certifies that the connections on both ends of the cable are ready for data. It also measures the speed of the connection. 

But now, we use EtherScope most of the time to test the cable and the connection. The Cable Certifiers are used only when we run the cable, but not as much when we want to see if the cable is good and what its speed is.

There is another tool that we have from Ekahau called Sidekick. It's a device for wireless troubleshooting and wireless mapping. It's actually a very advanced tool and we use it a lot. But the EtherScope has part of its functionality and the EtherScope is much easier to use. Also, the time it takes to use it is much shorter. You just turn on the EtherScope and walk around, versus the Ekahau where you need to prepare the project. So the EtherScope saves time on wireless troubleshooting. If it is not a case of wireless mapping, we definitely use the EtherScope and not the Ekahau.

The solution is pretty easy to use and it has a good "how-to" manual with it. The learning curve is pretty short with this tool. It took me two or three hours to get to know it. This was the combined amount of time, because when you need, for example, to test the network drop, you don't need to go over all the features of the tool. So we learned it step by step, as we needed the functionality.

We have five people using this tool. It depends on what project needs it, but they are mainly system network engineers and technicians. The usage is based on the incoming support requests. It is used about three days a week, on average.

There is not that much maintenance for the device. I will update it from time to time if there is an update in the settings available for the server or operating system. But other than that, there is not that much maintenance on this tool.

We have definitely seen return on investment in terms of the time that we spend onsite and reduction in the amount we have to pay our workers as a result of that reduced time onsite.

There isn't any license. The pricing is not bad. It's moderate, but the tool is worth the price.

We looked at one other tool. I'm not sure if it was from Fluke Networks, but EtherScope is the only tool on the market with such rich functionality. We picked it pretty quickly.

It's a great tool for network troubleshooting. It's an awesome tool.

The biggest lesson I have learned from using this solution is that this is the tool to discover the issue. It's not that it helps to find something new but there are ways to discover the network details in a very efficient way and that's what EtherScope nXG offers.

I use it primarily to troubleshoot wireless WiFi networks. I look for channel interference, I look for signal level problems, and I channel-ize things on the fly with it, very successfully.

I use it at least once a week. It depends on the jobs, as I do all kinds of different jobs. Sometimes I'll use it every day during the course of a job. Sometimes I'll use it just to analyze an existing system, to define what needs to be fixed or addressed. I also use it just to double check that what I install is the way it's supposed to be, as far as channelization and signal levels go.

I have the unit that came with the extra antenna and I also have the SFP, but I mainly use the main base unit for troubleshooting.

It works great. It's basically a souped-up Android device that does all the troubleshooting that a souped-up laptop could do, if the laptop had the correct software and interfaces. It's a lot easier to get around and do your thing with it.

The number-one thing that it has done for us is that we do event WiFi sometimes. We have literally provided WiFi for a hackathon and there are people who are not good people in the mix, and they do malicious things with WiFi hotspots. You need to find those rogues, and you need to find them really quickly. I can't think of a better tool to do that with.

Also, using the NetAlly cloud makes it really easy to collect all your tasks and reference them when you're trying to come up with proposals for fixes for existing systems that need to be fixed or replaced.

It provides visibility into networks that I could only get by using many other tools. I'm something of a "road warrior," so anything I can do to keep my mobile office — ie, my backpack — lightweight, helps. Having that and one go-to laptop really helps out a lot, instead of having multiple testing devices.

It has definitely reduced my troubleshooting time. The amount of time really depends on the scenario and what I use it to find, but it can save me anywhere from 10 minutes to a whole day's worth of work. It has definitely made me more productive.

People also think it looks cool. When you're meeting a new client, and you have this thing and you need to answer their questions and troubleshoot stuff on the spot, it separates you [from your competition].

The most valuable part is absolutely being able to assess existing WiFi networks quickly. You get very powerful details of networks, details that you couldn't see unless you had multiple pieces of software and hardware. This does it all in one thing.

The pre-programmed AutoTest feature finds network problems quickly, just like all of NetAlly's tools. There are three or four core things that you need to be working on a network and the EtherScope gets to it quickly, for troubleshooting.

It's very easy to use. If you're trying to figure out: What are these SSIDs? What kind of APs? What channels are they on? There's no easier way to drill into those details. It also provides deep diagnostics for sure. It has a lot of features that I don't need for everyday use, but it's nice to know they're there if I ever do need them.

There is room for improvement in the battery life and price.

I have been using NetAlly EtherScope nXG for about a year now. 

I don't think it's crashed on me once.

I really do wish the battery lasted a little bit longer. I feel that I have to be very conscious of the battery life on it. That's really the only negative thing.

I can't say I have plans to increase usage of it. It's probably going to be the same load. This isn't something I intend to buy for other people. Frankly, it's too expensive and I would get other devices, for my employees, from NetAlly. But I don't think I would do another EtherScope. One is good enough for my company.

I've used Fluke, which eventually became NetAlly, after everything got bought and sold. As things actually needed upgrading I got NetAlly. I was going to get a NetAlly regardless, because of their reputation and the other devices that we've had from the company that became Fluke. We trust them. It works. I know they would back it if I called for support. I just haven't had to.

For me, there was very little learning curve. I did go through the whole manual because it was an investment — it's not cheap — to make sure I was doing things right. It was actually really easy, but it depends on the network knowledge you have going into it. It could be really confusing if you don't know that stuff.

