Wi-Fi is a big part of mobile computing and with so many devices from iPods to Blackberries and notebooks using it to transfer data, finding a Wi-Fi hotspot is one of the primary things the savvy techie will do when traveling anywhere. Many times, though, you might encounter a string of Wi-Fi hotspots only to find that all of them are password protected or are too weak to be connected to. Startech’s Wi-Fi Detector will give you a rundown of all the hotspots in your area with key technical information on them to let you determine whether it’s worth flipping open your notebook or switching over your smartphone over to Wi-Fi.

We found the LCD display to read out adequate information, although there are a lot of indicators which might scare away novices. A higher resolution display with more graphically descriptive indicators might be a better choice. The Wi-Fi Detector requires no external batteries. It comes with a Lithium Polymer battery which will recharge when the unit is plugged into any USB slot. The USB slot need only be powered so any kind of appliance (a NAS, DVD player or game console) will be sufficient in charging it.

Interestingly, the Wi-Fi Detector does more than simply detect Wi-Fi hotspots. Combined with the drivers provided by Startech, it can act as a Wi-Fi client device providing connectivity to a notebook for 802.11b and 802.11g networks. The Wi-Fi Detector is capable of supporting WEP and WPA encryption methods. Furthermore, the Wi-Fi Detector can also act as a Wi-Fi access point by itself. While you will need the unit plugged in and the Windows driver software running to provide access, this is actually a very slick feature because the Wi-Fi Detector can be configured to bridge two networks together via your notebook. How does this help? Say you’re in a hotel and you have your notebook logged in via Ethernet or your notebook’s own Wi-Fi to a paid access point or Internet service. If you want to share this out to other devices, the Wi-Fi Detector can be configured as a temporary access point allowing you to share your Internet service to other devices like an iPod Touch.

With features like these, we think the Wi-Fi Detector is a smart investment for any techie who is on the go. Although the display could use some higher resolution graphics and support for 802.11a and 802.11n, there are a lot of clever features in the Wi-Fi Detector which makes it more than simply a tool to find hotspots. The ability to act as a temporary access point and the chargeable Lithium Polymer battery are clever additions to the product and places Startech’s offering head and shoulders above its competitors.

Rating •••••80%•••••