A free public Wi-Fi access point

Wardriving is the act of searching for Wi-Fi wireless networks by a person in a moving vehicle using a Wi-Fi-equipped computer, such as a laptop or a PDA. It is similar to using a radio scanner, or to the ham radio practice of DXing. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1944 × 2592 pixel, file size: 763 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1944 × 2592 pixel, file size: 763 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Official Wi-Fi logo Wi-Fi is a wireless technology brand owned by the Wi-Fi Alliance intended to improve the interoperability of wireless local area network products based on the IEEE 802. ... While the term wireless network may technically be used to refer to any type of network that is wireless, the term is most commonly used to refer to a telecommunications network whose interconnections between nodes is implemented without the use of wires, such as a computer network (which is a... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... The Trikke is a Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) This article is about the means of transport. ... Official Wi-Fi logo Wi-Fi is a wireless technology brand owned by the Wi-Fi Alliance intended to improve the interoperability of wireless local area network products based on the IEEE 802. ... For the band, see Laptop (band). ... User with PDA Personal digital assistants (PDAs) are handheld computers that were originally designed as personal organizers, but became much more versatile over the years. ... ‹ The template below (Expand) is being considered for deletion. ... Amateur radio, commonly called ham radio, is a hobby enjoyed by many people throughout the world (as of 2004 about 3 million worldwide, 70,000 in Germany, 5,000 in Norway, 57,000 in Canada, and 700,000 in the USA). ... It has been suggested that DX station be merged into this article or section. ...

Software for wardriving is freely available on the Internet, notably, NetStumbler for Windows, Kismet or SWScanner for Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, and DragonFly BSD, and KisMac for Macintosh. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Computer program. ... NetStumbler is a tool for Windows that facilitates detection of Wireless LANs using the 802. ... Windows redirects here. ... Kismet is a network detector, packet sniffer, and intrusion detection system for 802. ... This article is about operating systems that use the Linux kernel. ... FreeBSD is a Unix-like free operating system descended from AT&T UNIX via the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) branch through the 386BSD and 4. ... NetBSD is a freely redistributable, open source version of the Unix-like BSD computer operating system. ... OpenBSD is a Unix-like computer operating system descended from Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD), a Unix derivative developed at the University of California, Berkeley. ... DragonFly BSD is a free Unix-like operating system created as a fork of FreeBSD 4. ... KisMAC is a wireless network discovery tool for Mac OS X. It has a wide range of features, far surpassing that of NetStumbler, its closest equivalent on Windows, and Kismet, its Linux/BSD namesake. ... The first Macintosh computer, introduced in 1984, upgraded to a 512K Fat Mac. The Macintosh or Mac, is a line of personal computers designed, developed, manufactured, and marketed by Apple Computer. ...

Etymology

Wardriving was named after the term wardialing from the 1983 film WarGames, which involved searching for computer systems with software that dialed numbers sequentially to see which ones were connected to a fax machine or computer. War dialing or wardialing was a technique in the 1980s and 90s by which a computer would repeatedly dial a number (usually to a crowded modem pool) in an attempt to gain access immediately after another user had hung up. ... This article is about the 1983 US movie. ...

Warbiking is essentially the same as wardriving, but it involves searching for wireless networks while on a moving bicycle or motorcycle. This activity is sometimes facilitated by the mounting of a wifi-capable device on the vehicle itself, so as to facilitate hands-free searching. This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... For other uses, see Bicycle (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Motorcycle (disambiguation). ...

Warwalking is similar in nature to wardriving, except that it is done on foot rather than conducted from a moving vehicle. The disadvantages of this approach consist in slower speed of travel (resulting in fewer and more infrequently discovered networks) and the absence of a convenient computing environment. Consequently, handheld devices such as Pocket PCs, for which tasks can be conducted while walking or standing, have predominated in this area. The inclusion of integrated Wi-Fi (rather than a CF or PCMCIA add-in card) in Dell Axim, Compaq IPAQ and Toshiba Pocket PCs beginning in 2002 — and, more recently, an active Nintendo DS and Sony PSP enthusiast community possessing Wi-Fi capabilities on these devices — has expanded the extent of this practice. The Dell Axim x30, a Pocket PC A Pocket PC, abbreviated P/PC or PPC, is a handheld-sized computer that runs a specific version of the Windows CE operating system. ... A 32 MB High Speed CompactFlash Type I card CompactFlash (CF) was originally developed as a type of data storage device used in portable electronic devices. ... The PCMCIA is the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association, an industry trade association that creates standards for notebook computer peripheral devices. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... iRAQ presently refers to a Pocket PC and personal digital assistant first unveiled by Compaq in April 2000; the name was borrowed from Compaqs earlier iRAQ Desktop Personal Computers. ... Toshiba Corporations headquarters (Center) in Hamamatsucho, Tokyo Toshiba Corporation sales by division for year ending March 31, 2005 Toshiba Corporation ) (TYO: 6502 ) is a Japanese multinational conglomerate manufacturing company, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. ... “NDS” redirects here. ... The PlayStation Portable , officially abbreviated as PSP) is a handheld game console released and currently manufactured by Sony Computer Entertainment. ...