I have seen ROI through the work on corporate events; there is no tomorrow. You have to fix it right now, and if you don't fix it right now you might not get paid; and you might not make your quarter and you might not make your year. It's critical. High-end corporate events, where their name is on the line, means our name is on the line at the same time. It can pay for itself in one use, depending on the scenario.

You learn your lesson from one bad day. Not having it, and wishing you had it to get out of a scenario, justifies it right there.

The stuff is expensive. I really do wish the price would come down. I don't really call support. I haven't had a problem. But it's really expensive and every year I have to pay them a ton of money. I don't want to make up reasons to justify that cost, but I'm not using the support. I understand they have to do R&D and do updates; I get that. But it is an expensive device. It costs as much as some peoples' cars.

I don't even know if there is another option anymore. There are some things out there for people who are just searching the internet, but network professionals are all going to use the NetAlly at this point. I don't think Fluke even makes equipment anymore for network testing.

I also use Ekahau and I do like Ekahau a lot. I'm not at the point where I'm going to replace it, but hopefully I can because I don't want to pay for two expensive things. I'd rather only pay for one expensive thing.

The EtherScope is such a unique tool. Everyone is going to use different features for different purposes. I am more WiFi oriented.

Regarding the unit's multi-technology functionality, I'm not using it too much on the wired side. I do have a lot of tools. Much of the time, when I'm doing wired troubleshooting, it's just simple continuity tasks more than anything. I use the EtherScope for WiFi more than anything, but it is nice to have the wired abilities when needed.

I have used the AirMapper Site Survey app once, just last week. I did not use it fully. I just used it to do a quick assessment. I'm actually curious to find out more about it. It was very easy. I haven't used it with the software. I haven't been able to dump the data into the software and see it fully yet, so I can't say I have a real opinion of it yet.

We have used it for 10 gigabit performance testing. Originally, when we first got the device, for about the first three to four months, that was exclusively how it was used, in a heavy-use environment. We had some new 10 Gb equipment that we were stress testing, but we also wanted to confirm that things were working. We had just gotten the nXG product in our hands, so what better use of it?

After that point, we have used it a lot for wireless, day-to-day operations, and troubleshooting. We've used it for some specific Linux server test-bed scenarios, with different functions tied to it. We've done wire surveys and troubleshooting as well. 

We have definitely used it for the last six to nine months, regularly, as our proof that when we turn up at a new customer, everything's working.

There are four of us, including me, using the device in our company. I'm the most advanced engineer and have been using these products the longest. I've got another engineer who has used it for specific tasks that I've pointed him towards. I also have a technician who uses it fairly frequently for basic testing and troubleshooting and certification. And our NOC manager, who is more a peer of mine — he's more technical than the other two, from the years of experience — was the one who used it for the first three months on the 10-gig. It has a pretty good range of direct uses.

We used it on multiple devices and pieces of equipment, all fiber, and used it pretty heavily in the lab environment. That environment has now gone to production because of that success. Without this device we would have been blind to a lot of things. It didn't necessarily diagnose or point out any problems at the time, but it definitely helped prove things were working well. That was well worth the peace of mind.

Also, the few times things didn't work, it gave us the opportunity to troubleshoot them and to fix our mistakes. It was never the device [giving us trouble], it was always something in our configuration of the new equipment.

We create test profiles so that we can turn it on, tap one icon, and let it go through the cycle. After a few moments we can look at it and it confirms that everything's green and good to go. Or, if there's a problem, it pinpoints which specific devices are a problem and it helps us know, extremely quickly, if it's something we need to call our NOC for, or if it's something that I or my team needs to address and fix, or if we ultimately have a bigger problem.

It's been priceless because it's one of the devices we carry onsite with us to pretty much any new customer and it's one of the very first things we use. We plug it straight in to our equipment, hit go and make sure everything's green, and then we can start plugging in new stuff.

The unit is easy to use for less skilled staff but with deep diagnostics for experts on staff. That's definitely a benefit I have seen. There's a time and place for an expert — an expert is still going to be needed in certain scenarios — but he isn't needed every time. This particular device has a nice market niche where, if you're an expert, great, you know how to do certain things. But you can have a level-one technician go out and collect data and either upload it to the Link-Live Cloud Service and that way the expert can be remote, or he can save it and review it later, easily. We have technicians and field techs and NOC guys who, when something comes up in the middle of the day, ask a few questions on what makes the most sense and, based on that, I give them a specific product and quickly show them how to use the specific function they need. They go out in the field and they do it.

It has also provided visibility into networks that I could only get by using many other tools. Instead of one tool, I'd have to use two or three or more. Anytime you have to have more than one device and/or specialized training involved, there's a cost to that.

When it comes to the device reducing troubleshooting time, it could be anywhere from 10 percent to 90 percent, because it depends on the case. In a specific case, it might save 90 percent of the time because it's all-in-one, versus [needing to use] several [products]. However, if it's just one specific scenario, it may only save 10 percent. There's a wide variance in between. It depends on what you're doing, why you're doing it, and what you need; how much of an expert needs to be behind the wheel; dispatch versus non-dispatch, etc.

In general, it has made our networking staff more productive. Since we use it kind of sparingly, it could save two to five hours a month. If we used it more regularly and had more need for it, that would be a much higher figure. In my previous job I worked at a university, and this one device would have been saving significant hours a week. In that scenario, I could see having a device in four different peoples' hands and it would be a very large savings very quickly.

