Questions about Wardriving (or Wardriving 101)
I have decided to go wardriving for a project I have to do for my Sociology class, but I need some questions answered before I start and before I make any unnecersary expenditures.
1- My main question is this: Do I really have to download wireless sniffer software onto my laptop in order to wardrive. My main objective for my project is determine how many unsecured networks I stumble across and where that signal is comming from. Or will I just know when the little dialouge box pops us saying "connected" and at what signal strength? And if so, will I be able to determine where that signal is coming from?
2- If I do have to download sniffer software and/or I cannot determine whether or not the signal is encrypted or not using my laptop, I have decided I am not going to purchase sofware. I am going to purchase a Wi-Fi detection and analysis device instead. I was reading up about the Digital Hotspotter from Canary, but are there any other detection and analysis devices that do not cost as much that will determine signal location as well as tell me whether or not the signal I am getting is open or secured? I was leaning towards the WiFi Seeker by Chrysalis until I found out it only determines signal strength.
3- I was planning on purchasing a detection and analysis device eventually, anyway, so I don't have to go through the trouble of opening and powering up my laptop only to find that I am getting a signal I can't use. Can I purchase these devices at a store such as Circuit City or CompUSA? Or is the only place I can purchase them from is off the internet? Forgive me for not checking myself. I live out in the country and it's about a half-hours drive to the closest Circuit City and keep forgetting to check it out when I am in the city, which is like everyday.
4- Is there anything else I have to do to configure my laptop before going out on my wardriving escapade?
Any other information, tips, comments, and suggestions would be very much appreciated as well as helpful. I have searched the Wireless Security forum and have also checked to see if any similar topic has been posted before, but have turned up no reults. I even typed in Can I wardrive using only my laptop without wireless sniffer software? using quotation marks and turned up no results. Without them I got all types of crap that wasn't answering my questions.
Re: Questions about Wardriving (or Wardriving 101)
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Originally posted here by Outer_Heaven
I have decided to go wardriving for a project I have to do for my Sociology class, but I need some questions answered before I start and before I make any unnecersary expenditures.
1- My main question is this: Do I really have to download wireless sniffer software onto my laptop in order to wardrive. My main objective for my project is determine how many unsecured networks I stumble across and where that signal is comming from. Or will I just know when the little dialouge box pops us saying "connected" and at what signal strength? And if so, will I be able to determine where that signal is coming from?
Most of the stand alone hardware devices are just going to show a signal... not all the good info. They are good for running around work to make sure there is no presence... but not as good as a laptop config.
You can do this with free software tools. There is no need to purchase anything except for the hardware (wifi card, antenna materials, power source, etc). I use netstumbler on windows and kismet on linux. There are many many more tools though. I just find those two the most useful to me.
You can get signal strength. If you have a GPS card, you can also map out your route and log the location. The strength is going to depend on how close you are to the access point. So, you can try to track it down... or go with the 100 meter guess. Most acess points are rated for 100 meters (330 feet) with no interference. Walls and other devices operating on the 2.4ghz spectrum will cause the signal to decrease... so you might not be able to pin point it exactly...
If you only have a 802.11g/b card looking on the 2.4ghz spectrum... you won't find the 802.11a networks on the 5ghz spectrum. 802.11g/b is far more popular than 802.11a.
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2- If I do have to download sniffer software and/or I cannot determine whether or not the signal is encrypted or not using my laptop, I have decided I am not going to purchase sofware. I am going to purchase a Wi-Fi detection and analysis device instead. I was reading up about the Digital Hotspotter from Canary, but are there any other detection and analysis devices that do not cost as much that will determine signal location as well as tell me whether or not the signal I am getting is open or secured? I was leaning towards the WiFi Seeker by Chrysalis until I found out it only determines signal strength.
Don't go with a hardware device... they will just show the signal. You need the laptop config for the good information. The software tools will tell you if it is secured or not. Use netstumbler. You can save the logs for later analysis. It'll have the AP name, encrypted or not, manufacturer, strength, etc.
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3- I was planning on purchasing a detection and analysis device eventually, anyway, so I don't have to go through the trouble of opening and powering up my laptop only to find that I am getting a signal I can't use. Can I purchase these devices at a store such as Circuit City or CompUSA? Or is the only place I can purchase them from is off the internet? Forgive me for not checking myself. I live out in the country and it's about a half-hours drive to the closest Circuit City and keep forgetting to check it out when I am in the city, which is like everyday.
If you have a 802.11g card, you will be able to detect 802.11g and 802.11b access points. There is no shortage of these. Take this for example... last friday, I was on my way over to a buddies house to work on linux firewall/gateway project. I was bringing my laptop, so I fired up netstubler for the drive. In the short 5 mile drive... I had over 50+ access points! Most of them were wide open. That was all from a main road and not going into industrial parks or neighborhoods... all right from the highway that goes by neighborhoods and industrial parks. I'm sure there are more. I'll find out another day.
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4- Is there anything else I have to do to configure my laptop before going out on my wardriving escapade?
Yes, learn how to use the tools first. They are pretty easy to use. Netstumbler is a good one to start. You'll know right away if it is working... take a quick drive and you'll find some. If you don't find any of your neighbors right there.
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Any other information, tips, comments, and suggestions would be very much appreciated as well as helpful. I have searched the Wireless Security forum and have also checked to see if any similar topic has been posted before, but have turned up no reults. I even typed in Can I wardrive using only my laptop without wireless sniffer software? using quotation marks and turned up no results. Without them I got all types of crap that wasn't answering my questions.
Read up on a couple different sites before you get started. Determine the best hardware to use. Which cards are supported, which OS you are going to go with, etc.
Before your drive determine what you want to find out. How many APs in a certain "class" neighborhood. How many secured? How many from which brand? How far apart? etc. How many neighborhoods are you going to canvas? Are you going to drive down every street? etc. Are you just going to wardrive neighborhoods or business parks too? What is the differnce in the ratio between access points secured/unsecured in residential vs business?
There are many factors... if you are around a college... you may find a lot more than driving around the retirement park. College kids normally keep up with the technology... where grandma might send an email to her grandson at the senior center....
Don't forget the digital divide... you'll find more in middle/upper class areas than you will in the lower class or section 8 housing areas.
Make sure to plan it out right or your research will be biased. You might find a lot more in an apartment complex because there are more people in less area and its difficult to run wires in apartments. In neighborhoods, there are less people for the area and its easier to run wires.
You'll get a beter signal with external antennas. I've noticed a world of a difference between pcmcia cards that sit on my car seat and usb cards with usb extention cords that I can wrap around my rear view mirror.
If you can get a card that you can attach an external antenna, that'd be great. But then you need to build/buy a cantenna. There are directional antennas and omni directional antennas. But, to start... just use what you have and you'll find out what you need to build if the hobby progresses.
You may want to invest in an inverter for your car... so your laptop can stay powered... You can pick one up pretty cheap. Autozone, radios shack, pep boys, etc. They all have them. You'll find your battery on the laptop dies out pretty quickly. Especially when you increase your scanning.
Also, different tools scan differently. Netstumber is an active scanner... it looks for access points.
kismet is passive... it waits until it sees traffic from an access point.
Here are a couple of sites to get a good idea of what you are going to need and how to configure your equipment.
http://www.wardriving.com/
http://wardrive.net/
http://www.wardrive.net/wardriving/tools
There are plenty more... just look for them.
Oh... if you can... get someone else to either come with you, or to drive. Keep your eyes on the road. No point in smacking up your car. A 6 pack of mountain dew, some good music and some company never hurt any war driver... except for the constant bathroom pit stops.