Using UltraScan for AP Discovery

UltraScan is a continuous background AP scanner that tracks every visible access point over time, building a comprehensive catalog of your wireless environment. Unlike a single-pass scan, UltraScan accumulates data across multiple scan cycles, catching intermittent APs and tracking signal trends.

Starting a Scan

Click the Start button to begin scanning. UltraScan runs a scan every few seconds, automatically adding newly discovered APs and updating metrics for previously seen APs. The scan continues until you click Stop, allowing you to build a cumulative picture of your environment over time.

What Each AP Tile Shows

Every discovered access point is displayed as a tile with the following information:

• SSID — The network name (hidden networks are labeled as such).
• BSSID — The MAC address of the access point.
• Wi-Fi standard — Shown as a friendly name (Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 4).
• Band — 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or 6 GHz.
• Channel and width — Channel number and bandwidth (20/40/80/160/320 MHz).
• Frequency — The exact center frequency in MHz.
• Signal strength — Current signal in dBm and as a percentage, with a quality rating.
• Signal min/max/avg — The lowest, highest, and average signal observed across all scan cycles.
• Stability — A rating of how consistent the signal has been (stable, moderate, or unstable).
• Trend — Whether the signal is improving, declining, or stable over time.
• SNR — Signal-to-noise ratio.
• Max rate — Maximum PHY rate supported by the AP.
• Station count — Number of associated clients (when reported).
• Airtime — Channel airtime utilization.
• Beacon interval — Time between beacons in milliseconds.
• SGI — Whether short guard interval is supported.
• MLO badge — Indicates Wi-Fi 7 Multi-Link Operation capability.
• RSN auth/cipher — Authentication method and encryption cipher.
• Country code — Regulatory domain reported by the AP.
• Scan count — How many scan cycles have detected this AP.
• First/last seen — Timestamps for when the AP was first and most recently observed.

Sort Modes

UltraScan provides 10 sort modes to help you find what you need quickly:

1. Signal (strongest first) — Default. Puts the strongest APs at the top.
2. Signal (weakest first) — Useful for finding APs at the edge of coverage.
3. SSID A–Z — Alphabetical by network name.
4. SSID Z–A — Reverse alphabetical.
5. Channel — Groups APs by channel number.
6. Band — Groups APs by frequency band (2.4 / 5 / 6 GHz).
7. Standard (newest first) — Wi-Fi 7 at the top, Wi-Fi 4 at the bottom.
8. Width (widest first) — 320 MHz channels at the top, 20 MHz at the bottom.
9. Max Rate — Sorted by maximum PHY rate.
10. Last Seen — Most recently seen APs at the top, useful for spotting APs that have gone offline.

Signal Analysis

Each AP tile includes a signal analysis section with:

• History chart — A time-series chart showing how the signal has changed across scan cycles.
• Stability rating — Based on the standard deviation of signal measurements: stable (low deviation), moderate (medium deviation), or unstable (high deviation).
• Trend — Whether the signal is improving (getting stronger over time), declining (getting weaker), or stable (no significant change).

CSV Export

Export all scan data to a CSV file for analysis in a spreadsheet. The export includes 30+ columns covering every BSS metric: SSID, BSSID, signal statistics, channel, width, frequency, standard, security, station count, airtime, beacon interval, and all other fields shown on the AP tiles.

CSV export is useful for comparing environments before and after changes, creating inventory reports, or feeding data into external analysis tools.

HTML Report

Generate a professional dark-themed HTML report that includes:

• Summary statistics — Total APs, band distribution, average signal levels.
• Standards breakdown — How many APs use Wi-Fi 4, 5, 6, 6E, and 7.
• Band breakdown — Distribution across 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz.
• Width breakdown — Distribution of channel widths.
• Security breakdown — Distribution of security types (Open, WPA2, WPA3, etc.).
• Wi-Fi 7 features — MLO status, 320 MHz usage, and other Wi-Fi 7 capabilities.
• Full AP detail table — Every AP with all metrics, suitable for printing or sharing.

Session Save

UltraScan automatically saves scan sessions for later review. You can reload a previous session to examine the data without rescanning. This is useful for comparing different locations or time periods.

Tips

• Let UltraScan run for 5 or more minutes to catch intermittent APs that may not be visible on every scan cycle.
• Use the Standard sort mode to quickly find all Wi-Fi 7 access points in your environment.
• Export a CSV before and after network changes for a data-driven comparison.
• Check the Last Seen sort to identify APs that have gone offline during your scan session.
• Use the signal stability rating to identify APs with inconsistent coverage — these may indicate physical obstructions or interference issues.

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