We use a wide range of its features. 

• We use the WiFi discovery. 
• We're starting to use the new AirMapper Site Survey app which came out recently, and I like that quite a bit, with its Link-Live Cloud Service. 
• We've used packet captures, both wireless and wired. 
• Performance testing continues to be a go-to when we need it, especially because we can do 10 Gb on it. Most times it's 1 Gb or less, but having 10 Gb functionality is grand. 
• We use the autolink test frequently.
• I've even gotten a few apps from the app store. It's nice to have it all built-in.

The multi-technology functionality of the solution, including the fact that it does WiFi and wired Ethernet analysis in one device, means I now have one device that can do a multitude of tests, and fairly reliably. I can lean on it. I can say, "Hey, this is the proof I need," for whatever the scenario is. It is definitely a great asset. I have other tools still, wireless or wired or both. But this one, with its functionality and development, is quickly becoming an all-in-one, versus having to carry two or three or four.

In terms of the solution's full line rate 10-gigabit capability, my other 10 Gb test equipment is much bigger, bulkier, and heavier. One of my ways of assessing the nXG was to compare it with what I knew to be tried and true on 10-gig to make sure that they matched, and they did. It very quickly got my trust. The fact that it can do 10 Gb, without dropping a packet from what I've seen so far — and we used it a lot in that first three months — tells a pretty good story. It's easier for me to walk out the door with this handheld device than it is with two, three, or four big, bulky devices. There's a time and place for the bigger bulky ones too. But, in the grand scheme of things, it's certainly much nicer to carry one than two or three.

In terms of the AirMapper Site Survey app, I love it when it works. I'm on the beta team for this feature and I have definitely found it very fascinating. Its basic use has a great place in the market. I'm still a big fan of NetAlly's AirMagnet Survey PRO. I've used Survey PRO since version 1 and they're on version 9. It's a great product, a great tool, a great resource, although it has limitations as well.

I can definitely see a niche for both and a need for both. In functionality and use, what I really love about the AirMapper program is that it's handheld. It's much easier and lighter to carry around than the old, bulky version. I don't have to worry about having big biceps at the end of the day, or extremely sore biceps. I just go to a specific area, tap it, and wait until it turns green and do the same at the next area. It collects data cleanly and then I can upload it to the cloud. 

To be fair, I love the client of the Survey PRO; love the functionality, and I'm so used to using it that I prefer it. But it's definitely bulky, and program-wise, it's heavy and you obviously have to have a license. It becomes very difficult to potentially share it with or train additional staff. There are pros and cons to both products. There are niches for both and I think there are good cases to have both. 

Once you're used to and understand the newer methodology of how AirMapper collects the data and why, it's fine. And as the person holding the device, you have full control over how quickly it scans by tweaking the settings. If it is taking too long you can change your variables. You have to be cautious because you don't want to lose data. But you can also increase the time if you need to make sure you get all your data. 

One of the biggest pros of AirMapper is that you just hit upload to the cloud and you can use anything with a web browser to look at it and manipulate it, view it, and even share it. The fact that you can review it now on any computer that has web access is phenomenal, versus using the client. That's been fantastic.

The AirMapper app is fairly straightforward in terms of ease of use once you understand the methodology. It definitely seems to be a very valuable asset. I think there is going to be some more development of it because it's still new. Given that AirMapper is basically version 1.0, whereas Survey PRO is on version 9.0 and has hundreds of thousands of man-hours in use, comparing the two isn't fair. You're comparing an infant to a full-grown adult. Over time, I know it's going to grow out of its infancy. Given the WiFi market and the current standards I think it will have a phenomenal place.

One of the main reasons I use AirMapper is the feature in the app that allows you to create heat maps in the vendor’s Link-Live Cloud Service. In terms of its ability to visualize key performance metrics, overall I've been fairly pleased. That part of its functionality is a little more comparable to the AirMagnet Survey PRO. And as I said, it's nice that it's web-based, so I can do it on a Linux machine. I don't have to worry about having a license, I just have to have a Link-Live account. On that level there is good use for it.

In terms of using AirMapper to validate changes or troubleshoot problems, it could potentially be a little slow to collect data compared to other tools. However, you can tweak it to make it a little faster if you want to. It would have a very comparable mean time for getting on site, taking the analysis, uploading it, and then reviewing it. Certainly, one of the most powerful things in this scenario is that you can upload it to the Link-Live Cloud Service and someone who is hundreds or thousands of miles away can review it instantly and give advice if they need to. You can then make some changes and verify again. Whereas with a Survey PRO, or any other WiFi products that I've used, like Ekahau, that might not be nearly as feasible. They need some way to get that data to the other person to review it, and that other person has to have the same tools and versions — everything has to be the same. It can become a hassle if you have to jump through all these hoops to analyze, review, and then recommend changes. The nXG itself has a nice advantage there.

When it works, I love the AirMapper Site Survey app. Currently, my device has a hardware bug that the manufacturer and I are working on actively, to get it fixed or replaced. The 5 gigahertz radio on my device is flaky at best. When it works, I've enjoyed it.

I have been using the NetAlly EtherScope nXG for close to a year, starting with when it was in beta, as I'm on the beta team. I was one of the early adopters of it, before it ever got to the press. I had it three to six months before it was out for sale.

