Hannah Aronoff

Minim mobile app features spotlight: share my WiFi and more

The Minim® mobile app allows WiFi users the ability to both personalize and optimize their home network, so that stuff "just works." The Minim app's network view contains several key management and diagnostics goodies which we'll be going over in this blog.

Network tab: share my WiFi and more

Sharing WiFi credentials

Securing the home network is at the core of Minim’s ethos, preventing unknown devices and bad actors from joining a user's WiFi. But there are times when sharing a network is necessary, like having a socially distanced backyard gathering, for example.  

Luckily, the Minim app provides users the ability to easily share the SSID and password to their WiFi without compromising their security. To get started, navigate to the Network tab. 

App screenshot: gateway

How to share a network

  1. Scroll down to the Main WiFi section where the 2.4GHz and 5GHz SSIDs are shown. 
  2. Tap on the share button to the right of the SSID you'd like to share.  
  3. A window will pop up from the bottom of the screen offering various methods for sharing WiFi credentials.
  4. Click on the method you want to use to share network details and send.
  5. After you share network the window will disappear.

Network performance 

Frequently testing the WiFi speed at home is vital to not only understanding network performance but also improving signal strength. Minim app users can run network speed tests right on the home page and see a snapshot of their network’s performance with information relating to the download and upload connection, as well as the types of services the speed can support, such as 4k streaming. 

App screenshot: internet speed

How to run a network speed test

  1. From the Network tab, scroll down to the bottom of the screen to the card with the Connection header.
  2. Tap the Run speed test button. The speed test will take a few minutes to run.
  3. After the speed test is complete, the results will be posted above the Run speed test button.

View our video below to see the process in action.

 

After running the speed test, the app will display a green checkmark for each type of supported usage.

  • If the speed is unable to support certain types of usage, the circles will have red x-marks.
  • If the speed supported usage is unknown, the circles will have grey question marks. 

The Minim app also tests for the ideal speeds at which users can stream videos or play online games. Here's a breakdown of the bandwidth needed for each action:

  • Web = 64 kbps download
  • Music = 384 kbps download
  • SD  = 1 Mbps download
  • Games = 3 Mbps download
  • HD = 4.5 Mbps download
  • 4k = 22.5 Mbps download

Beneath the checkboxes, the Minim app will show the network’s download speed, upload speed, and latency. For help breaking down the meaning behind each of these metrics, check out this guide on interpreting your speed test results!   

New feature: speed test location

When running a speed test, Minim app users can now see the server location from which the speed test was run and select to view the pin on a map.

App screenshot: internet speed tests

Speed test history

To view a history of all the network speed test results, tap on the History link to the right of the Connection heading. The next page will display a copy of the most recent speed test run. You can also run a speed test from this page. If you scroll down, you will find a chronological list of speed tests that have been run from most recent to oldest. 

These features are especially handy if the WiFi on the home network is lagging and keeps losing connection. After checking network signal strength and running a speed test, app users check what other devices are connected that may be hogging available bandwidth. 

Device performance

If running a network speed test reveals slower speeds than expected or desired, Minim app users can take a deep dive into the devices connected to their network. The Minim app provides signal strength and bandwidth usage stats for each device so users can pinpoint device performance problems and troubleshoot issues on their own. 

How to view device signal strength 

  1. At the top of the Network tab, tap the button that reads X/X devices online to view all the devices on the network.
  2. Tap on a device to learn more about it.
  3. The next page will display details about that device including top sites visited, signal strength, device connection and bandwidth.
  4. Scroll halfway down the device page and locate the Signal strength card.

In the middle of the Signal strength card there is a pulsing circle that will display the device’s current signal strength (dBm) and rating (Great, Good… etc). Beneath the circle, the card will show the signal (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz) as well as the access point the device is connected to. 

App screenshot: signal strength

Device signal strength and bandwidth history

For further troubleshooting help, Minim App users can tap on the History link to the right of the Signal strength heading, which leads to a new page displaying device signal strength and bandwidth consumption over time.

Tapping on the Bandwidth tab will show the user the amount of bandwidth a device has used over the course of an hour, day, or week. The user can also see how the bandwidth is consumed by a device (download vs. upload) in the Bandwidth tab. 

How to run a device speed test

Back on the device overview page beneath the Signal strength card is the Device connection card. This card is similar to the Connection card on the main Network tab, in this case offering the same speed insights but for that specific device, as opposed to the overall network. Users can run a speed test from the access point to the device to zero in on device issues. 

  1. From the device page, scroll down to the bottom of the screen to the card with the Device connection header.
  2. Tap the Run speed test button. The speed test will take a few minutes to run.
  3. After the speed test is complete, the results will be posted above the Run speed test button.

Just getting started with Minim or need a refresh? Check out these additional Minim feature spotlights:

To learn more about Minim's platform, get in touch with us.

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