A Graphical Network Simulator for Windows
Why should I use the KMAX Network Simulator when Windows 10 has a built-in mobile network emulator?
Question: My team is developing a new software app that runs on iOS and Android phones. I have Windows 10 running on my desktop. I plan to go ahead and test it out with the built-in Windows 10 mobile network emulator. There's a free version, 100% software, so I think I'm all set.
Answer: Sorry but that will not work at all. The Windows 10 Mobile Emulator software emulates a mobile device running Windows 10 Mobile.
It does not emulate:
a mobile device running iOS (such as an iPhone).
a mobile device running Android (such as a Samsung mobile phone).
a wearable tech device like a Fitbit running the Fitbit OS.
or any other device that is NOT running Windows 10 mobile.
In order to use the Microsoft Emulator, the target device must be running Windows 10 Mobile.
Microsoft previously called this product the "Windows Phone Emulator" which we believe is a less confusing term. Windows Graphical Network Simulator or Emulator confuses the issue and implies that a network is simulated.
Microsoft Emulator provides a virtualized environment on the desktop in which you can debug and test your Windows app software without a physical device. This can be very useful for testing Graphical User Interface (GUI) functionality, such as different screen resolutions, screen size configurations, lock screen, phone keyboard, and so on. For networking, the emulator uses the network connection of the host computer.
You can click on "enable network simulation" to test your app with two parameters of wireless operation:
Performance:
No network
2G
3G
4G
Signal strength:
Good
Average
Poor
However, the designations of signal strength are subjective and not fully characterized. A better approach would be to clearly designate the effect on the packets -- including the amount of packet loss, duplication, delay, and jitter as applied to "Good, Average, or Poor". Our KMAX Network Simulator offers 16 scenarios that characterize different mobile network performance. Each scenario is backed up with actual research.
Unlike the Windows Phone Emulator, the KMAX Network Simulator emulates the network conditions that will confront all mobile devices on all types of networks (not just 3G/4G cellular), under both typical and adverse network conditions.
Compatibility and Usability
KMAX uses a graphical web browser interface operating with the Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, and Safari web browsers. This type of GUI is very helpful for new engineers unfamiliar with network simulators.
Pre-Defined Scenarios
In addition, the KMAX pre-defined scenarios, will be useful to all developers and testers who can use the GUI to select the desired network scenario to learn how their app will perform.
Here's an example of an application usability stress test from the KMAX Graphical User Interface:
Packages Available
The KMAX Network Simulator is available as a complete, off-the-shelf hardware and software package, or it can be acquired on a subscription basis as a virtual appliance on VMware, VirtualBox, and other virtualized environments.