My device was one of the first units. It's been reliable, up until recently with the WiFi. Until recently, it's been phenomenal. It's been rock-solid. It's been great. The exception, currently, is the 5-gig radio acting up. I don't know what the current problem is, but it's likely the hardware. We don't think it's the software at this point. It doesn't seem to have anything to do with the product itself, as much as it is some kind of unique hardware problem.

That aside, it's been just as reliable and stable as any other networking tool I have, whether it be Fluke Networks, NetScout, or any other. It's been pretty reliable and pretty consistent. I can take it with me and not have to be concerned in the field that it's going to let me down.

I would rate NetAlly's technical support for this device extremely well. I'm not the average customer. I have direct access to the developers or the people who are physically making the devices. 

Before I worked in my current company, I used a lot of these products in the field, with paid maintenance and paid warranty and ongoing support. If I used it in the same ways here, it would make perfect sense, and I absolutely would be wanting to pay maintenance, to keep things updated. That way, if a product decided to act up, I could get it replaced or repaired. To me, the maintenance and ongoing support is mission-critical, if it's something that you bought. I would never buy one of these products without buying that maintenance.

It has been a while since I've had to deal with the pricing. However, in my previous job I had to do so and I would think the scenario is still the same. There is potential to create a return on investment and cost justification. If you're going to do any kind of wired and/or wireless network troubleshooting, and you want to quickly eliminate anything on the network, this would be a tool to highly consider because it's an all-in-one device for the most part. If you start breaking down the cost for individual products or specific niches, three or four devices, you're looking at the cost of this one device versus the costs of three or four, or even five or six or seven.

At one point, I had 10 devices and we were paying support on 10 products every year and buying new licenses for those products every year. It didn't make sense to carry around 10 things when you can carry around one. It also doesn't make sense to keep renewing 10 things when you could renew one.

If you're in the networking world, this product makes great sense very quickly, if you're going to use it more than a few times a week. Hands-down, this should be an easy mathematical equation. If you're not using it very often, that formula is a little more difficult. But if there is a scenario where you have to have proof, and you have to have it quickly, then you're back in the same ball game. This is a priceless tool and you would be foolish not to have it.

There's a little middle ground where it might be more expensive than what I need and I couldn't justify that. But if it's either of the other scenarios, I could give you a spreadsheet and very quickly make it make sense.

And then you throw in the number of man-hours that you potentially save. Coming from the university where I used to work, man-hours weren't as critical to management, which is ludicrous to me. I know other companies are similar. They're thinking, "Well, if we can save thousands of dollars on this particular device, we don't care how many hours it takes you to figure things out." That is a really bad approach, but I know some businesses work that way. Whether you include man-hours in your equations or not, it doesn't matter because that spreadsheet is going to work.

But as soon as you throw in man-hours saved, that's where the big money is at, very quickly. That's especially true when you factor in expert versus technician versus just an office staff person. You could mail them the equipment and, when they get it, walk them through how to do a couple of quick tests. They could upload it to Link-Live Cloud Service and, all of a sudden, you could still be at your desk while looking at it. You save flight time and unbelievable man-hours trying to get the guy onsite. I understand that there are times when you have to get a guy onsite. But if you can eliminate even one of those, you just paid for the device, or at least for a large percentage of it.

If I did personal consulting, where I got regular paychecks outside of my regular work, it would be priceless to have access to these tools. Hands-down, I would save up for and buy this tool because it's the one device where I would get the biggest bang for my buck.

If I needed that kind of visibility and proof in certain people's networks, it would ultimately save me time. I could walk into the building, plug into their network, hit "go," tap a few things, and I would have a much better view of their network. Or I could potentially find the problem they have, and within seconds.

It's been a while since I've even looked at costs. If you are just looking at a handheld device unit for specific, wireless or wired testing and not much else, the cost may be a little more prohibitive than what you have in your budget. But if you have a need for more than one device, and want to try to prevent that unexpected road trip...

We don't use it day-to-day because of the way our company is structured, and its use cases in our business. But we certainly use it once or twice a week, fairly regularly. It has definitely become one of our go-to tools in just about any scenario, whether we're walking or running out the door to a customer's site.

I use the solution's pre-programmed AutoTest feature and I've got my own that I built, as well. I use both. But in my environment, the equipment that it plugs into has very little in the way of discovery functionality and options. In the majority of my environment, that functionality is blocked and limited at a network level. So that function doesn't allow me to do much. 

However, outside of my specific company when I do consulting work, or even at some of our customer sites, if I have to help troubleshoot their stuff — which doesn't happen very often but it does happen — in that scenario it has been extremely helpful because it will give me a deeper dive into the network. Otherwise, I would just be guessing because I don't know what their network looks like.

Overall, as far as technical features go, it would be a nine or 10 out of 10, hands-down. It's an all-in-one device for most functionalities. I'd be hard pressed not to give it a 10. As far as ease of use is concerned, it's absolutely a nine or 10 as well. It's fairly straightforward, out-of-the-box. Even if you don't have a lot of network experience, it doesn't take long. You can tap around and figure out what it does and doesn't do. And there are some great online videos for it already;I've been through some of those webinars as well. There is easy access to those kinds of materials. The fact that it's handheld and fairly lightweight definitely makes it a nine or 10 as well. 

