How to Create a WiFi Heatmap

What Is a WiFi Heatmap?

A WiFi heatmap is a colour-coded map of your wireless signal strength over a given space, your home, office, warehouse, or hotel. Heatmaps make it simple to see where your signal is strongest, where it begins to deteriorate or drop out entirely, and where interference from walls, equipment, or neighbouring networks may be creating obstacles.

On the map, various colours represent different signal strengths; green typically indicates good coverage, yellow indicates fair coverage, and red indicates weak or no signal.

Creating an accurate WiFi heatmap is not about wandering around with an app; it requires on-site, serious investigation and the appropriate equipment to consider factors such as device loading, channel contention, and physical barriers. That is precisely why heat mapping is such an integral component of any professional Wi-Fi site survey.

By using specialised WiFi heatmap software, WiFi engineers can not only chart existing performance but also design WiFi network configurations that optimise coverage, minimise latency, and secure your connectivity in the long run.

Tools to Create a WiFi Heatmap

There are a variety of means to start your adventure with a WiFi heatmap, depending on
your needs:

1.Ekahau WiFi Heatmap Tools (Professional Standard)

Ekahau is one of the most respected names in wireless network diagnostics, providing market-leading WiFi heatmap software and hardware. It creates extremely detailed heatmaps, spectrum analysis, and performance metrics vital to WiFi network design, but it is not a cheap solution. A complete Ekahau solution, comprising both the software license and Sidekick hardware, can exceed £5,000.

This makes it ideal for managed service providers and Wi-Fi networking consultants, although it becomes less valuable to companies seeking to address standalone connectivity issues.

2. Free or Low-Cost Heatmap Software

There are some mobile applications and budget software that promise to provide the same functionality. These range from WiFi heatmap applications for Android to desktop applications like NetSpot and inSSIDer. They might be helpful for light scanning, but their usefulness falls short, especially in more complicated spaces like warehouses or big offices.

They also do not provide functionality like interference analysis, multi-story mapping, or advanced access point planning.

How to Create a DIY WiFi Heatmap

If you’re keen to try creating your own heatmap, here’s a basic outline:

• Get a floorplan of your building or space.
• Download a WiFi heatmap tool (free or paid, like NetSpot or VisiWave).
• Walk through the area with a laptop or tablet, stopping at regular intervals to let the software record signal strength.
• Review the results, looking for red or orange zones (indicating poor signal) and green zones (good signal).
• Use the findings to reposition access points, add extenders, or reduce interference.

But Here’s the Catch…

It is easy to generate a basic WiFi heatmap if you have the right tools and some technical expertise. You could download an app, walk around your space, and generate a visual map of your signal strength, but that’s only scratching the surface. Interpreting the data correctly is where the rubber meets the road. Signal dropouts, patterns of interference, and overlapping channels may not be immediately apparent to the naked networking eye. Most DIY devices, however, tend to be missing the sophisticated functionality needed to identify issues such as packet loss, delay, and device overload—problems that can significantly affect user experience even in locations with what appears to be “strong” coverage.

This is where professional WiFi surveys truly shine, offering a tangible advantage. With enterprise-grade tools such as Ekahau, WiFi engineers can analyse much more than the strength of the signal. They test network performance in real-life circumstances, considering the unique floor plan and design of your building, and offer you tailored recommendations that specifically solve the problem you face.

Essentially, while a DIY heatmap will point you in the right direction, a professional survey ensures that you not only end up there, but stay there with a network that is stable, flexible enough to handle rising demand, and avoids costly trial-and-error fixes.

Why a Professional WiFi Heatmap Is Worth It

If you’re managing a busy business, shared workspace, hotel, or event venue, poor WiFi isn’t just annoying; it can cost you money, time, and credibility. With a professional survey, you get:

• Access to enterprise-grade WiFi heatmap tools like Ekahau
• Insights into latency, packet loss, channel interference, and device load
• Expert recommendations on access point placement and configuration
• Future-proofing for scaling your network or adding IoT systems

And best of all, you don’t need to spend thousands on software you’ll only use once.

Thinking of Performing a WiFi Heatmap? Speak to the Specialists

Though DIY tools may appear to be a quick fix, they never reveal the complete picture. For precise findings and valuable performance enhancements, the ideal choice is a professional heatmap survey.

At The WiFi Specialist, we utilise the most up-to-date tools, including Ekahau WiFi heatmapping software, to carefully scan your network and eliminate those annoying signal blackspots. Whether you need to upgrade your office WiFi, optimise coverage in a warehouse, or provide your hotel visitors with a good connection, we both possess the tools as well as the expertise to get it right on the first attempt.

Find out more about our professional WiFi heatmap service here.