Mapping

A map of Seattle's Wi-Fi nodes, generated from information logged by wardriving students.

Many wardrivers use GPS devices to measure the location of the network and log it on a website to form maps of the network neighborhood. (The most popular is WiGLE.) For better range, antennas are built or bought, and vary from omnidirectional to highly directional. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2250 × 3000 pixel, file size: 3. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2250 × 3000 pixel, file size: 3. ... Over fifty GPS satellites such as this NAVSTAR have been launched since 1978. ... A website (alternatively, Web site or web site) is a collection of Web pages, images, videos and other digital assets that is hosted on one or several Web server(s), usually accessible via the Internet, cell phone or a LAN. A Web page is a document, typically written in HTML... A yagi antenna Most simply, an antenna is an electronic component designed to send or receive radio waves. ...

The maps of known network IDs can then be used as a geolocation system — an alternative to GPS — by triangulating the current position from the signal strengths of known network IDs. Examples include Place Lab by Intel, Skyhook, and Navizon, by Cyril Houri. Navizon combines information from Wi-Fi and cell phone tower maps contributed by users from Wi-Fi-equipped cell phones.^[1][2] In addition to location finding, this provides navigation information, allows for tracking the position of friends, and geotagging. Geolocation refers to identifying the real-world geographic location of an Internet connected computer, mobile device, or website visitor. ... Over fifty GPS satellites such as this NAVSTAR have been launched since 1978. ... Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC, SEHK: 4335), founded in 1968 as Integrated Electronics Corporation, is an American multinational corporation that is best known for designing and manufacturing microprocessors and specialized integrated circuits. ... Cyril Lionel Houri (born April 1969 in Meudon, France) is a New York-based entrepreneur who has founded two successful tech startups – InfoSplit, a geolocation provider, and Mexens, developer of the Navizon personal location system. ... Motorola T2288 mobile phone A mobile phone is a portable electronic device which behaves as a normal telephone whilst being able to move over a wide area (compare cordless phone which acts as a telephone only within a limited range). ... Geotagging, sometimes referred to as Geocoding, is the process of adding geographical identification metadata to various media such as websites, RSS feeds, or images. ...

In December 2004, a class of 100 undergraduates worked to map the city of Seattle, Washington over several weeks. They found 5,225 access points; 44% were secured with WEP encryption, 52% were open, and 3% were pay-for-access. They noticed trends in the frequency and security of the networks depending on location. Many of the open networks were clearly intended to be used by the general public, with network names like "Open to share, no porn please" or "Free access, be nice." The information was collected into high-resolution maps, which were published online.^[3][4] “Seattle” redirects here. ... Wired Equivalent Privacy or Wireless Encryption Protocol (WEP) is a scheme to secure IEEE 802. ...

Antennas

Main article: Antenna (radio)

Wireless access point receivers can be modified to extend their ability for picking up and connecting to wireless access points. This can be done with an ordinary metal wire, and a metal dish that is used to form a directional antenna. Other similar devices can be modified in this way too, likewise, not only directional antennas can be created, but USB-WiFi-stick antennas can be used as well. Tools such as Wireless Grapher Widget can be used to measure out the antenna. A Yagi-Uda beam antenna Short Wave Curtain Antenna (Moosbrunn, Austria) A building rooftop supporting numerous dish and sectored mobile telecommunications antennas (Doncaster, Victoria, Australia) An antenna is a transducer designed to transmit or receive radio waves which are a class of electromagnetic waves. ...

Confusion with piggybacking

Wardrivers are only out to log and collect information about the wireless access points (WAPs) they find while driving, without using the networks' services. Planet WAP-4000 Wireless Access Point In computer networking, a wireless access point (WAP or AP) is a device that connects wireless communication devices together to form a wireless network. ...

Connecting to the network and using its services without explicit authorization is referred to as piggybacking. Piggybacking is a term used to refer to obtaining a wireless internet connection by bringing ones own computer within the range of anothers wireless connection without that subscribers permission or knowledge. ...