As far as development goes, it's still in its infancy, so that is only a five or six out of 10. It's extremely new and they're trying to come on as fast as they can. Maybe, by now, it's in "early adolescence," but I fully expect them to make more improvements going forward. 

The functionality, what I can do out-of-the-box today, is easily a seven to nine out of 10, depending on what you need. The fact that it can do packet capture, line rate gig or 10 gig without dropping a packet, to me that's a 10. There are not a lot of products out there that can do that. The fact that we could do 10 gig all day long, for three straight months, fresh off the assembly line — that just floors me. That's a big telltale sign of the R&D and the love that went into that device before it ever got into my hands. That's priceless.

I definitely see the power and benefit of the AirMapper and its functionality. It takes a little getting used to, in my opinion, because I'm so used to tapping as I'm walking. This doesn't do that. With AirMapper you have to stop, tap it, and then you have to wait. It is a little bit different methodology. It's a little bit slow to collect the data because you have to tap it and hold and be a little more patient.

I'd like to see further development with some of the newer tools like AirMapper. I know it's going to come, it's just going to take some time.

WiFi discovery and diagnostics and overall WiFi testing, so far, have been fairly good comparatively, but I'm sure they can go further. Even the autolink tests could probably have some further diagnostic stuff built into them.

It's just a matter of time. This is like having a newborn baby and trying to get it to adolescence very quickly.

I currently work as an Enterprise and Data Center Network Consultant. Because of that I’m in a wide variety of customer environments that change constantly. The flexibility of the nXG allows me to keep it with me, no matter where I am and know I have the resource to perform wired, copper or fiber, and wireless network testing. This flexibility allows me to have instill my customers with confidence after an install that their network services are available and functioning as expected.

As a consultant, one of my primary jobs when designing and deploying network infrastructure is determining a test plan that will be utilized to verify network services and resources are available once work is complete. The nXG provides a versatile testing platform for a variety of media and gives a user the ability to pre-define test conditions. Once defined I can attach the Etherscope to the network and run my tests to confirm a successful installation, or to identify problems within the infrastructure that need to be remedied. With this ability to run test plans efficiently I'm able to proactively improve the Quality of Experience an end-user will have before they even know a new solution is in place.

Given the fact that my job is variable by nature — I'm always with different customers, I'm always in different environments — the ability to carry a single, small, handheld unit that can provide all of this testing, troubleshooting and analysis capability is a game changer. With previous iterations of the NetAlly products, many of these great features were present, but they weren't as flexible - one may not be able to test wireless, or, perform 10 Gigabit testing - and there were times I would end up at a customer site with the wrong tester in my bag and have to find another solution, or waste time retrieving one of my other testers. Now, it's all in a single unit. I never have to worry that the unit I'm carrying won't have the feature set I need that day. I'm able to demonstrate to my customers how much value can be added by simply pulling a tool out of my backpack, plugging it into the network, and analyzing the problem. As an engineers I can then verify the problem and fix it in one fell swoop. I'm able to eliminate a lot of the intermediary work that would have been present had I not had an all-in-one tester.

While I haven't kept logs of when I use the product, how often, and how much time it has saved me, I would estimate that in troubleshooting and testing situations I have increased my efficiency by roughly 50% with the addition of the Etherscope nXG to my tool set. 

I don't think I can really hone in on a specific feature that has made this product valuable to me. Its unique combination of testing, analysis and troubleshooting tools packaged into a single unit in a reliable, efficient and aesthetically pleasing platform has been fantastic. The ability to perform packet captures, traffic analysis, iPerf testing and more in the palm of my hand has contributed to a wildly successful product and contributed to my ability to drive customer satisfaction in a big way. 

The multi-technology functionality of the solution (ie. the fact that it does WiFi and wired Ethernet analysis up to 10GB speeds in one device) has really been a huge improvement in the NetAlly products. Previously, while some of the older generations I worked with had those capabilities, they could only do a little bit of wireless or a little bit of wired, but they couldn't really do the whole spectrum together. This product has allowed me to slip one conveniently sized utility into my bag wherever I'm going and know that, right there in my bag, I have the resources to do any of fiber, wired Ethernet, or wireless testing, without having to dig into a bag if I need to change technologies or for adapters or for a different test. It's all one, convenient, centralized unit.

I use the pre-programmed AutoTest feature as a starting point and, overall, it is a very successful utility. It provides a wealth of information to the user. AutoTest isn't just a, "Is your network good to go or is it not?", type utility. The software will analyze the network conditions and provide valuable output to the user to aid in identifying network issues. It will also provide you a detailed readout on how the various test were performed, what step a tes failed out and what caused the failure. For example, if it had to wait too long for a DHCP address to be assigned, or if it couldn't reach a destination, it will provide that output as well. AutoTest provides a large amount of information for quite a few test parameters in one convenient dashboard. It also has the ability to upload those results to NetAlly's Link-Live Cloud Service. That has been invaluable for sharing results among my team members and analyzing results after the fact.

I also make use of the solution's full line-rate 10 gigabit capability very frequently. I have customers who have 10 gigabit or higher infrastructure in their organizations and, whether we have to do speed testing on those units or we simply need to connect to a port that is a 10 gigabit line rate port and determine information about it, having this small unit is wonderful. While NetAlly's OneTouch could handle 10 gigabit, it was roughly the size of a large book. It was pretty difficult to carry around conveniently or break out in the event that I needed to utilize it.

