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Ekahau Sidekick Accessory Testing by the WifiSpy


I decided to test two products to augment my Surface Pro 4 running Ekahau 10 that will help prevent accidents from happening with the cable and allow free and easy movement as you survey.  Safety should be #1 if you do work in any production/warehousing/manufacturing facilities.




The items tested today were Griffin Breaksafe Magnetic Breakaway USB Adapter, Standard USB Type a https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0759FKCK8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 priced at 19.99 at the time of the writing.







So first I will talk about the Griffin device.  Why would you want something like this?  If you've owned a MacBook in the past with the breakaway power cord, there isn't much more I can say about it.  If you haven't, it's a really cool thing and I was surprised to find this for a USB port.


What are the worst things can happen if the USB cable gets caught up on something?
  • USB Port damage to either the Sidekick or your Windows-based tablet.
    • Costly repairs for both devices
  • The tablet could go flying and be introduced formally to the ground or wall which is never a pleasant introduction.
  • In the right scenario, you could hurt yourself.
I know for a lot of readers, this may come off as a little comical but the perspective of the environment types you've surveyed for comes to mind.  Of course, your typical office or hospital won't really have these factors to really worry about.  

Examples of what I'm talking about:


  
The sign says it all

Think about it - any place with a moving conveyor belt could potentially put you into a precarious situation.  Why take the chance?


So, I made a quick little video of how it works and the force it takes to separate below. 




Testing?  I tested it connected to a USB hub with multiple devices such as WLAN Adapters, USB storage and of course, the Ekahau Sidekick.  I imagine the results below should help ease some minds.

With the Griffin device attached



Without



Just a pass-through as the data shows



Now onto the coiled USB to Micro-USB

Does it fit well?  Does it transfer fine?  Does Ekahau work fine with it?  Yes to all.

The video below should show you.  The snugness checker.

Pros? 

  • The coil will prevent snags from happening
  • It works with the Sidekick
  • Fits snug into the port with proper orientation
  • The angle on the USB end helps keep it that much closer to the tablet
  • Looking sharper


Cons?

  • You need to stretch the wire from the factory and work it out a little
  • You can get away with putting one coil in to keep a healthy spacing to prevent wear to the USB port of the Sidekick but I don't have enough testing and would likely use a piece of painters tape to ensure it.
I'll be spending more time with it in professional settings and see how it does with the test of time.







Comments

  1. Maksim GetmanApril 17, 2019 at 11:18 PM

    You also need MoKo Protective Rugged Cover Case for your Surface.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jonathan FinneyMay 6, 2019 at 5:33 PM

    I live dangerously! (I do though)

    ReplyDelete

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