WiFi/GPS Recorder

Does anyone know of an easy tool that will record GPS coordinates for
areas where there are WiFi signals? What I am looking for is something
that allows configuration based on simple rules. Like "If the signal
is > 3 bars and it is an unsecure AP, record the GPS coordinates and
the SSID."

I know there is a wardriver project. However, I am a medium level
technologists, which is to say that I am an old-school programmer who
has transitioned into executive management. This means that I have
about a million responsibilities on my plate and can't pursue very many
frivolous diversions such as coding the things I want anymore. So, I
would research and write this thing but I just don't have time. The
tool I am seaking would be a simple, Windows installable that has a few
SaF parameters so that all I have to do is turn on my GPS unit and
laptop in the car- something I do everyday anyway- and have it capture
info as I drive around town.

seven_percent wrote:
> Does anyone know of an easy tool that will record GPS coordinates for
> areas where there are WiFi signals? What I am looking for is
> something that allows configuration based on simple rules. Like "If
> the signal is > 3 bars and it is an unsecure AP, record the GPS
> coordinates and the SSID."
>
> I know there is a wardriver project. However, I am a medium level
> technologists, which is to say that I am an old-school programmer who
> has transitioned into executive management. This means that I have
> about a million responsibilities on my plate and can't pursue very
> many frivolous diversions such as coding the things I want anymore.
> So, I would research and write this thing but I just don't have time.
> The tool I am seaking would be a simple, Windows installable that has
> a few SaF parameters so that all I have to do is turn on my GPS unit
> and laptop in the car- something I do everyday anyway- and have it
> capture info as I drive around town.

Check out a program called wififofum it's public domain (free) (URL
redirected from www.wififofum.org <--- note is an ORG not a com) , and has a
radar type screen (has a regular one also) that even shows approximate
location of the ap. I have it on my PDA (with WiFi) and velcro it to the
center of the steering wheel as I drive around (carefully, don't want the
airbag to go off and push the pda into my face!)

On Sun, 23 Jul 2006 10:17:02 -0400, "Peter Pan"
<PeterPanNOSPAM@AkamailNOSPAM.com> wrote in
<qeednSNucKp_GV7ZnZ2dnUVZ_uydnZ2d@comcast.com>:

>... I have it on my PDA (with WiFi) and velcro it to the
>center of the steering wheel as I drive around (carefully, don't want the
>airbag to go off and push the pda into my face!)

Remind me never to drive in your area.

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

"seven_percent" <Daniel.Gullo@gmail.com> hath wroth:

>Does anyone know of an easy tool that will record GPS coordinates for
>areas where there are WiFi signals?

Netstumbler, Kismet, and anything claiming to be a "site survey" tool.

>What I am looking for is something
>that allows configuration based on simple rules. Like "If the signal
>is > 3 bars and it is an unsecure AP, record the GPS coordinates and
>the SSID."

That's not configuration. That's programming. Netstumbler and
Kismet will product log files that can be analyzed by a report
generator.

However, if post processing is not acceptable, then Netstumbler 0.4
has scripting, which can be used to create the rule set:
http://www.stumbler.net/scripting.html

>I know there is a wardriver project. However, I am a medium level
>technologists, which is to say that I am an old-school programmer who
>has transitioned into executive management.

I'm sorry. Permit me to offer my sincere condolences. Managers have
no time for fun.

>This means that I have
>about a million responsibilities on my plate and can't pursue very many
>frivolous diversions such as coding the things I want anymore.

Frivolous? Are you really suggesting that war driving is frivolous? I
you read the various war driving blogs and mailing lists, you'll find
numerous people who are trying to turn war driving into a sport. It's
almost like lock picking as a sport in some European countries.
Perhaps war driving in the Olympics in a few years.

I wouldn't worry much about doing coding or programming. This is
called scripting, which looks, smells, acts, and closely resembles
programming, but is allegedly easier.

>So, I
>would research and write this thing but I just don't have time.

Not a problem. There's always time enough to do it over again
correctly after you screw it up from inadequate preliminary research.
You're on your way to being featured in a Dilbert cartoon strip.

>The
>tool I am seaking would be a simple, Windows installable that has a few
>SaF parameters so that all I have to do is turn on my GPS unit and
>laptop in the car- something I do everyday anyway- and have it capture
>info as I drive around town.

http://www.stumbler.net
http://www.kismetwireless.net (Linux)
http://www.passmark.com/products/wirelessmonitor.htm ($50)

For Kismet, I suggest you download and obtain a LiveCD distribution
with Kismet included. Boot the LiveCD. No need to reformat or dual
boot the hard disk. I suggest:
http://www.remote-exploit.org/index.php/Auditor
Be sure that you wireless card is supported:
http://www.remote-exploit.org/index....itor_dev_list1

I think Netstumbler plus some scripting is probably adequate if all
you want to find are access points. However, Netstumbler will not
identify access points that do not broadcast their SSID and that do
not respond to more than a few probe request. Also, it will not see
clients and bridges. Kismet will see all these but is far more
complex to implement.