As a handheld tool, the functionality is incredible. I'm always working with one technology or another, but it's all focused around networking. This single unit can provide me the troubleshooting and analysis capabilities of five or six tools that I would've had to carry before and it fits in my backpack. I can carry it with me all the time, charge it very easily via USB-C and immediately have it available and ready to use in a customer environment. 

In addition, the solution is easy to use for less skilled staff, but has deep diagnostics for experts. Many times when I'm onsite, I'll hand my tester to someone who may be a manager or on maintenance staff in that department. I'll send them to a closet to test the cable for me when I'm on the other end looking at a console or other readout, so that I can see the results and what's happening. They're very easily able to plug in the device, hit AutoTest on the screen and press start. It's as easy as that.

There are a variety of tools out there for things like packet capture and speed rate testing. But having them all in the single unit is invaluable. You're able to walk up to a device, plug it in, and, if you need to take a packet capture for troubleshooting, it's right there, built into the device. If you need to do a speed test, it's built in. Whereas before, you'd have to have dedicated applications, pull out a laptop, make sure you had the right thing installed and, if not, go install it, and then perform the testing.

I've really had some positive experience with this product. But eventually, and I know it's not something that can be built directly into this product, I would like to see NetAlly provide a device, even if it's larger or more expensive, that can test the higher rate speeds like, 40 or 100 gigabits per second.

The only improvement I can come up with is the battery life. If they could improve the battery life, that would be great.

I've used NetAlly products for several years. The Etherscope nXG in particular I've been using since its launch in October 2019. 

I've never had an issue with its stability.

I have not had to interact with their technical support, which I think shows a lot, since I use it pretty regularly.

I've always used NetAlly solutions: I've used their OneTouch device, as well as their OneTouch G2, OneTouch AT, and LinkSprinters. I'm pretty sure I've used every physical product that NetAlly provides.

I have definitely seen return on my investment with this solution.

To me, it's invaluable. Time-saving, when I'm working with such a wide variety of customers and going from site to site, is one of the most important things that can be improved in my position. Having this tester, the ability to utilize it for quick troubleshooting while I'm on-the-fly, keeping it with me all the times when I'm traveling between customer sites, has been something that I wouldn't place a price point on.

If you're on the fence reach out to your regional account representative within NetAlly and request a demo of the product before anything else. It is a solid enough product that seeing it in use, even within a NetAlly demo, makes it very clear to many customers and many technical decision-makers how valuable a product like this can be in an organization. Its value is very easily shown and very easily understood by a wide variety of people. Requesting that demo and looking at it before purchasing is always a great step, but it will definitely reinforce the decision to do so.

Also, read the documentation. If there's something that you don't understand, or the output of a test looks unclear, or it's something that you haven't seen before, look at the documentation before anything else. Within the manual they very clearly detail all the potential test results, what they mean, and what implications they have. The fact that the manual is available right on the device in a PDF reader is great.

In addition, make sure to look at the app store that's available on the device. It's curated by NetAlly and it has tools that are vetted and specific for troubleshooting and analyzing networks. That app store has a wealth of applications that can be used in addition to what NetAlly has already built.

I would rate the EtherScope nXG at nine out of 10, because there is always room for new features and improvement in any product. That being said, NetAlly has built an incredibly stable product that provides a large amount of value to anyone using it.

The main thing I wanted to do with it was to inject noise into the line but I also used it to see how much noise was on the line. I also used it to measure the cable length and the pairing quality of the cable. 

In addition, I could remote in from my computer, as long as it was on a network, so I didn't have to go back and forth. If I needed it in the lab, I'd place it there and go to my laptop and control it. I could read all the tests and do any tests, all I needed to, which was really good.

It has not improved the way our company functions because we just used it, in a test situation, for one sample problem we were going through. We were looking for a tool that would give us what we needed, which was to look for noise and to create noise. Unless there is a part or function I was not aware of, it only reads noise; it does not create noise.

I really liked the remote login. That way, if I needed to do something inside of a ceiling, I didn't have to sit inside the ceiling. I could just plug it in and leave the instrument in the ceiling and go to my laptop and use it remotely. That was really good. I really liked that.

We do WiFi testing with our AP, but I didn't get a chance to use it because of COVID. However, I did do a quick test. One thing I liked was that it would tell me signal strength, the noise in the nearby ones, and it would even tell me about some hidden ones. That was cool, as most units don't tell you that. Another good thing I really liked was that it would not only tell me the IP address, but it would tell me more info. It would grab the CDP off of the CDP profile and read all the info it could get, so I knew what I was looking at. The WiFi and the wired were really good. While I didn't use very much of the WiFi, what I did use was good.

It has automated tests where it goes through each process. It took a while but I would just let it do its automated testing and I was happy with that. If I'm not mistaken, there were two pre-programmed functions. One of them was to check reports and why traffic was not running. The other one was checking cable noise and cable quality. I used the automated testing for cable noise and cable quality more than I used it for protocol and trafficking. On the side I did use it, it was good. I liked it. It was accurate. I know because I used another tool, a Fluke, and they were really close to each other, so I'm assuming they're both calibrated the same way.

