October 25, 2011

How to Sweep a Room for Electronic Listening Devices

Learning how to sweep a room for electronic listening devices is not as complicated as you may think and once you learn the basic steps you will be able to sweep a normal sized room in just a few minutes. Much of the time will depend on the bug detector you are using as your sweeping device.

The process to properly sweep a room is the same whether your audio bug detector has some type of strength meter or uses audio alarms to alert you to any radio frequencies it may detect.

Wireless Network Detector

wireless network detector

You can decide whether you start on the left or right of the entrance door since what you are basically going to do is treat the room like a grid and go row by row until the room is completely and thoroughly swept.

Start your sweep by facing the wall and stand back about 5 feet from it. Hold your bug detector in your outstretched arm and start to slowly move your arm back and forth from side to side. Depending on your detector you will either hear a sound or see the strength meter move if you pick up any signals during the sweep.

If your bug detector should find a signal you will need to determine which way the signal is coming from by using a process of elimination. The stronger the signal the more your detector will react so you can narrow it down by continuing to go side to side until you see which way the signal is the strongest.

Once you narrow down the direction move a few steps in that direction and sweep side to side once again to determine which way the signal is the strongest. Repeat these steps until the signal is equally as strong on both sides of you.

Once you are in front of the source you can use slow side to side movements to narrow it down to the exact point of the signal. Depending on where the bug is located, you may need to move your arm up and down as well in order to find the exact point of the signal.

If you find you are unable to narrow down the exact source of the radio frequencies if may be due to those signals bleeding in through the walls from outside of the room. Although a wall can block much of a radio signal some of it will generally still get through.

You can verify this if the signal is the strongest when you are in front of the window. If there is no window you may need to go outside and walk around the building if at all possible.

It sounds a lot harder than it is but after you have done it a couple of times you will be able to sweep an entire room in just minutes and be sure no one will be able to listen in to the conversation within the room.

How to Sweep a Room for Electronic Listening Devices

wireless network detector

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