Back in 2010, 2.4 GHz interferers could run, but they couldn’t hide from Wi-Spy and Chanalyzer. Customers were seeing 2.4 GHz interferers show up in Chanalyzer, but they couldn’t tell exactly where the interferer was. Turns out, if you take a Wi-Spy and screw a highly directional antenna onto its RP-SMA connector, you can create the perfect heat-seeking missile (by heat we mean RF and by missile we mean troubleshooting tool) to discover unwanted Wi-Fi interferers.

So, our hardware engineer at the time got pretty nerdy with azimuth, bandwidth and gain (oh, my!), and the Device Finder Directional Antenna was born. Over the last 9 years, Device Finder has helped thousands of frustrated Wi-Fi users locate nasty interferers that were running roughshod all over the 2.4 GHz band.

2010-era Device Finder and Wi-Spy DBx

Wi-Fi has changed a lot since 2010, and the Device Finder has continued to be a great little 2.4 GHz workhorse. But as the 5 GHz band has filled up over the last few years, customers (understandably) began asking for a dual-band antenna to match the dual-band Wi-Spy DBx.

Well, you know what they say… necessity is the mother of invention. And, teamwork makes the dream work. And… don’t eat yellow snow (no wait, that doesn’t sound right.) Anyway, back to teamwork and it making the dream work. Enter the perfect companion to the Wi-Spy DBx of today: the Alfa APA-M25.

2019-era dual-band Alfa APA-M25

The Alfa APA-M25 is a high gain directional indoor antenna with an RP-SMA connector, just like Device Finder, but get this: it’s dual-band. Wi-Spy DBx + Alfa dual-band antenna = 2.4 and 5 GHz troubleshooting awesomeness.

So, we’re going to let the Alfa antenna take it from here and officially end-of-life the MetaGeek-branded Device Finder Directional Antenna. Yes, sunsetting the Device Finder is the end of an era. But, the era that’s ending is one where you can only locate 2.4 GHz devices, and Wi-Fi is bigger than that now. Give me dual-band or give me death!

FAQ

• Q: I already own a Device Finder Directional Antenna. Will it still work with Wi-Spy and Chanalyzer?

  • A: Definitely! If you have it, keep on truckin’.

• Q: How do I buy the Alfa APA-M25?

  • A: The APA-M25 is already shipping with all the bundles that used to include Device Finder (Chanalyzer Essential, MetaGeek Complete, and MetaGeek Ultimate).

• Q: How do I use the thing?

  • Use it just like any directional antenna, but more specifics are available here

• Q: How do I find out more information?

  • A: Head over to the MetaGeek Knowledge Base for more info, and if anything is missing, our inboxes are always open at support@metageek.net.