If I could reset it remotely, meaning reboot the unit, that would be helpful. One time, the test would not respond; the script would lock up. I had to go and manually reboot it. If I could have sent a command to reboot and it would have automatically connected to the wireless, that would have made it perfect. That was the only thing that it did not do. If you're sitting remotely, at your desk, and the unit is at a customer's site and you need to reboot, the only way you can do that is to call up the customer and ask them, "Hey, can you go reboot it for me?" and customers usually don't like that.

I used it for between a month and two months. I was the only in our company who was using it. We were testing the product.

Other than the script locking up once in a while, it was pretty stable.

I didn't use technical support for the device. I used the manual that came with it, and that was about it.

EtherScope offered more things than the other ones offered. The other ones only offered cable length, cable quality, but no noise readings. This one gave you more in-depth networking protocols, noise readings, all that good stuff. I haven't seen another one that does as much as this one.

As for the learning curve, once I messed with it a little bit, I got to know how to use it pretty well. It was fairly easy to just plug-and-go, to do the basics. I was able to get up and run a test within 15 minutes. Within a day I was able to use all the functions just fine and was very comfortable using all the functions. And it could also provide deep diagnostics.

I also looked at an Agilent meter reader, which has two handheld units and you connect the cable. It's not as fancy as the EtherScope.

This could save a lot of headaches on troubleshooting networks, connections, and cables. It's got a lot of options and it could definitely save a lot of time if used properly.

I would rate it about an eight out of 10. It's not a 10 because there were a few bugs. It could be improved. Also, I don't know if it has this feature or not, but if I could write my own script to use on that machine, it would definitely be a 10. If it doesn't have that, I would stay with my eight. Most people who are engineers like to automate things, and they would want to write their own script to do their own testing.

We are a group that tests WiFi routers and interaction between those routers and client devices, such as laptops, etc. We use these NetAlly devices pretty extensively for getting a third-party view of what's going on over the air.

We use it primarily for its WiFi-related features, such as looking at what channels are being used, what other access points are on the air nearby. At times we use it at a customer's location in real-world settings, and at other times we use it in the lab when we're creating our own scenarios.

It helps us confirm what's in the air.

Since we're previous users of this type of product from NetScope and Fluke, I don't have metrics that show where this device has sped up our work, but it is an integral part of how we do our work. One way of saying it is that we have multiple RF chambers and test environments and we've equipped each one of those test locations with it's own NetAlly. We consider it an important enough tool that we have one in every place we're doing a test, so that we have the ability to get a quick view of what's on over the air.

It also provides a faster view of the network than what we could get by using other tools. In terms of our efficiency, our ability to perform tests and debug test environments quickly is enhanced by this device.

Compared to if we didn't have the nXGs at all, and we were troubleshooting a problem that could be identified by the device, it speeds up work by a factor of between two to 10 times. Rather than doing a packet capture and slow analysis, you can just take a look at something and be off and running. It speeds things up greatly.

It has also made our networking staff more productive, although I'm not sure how to quantify that. It's kind of like asking a plumber how long it will take him to do his job if he doesn't have the wrenches he needs.

Compared to any other means of getting a given type information, using this tool provides that information in a fraction of the time. It may be that we would go through an entire week and never use these units. So in that week they wouldn't save us anything at all. But when a problem comes up, the ability to pick it up and get the answer we need in a couple of minutes, versus an hour, makes a big difference at that point in time. You may only need that particular "wrench" 15 times a year, but every time you need it, it really is useful.

One of the key measurements that we use out of the device is the channel utilization measurement, how much traffic is on the air in a given channel. That's the most valuable feature for us. The ability to make a very fast measurement of how much traffic is on the air is a key value. Otherwise we'd have to do a packet capture and do some analysis. It speeds up our testing.

The newer version of NetAlly, the nXG, does a better job than previous models of allowing us to drill into conversations between individual clients and access points and get packet captures.

Its ability to do 802.11ax is also useful.

In addition, the device is easy to use for less skilled staff but with deep diagnostics for our experts on stuff. The graphical approach that it uses makes it very easy to see what's going on over the air and where your potential problems may be. And the graphical interface to pursue a problem is also very easy to use. 

Having said that, we're a fairly highly-specialized group, so I don't know that I have a good answer about less skilled users. What I'm judging by is that everybody in our lab, whether they're WiFi-specific experts or not, can pick it up and use it very easily. But in terms of whether technicians and other other folks could use it, I really don't know since I haven't given it to other users. But the ability to get to the view that you're interested in, and get a number quickly, makes it an easy-to-use test tool, as compared to a spectrum analyzer or a more complex tool. It's definitely an easy to use device, easy to navigate around, and it makes good use of the user interface.

The one thing that it doesn't do well, when it's doing airtime utilization measurements, is that it will classify things as non-802.11, and that isn't correct. What it could do better is make sure that it classifies all traffic that's in the air correctly. That's something that I've complained to them about before. It can infer that you have interference that really isn't there.

Also, the ability to integrate it into automated testing is fairly limited. Part of what we do is automate things whenever we possibly can. The ability to integrate it into automated test environments more readily would be useful.

Finally, while it does support 802.11ax technology, if it were able to give us a bit more information about what's happening in the 802.11ax realm, it would be useful. For example, we can't use this device to determine when something like OFDMA is being used in a conversation between an access point and a client. So more 802.11ax-specific data would be useful.

We have been using this particular device for several months. We bought them last year. We've been users of previous models as well, when it was NetScope, and even back when it was a Fluke device.