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Sun, 23 Jul 2006 10:17:02 -0400, "Peter Pan"
<PeterPanNOSPAM@AkamailNOSPAM.com> wrote:

>Check out a program called wififofum it's public domain (free) (URL
>redirected from www.wififofum.org <--- note is an ORG not a com) , and has a
>radar type screen (has a regular one also) that even shows approximate
>location of the ap. I have it on my PDA (with WiFi) and velcro it to the
>center of the steering wheel as I drive around (carefully, don't want the
>airbag to go off and push the pda into my face!)

I was trying to recall where I'd seen that before:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teletouch
Transmission shifter in the middle of the steering wheel on the 1958
Ford Edsel. Ah, nostalgia.

How well does the wi-fi antenna pickup signals with the PDA spining
round and round? I get car sick while reading in a vehicle. Reading
the PDA screen while spinning should really recycle my lunch.

But ossiffer, I'm not drunk. I was just trying to read my steering
wheel mounted PDA and just became a bit dizzy.



--
# Jeff Liebermann 150 Felker St #D Santa Cruz CA 95060
# 831-336-2558 jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
# http://802.11junk.com jeffl@cruzio.com
# http://www.LearnByDestroying.com AE6KS

Jeff Liebermann wrote:
>
> How well does the wi-fi antenna pickup signals with the PDA spining
> round and round? I get car sick while reading in a vehicle. Reading
> the PDA screen while spinning should really recycle my lunch.
>
> But ossiffer, I'm not drunk. I was just trying to read my steering
> wheel mounted PDA and just became a bit dizzy.

Pda works fine on the wheel, and wififofum chirps when it finds a new AP, so
a quick glance down at the scope display (don't use the text one, info is
logged, I only want to see the blip on the screen when it chirps, and since
the screen blip is sort of directional, I know whether to turn right/left)..
Sounds silly, but hey, I already had the PDA and only cost me 29 cents for
the self stick velcro squares to stick it on the wheel)...

Some digitial cameras are capable of being used as webcams and some are not.
You will need to check the specs. You will also need to find 3rd party
software that will work with it - not always easy. If your camera is capable
of s video or video composite output. You may also be able to turn it into a
webcam using a tv card and streaming software. Digital cameras usually have
better image quality than your average webcam, but using them as webcams
drains the batteries very fast, so you will need an ac adapter.


"seven_percent" <Daniel.Gullo@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1153659261.806311.93060@m73g2000cwd.googlegro ups.com...
> Does anyone know of an easy tool that will record GPS coordinates for
> areas where there are WiFi signals? What I am looking for is something
> that allows configuration based on simple rules. Like "If the signal
> is > 3 bars and it is an unsecure AP, record the GPS coordinates and
> the SSID."
>
> I know there is a wardriver project. However, I am a medium level
> technologists, which is to say that I am an old-school programmer who
> has transitioned into executive management. This means that I have
> about a million responsibilities on my plate and can't pursue very many
> frivolous diversions such as coding the things I want anymore. So, I
> would research and write this thing but I just don't have time. The
> tool I am seaking would be a simple, Windows installable that has a few
> SaF parameters so that all I have to do is turn on my GPS unit and
> laptop in the car- something I do everyday anyway- and have it capture
> info as I drive around town.
>

Jeff Liebermann wrote:

<<snip>>

Thanks, Jeff. All very useful suggestions. I am well aware of the
diff between scripting and programming. Scripting is an easier pill to
swallow, for sure.

What are you talking about??? I _AM_ Dilbert!!! I am "a straight
shooter with upper management written all over him."

Cheers.

Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us> wrote:
> "seven_percent" <Daniel.Gullo@gmail.com> hath wroth:

> >Does anyone know of an easy tool that will record GPS coordinates for
> >areas where there are WiFi signals?

> Netstumbler, Kismet, and anything claiming to be a "site survey" tool.

> >What I am looking for is something
> >that allows configuration based on simple rules. Like "If the signal
> >is > 3 bars and it is an unsecure AP, record the GPS coordinates and
> >the SSID."

NetStumbler will also export text files that can be loaded into some other
tool, like Excel, where data can be sorted, filtered and charted.

One of the exports only includes the highest SENOR for a particular WAP,
where the other holds all readings.

The summary text can be transformed by gpsbabel into a gpx file for display
in Google Earth, or files for other mapping programs.

--
---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley Lake, CA, USA GPS: 38.8,-122.5