Portable computing device and associated method for analyzing a wireless local area network

A method for analyzing a wireless local area network utilizing a portable wireless network analysis device, comprising:

• receiving data from the wireless local area network with a wireless network interface, the wireless network interface contained in a portable wireless network analysis device;
• analyzing the wireless local area network data utilizing the portable wireless network analysis device;
• collecting information selected from the group consisting of source addresses, destination addresses, dropped packets, packet types, and packet sizes, utilizing the portable wireless network analysis device;
• collating statistics selected from the group consisting of packet totals, distribution of packet sizes, numbers of broadcasts, numbers of multicasts, numbers of errors of varying types, channel use statistics, utilization statistics, and packet rate statistics, utilizing the portable wireless network analysis device;
• decoding the data, utilizing the portable wireless network analysis device;
• detecting noise associated with the receipt of the data, utilizing the portable wireless network analysis device;
• and
• detecting a power level associated with the receipt of the data, utilizing the portable wireless network analysis device.

An apparatus for analyzing a wireless local area network, comprising:

• a portable wireless network analysis device embodied on a pocket personal computer, the portable wireless network analysis device comprising:
• a wireless network interface that communicatively couples the portable wireless network analysis device to the wireless local area network and receives data flowing on the wireless local area network;
• a network traffic analyzer, communicatively coupled to the wireless network interface, that receives the data and performs an analysis of the data received from the wireless local area network, wherein the receipt of the data is based at least in part on a service set identifier (SSID);
• the portable wireless network analysis device capable of being operated by user at one location and transported to second location, the portable wireless network analysis device operable to continue to monitor data on the wireless local area network while being transported from the first location to the second location;
• the portable wireless network analysis device further capable of collecting information selected from the group consisting of source addresses, destination addresses, dropped packets, packet types, and packet sizes;
• the portable wireless network analysis device further capable of collating statistics selected from the group consisting of packet totals, distribution of packet sizes, numbers of broadcasts, numbers of multicasts, numbers of errors of varying types, channel use statistics, utilization statistics, and packet rate statistics;
• the portable wireless network analysis device further capable of generating alarms based on conditions involving the statistics;
• the portable wireless network analysis device further capable of filtering the data;
• the portable wireless network analysis device further capable of buffering the filtered data;
• the portable wireless network analysis device further capable of decoding the filtered data for providing summaries, details, and hex-formatted information associated with the data;
• the portable wireless network analysis device further capable of detecting noise associated with the receipt of the data;
• the portable wireless network analysis device further capable of detecting a power level associated with the receipt of the data;
• the portable wireless network analysis device further capable of changing a channel on which the data is received;
• and
• the portable wireless network analysis device further capable of detecting rogue access points on the wireless local area network.

A method for analyzing a wireless local area network, comprising:

• receiving data from the wireless local area network with a wireless network interface, the wireless network interface contained in a portable wireless network analysis device, wherein the receipt of the data is based at least in part on a service set identifier (SSID);
• analyzing the wireless local area network data utilizing the portable wireless network analysis device;
• selectively, relocating the portable wireless network analysis device from a first location to a second location, the portable wireless network analysis device still performing the steps of receiving and analyzing concurrently with the relocating;
• collecting information selected from the group consisting of source addresses, destination addresses, dropped packets, packet types, and packet sizes, utilizing the portable wireless network analysis device;
• collating statistics selected from the group consisting of packet totals, distribution of packet sizes, numbers of broadcasts, numbers of multicasts, numbers of errors of varying types, channel use statistics, utilization statistics, and packet rate statistics, utilizing the portable wireless network analysis device;
• generating alarms based on conditions involving the statistics utilizing the portable wireless network analysis device;
• filtering the data utilizing the portable wireless network analysis device;
• buffering the filtered data utilizing the portable wireless network analysis device;
• decoding the filtered data for providing summaries, details, and hex-formatted information associated with the data, utilizing the portable wireless network analysis device;
• detecting noise associated with the receipt of the data utilizing the portable wireless network analysis device;
• detecting a power level associated with the receipt of the data utilizing the portable wireless network analysis device;
• changing a channel on which the data is received utilizing the portable wireless network analysis device;
• and
• detecting rogue access points on the wireless local area network utilizing the portable wireless network analysis device.