The stability is improved over previous versions. It has been fine. No problems with it at all. We got the previous device to "blue screen" a few times but we think that was tied to it's being in the presence of 802.11ax traffic.

If additional features are added that enhance our ability to troubleshoot WiFi problems, then it would get increased use. But we don't know of any such features at this moment in time.

I haven't used NetAlly's customer support in over a year, and that was on the previous model.

They have been very interactive. We've had conversations all the way back to their design engineering teams and that's very valuable: having a company that is active and responsive. We value that.

We originally used the Fluke version of the WiFi analyzer and then we used what I think was called NetScope, the version that was the predecessor of this one. We've been users of this same product line for some time.

The driver for us to switch to the newest version was to pick up the 802.11ax capability.

The learning curve was short. It does behave a little bit differently than the previous version, so we had to unlearn how the previous model worked. But once we understood it, it was easy to remember and use.

I wouldn't say it's completely intuitive. The company provided training for us for certain things and, while it was only an hour's worth of training, it really did help. So you can master it in an hour with a little bit of a tutorial. And to be fair, that tutorial took us through the entire product; all the features beyond WiFi. You could learn to use all the WiFi functions in a half an hour.

We have seen return on our investment. What we thought we were buying was the ability to quickly assess the WiFi environment wherever we needed to. And it does that.

In terms of the cost of the device versus its ability to save you time or solve problems faster, it's a good value.

I don't consider the pricing to be a problem. It's not a cheap device, but it's a very capable device for the money. It's a good value.

My advice would be "use it." Get a demo and try it to see how effective it is at identifying, for WiFi situations, what's going on in the air around you. Try it out, go debug something with it. If you are someone in the business of being in the field, day in and day out, try out all of the interfaces on it. If you're a person who has to debug a variety of different network issues every day — Ethernet, WiFi, fiber — I would definitely encourage you to to try it out. It's very capable. It doesn't do MoCA — that's coax cable — which is important to our market space, but for most network installers, I don't think that would be an issue. If you're a network installer you should definitely have a look at this tool.

I don't know that I've learned the following by using the nXG, but it has certainly helped reinforce it: Being able to attain a third-party look at what your WiFi environment is, is key to troubleshooting problems. Devices themselves that may be a part of your network may not necessarily always be telling you the truth. Your ability to get an independent view of what is going on over the air is key. That's the key takeaway for me. I need a reliable way to get visibility into what's going on over the air so that the analysis and the troubleshooting that are going to be done are appropriate. Visibility of what's really going on from an independent piece of test gear is very critical.

The multi-technology functionality of the device, that it does WiFi and wired Ethernet analysis in one device, is not that important to us. We use the multi-function capability maybe 10 percent of the time. Since most of our focus is on WiFi, while it's convenient to have the ability to test other things, we don't use it that often.

We rarely use the pre-programmed AutoTest feature. We typically have our own test protocol for how we want to conduct a test. I can definitely see how AutoTest could be very useful in the field-deployment arena. But we don't use it all that much. It appears to be effective at being able to find top-level network problems. A good example would be if you are testing a device and the WiFi appears to be working but you aren't getting connectivity to the internet. You might want an independent test of that with another device, and that's where AutoTest could quickly determine if you are really getting out to the internet through your router or not.

Within our group, the maintenance and systems engineering group, there are 11 of us using this solution and we are all test engineers. In terms of maintenance, we just use them. We perform firmware upgrades as they are available, but beyond that there is no other maintenance.

This product is a 10 out of 10. It's a solid little product.

NetAlly EtherScope nXG is an all-round tool we use for front-end troubleshooting, performance tests, and cable testing.

The biggest benefit of NetAlly EtherScope nXG is getting a full discovery on the wide and Wi-Fi side, getting it all under one discovery, and seeing how it all maps out together.

Being able to do a Wi-Fi walk-around survey with a handheld tool is one of the most valuable features of NetAlly EtherScope nXG. The advantages of NetAlly EtherScope nXG are that it is handheld, Android-based, and very up-to-date.

NetAlly EtherScope nXG's reporting and table qualification could be improved. The disadvantages of NetAlly EtherScope nXG are its password life and end reporting.

I have been using NetAlly EtherScope nXG for three years.

NetAlly EtherScope nXG is a very stable product, and we have not faced any issues with it.

Overall, NetAlly EtherScope nXG is a very scalable product, and it's good for what it does straight out of the box. However, if you don't pay support for it, they shut some features down on the product. We have four NetAlly EtherScope nXG users on-premises and sold 46 units.

I've had customers who have dropped units and had issues with some faults that they caused themselves. NetAlly EtherScope nXG's fantastic technical support proactively resolved those issues.

I have previously used the OneTouch from NETSCOUT and the Optiview from Fluke Networks.

The solution is easy to set up, but you need to ensure you register your product. NetAlly EtherScope nXG is deployed on cloud. For NetAlly EtherScope nXG's deployment, you need to claim it onto the cloud tester, and all the test results get pushed to the cloud service for reporting.

NetAlly EtherScope nXG is priced too much and needs to come down by about 15 percent of its current price.

You need to pay an annual maintenance fee for the maintenance provided by the vendor.

I recommend that users go through the online training on YouTube that NetAlly provides to get the product's full potential.

Overall, I rate NetAlly EtherScope nXG a nine out of ten for the additional features you can add because it is an Android device.