The terms have been interchanged in the press, however. For instance, an EETimes article with the headline "WiFi user charged for not buying coffee"^[5] refers to a user who "piggybacked off the shop's wireless Internet service for more than three months". When reposted by Engadget, the term "wardriving" was substituted, and the headline changed to "Wardriver arrested for snagging coffee shop signal".^[6] Electronic Engineering Times is a weekly magazine of the electronic industry published in the USA by CMP Media LLC. While it has a subscription cost, it is free for qualified engineers and managers of the industry. ... Engadget is a popular technology weblog and podcast about consumer electronics. ...

Typical wardriving software actually takes control of the wireless radio, making it impractical, if not impossible, to wardrive and piggyback simultaneously.

Legal and ethical considerations

Some portray wardriving as a questionable activity (typically from its association with piggybacking), though, from a technical viewpoint, everything is working as designed: Access points must broadcast identifying data accessible to anyone with a suitable receiver. It could be compared to making a map of a neighborhood's house numbers and letter box labels.^[7] This page is a candidate to be copied to Wiktionary. ... House numbering is the system of giving a unique number to each building in a street or area, with the intention of making it easier to locate a particular building. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

There are no laws that specifically prohibit or allow wardriving, though many localities have laws against unauthorized access of a computer network. Whether this could be applied to wardriving is unknown, though no one has ever been convicted for it.

Passive, listen-only wardriving (with programs like Kismet or KisMAC) does not communicate at all with the network; merely logging its broadcast address. This can be likened to listening to a radio station that happens to be broadcasting in the area. In some countries even listening to a broadcast is illegal, though. In the UK, for example, it is illegal to listen on some radio frequencies or to some transmissions (such as those used by the police or armed forces). Kismet is a network detector, packet sniffer, and intrusion detection system for 802. ... KisMAC is a wireless network discovery tool for Mac OS X. It has a wide range of features, far surpassing that of NetStumbler, its closest equivalent on Windows, and Kismet, its Linux/BSD namesake. ...

With other types of software, such as NetStumbler, the wardriver actively sends probe messages, and the access point responds per design. The legality of active wardriving is less certain, since the wardriver temporarily becomes "associated" with the network, even though no data is transferred. Most access points, when using default settings, are intended to provide wireless access to all who request it. Liability can be minimized by setting the computer to a static IP, instead of using DHCP. This will prevent the network from granting the computer an IP address or logging the connection.^[8] NetStumbler is a tool for Windows that facilitates detection of Wireless LANs using the 802. ... DHCP in the context of computing can stand for: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol - one of the protocols in the TCP/IP networking suite Decentralized Hospital Computer Program of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs This article consisting of a 4-letter acronym or initialism is a disambiguation page — a...

The case that is usually referenced in determining whether a network has been "accessed" is State v. Allen. In this case, Allen had been wardialing in an attempt to get free long distance calling through Southwestern Bell's computer systems. When presented with a password protection screen, however, he did not attempt to bypass it. The court ruled that although he had "contacted" or "approached" the computer system, this did not constitute "access" of the company's network.^[9][10] War dialing or wardialing was a technique in the 1980s and 90s by which a computer would repeatedly dial a number (usually to a crowded modem pool) in an attempt to gain access immediately after another user had hung up. ... For information on holding company Southwestern Bell Corporation, later SBC Communications, Inc. ...

See also

Software

• NetStumbler
• Kismet
• KisMAC
• iStumbler

NetStumbler is a tool for Windows that facilitates detection of Wireless LANs using the 802. ... Kismet is a network detector, packet sniffer, and intrusion detection system for 802. ... KisMAC is a wireless network discovery tool for Mac OS X. It has a wide range of features, far surpassing that of NetStumbler, its closest equivalent on Windows, and Kismet, its Linux/BSD namesake. ... iStumbler is an open source utility for finding wireless networks and devices with your AirPort or Bluetooth equipped Macintosh. ...

Concepts

• Honeypot (computing)
• Hotspot
• Warchalking
• WarXing
• Warspying

It has been suggested that Honeynet be merged into this article or section. ... Hotspots are venues that offer Wi-Fi access. ... Warchalking symbols Warchalking is the drawing of symbols in public places to advertise an open Wi-Fi wireless network. ... WarXing is the activity of detecting publicly accessible computer systems or networks. ... WARspyla. ...

References

Wired can refer to: Wired magazine, a monthly technology magazine. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 147th day of the year (148th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Ryan, Patrick S. (2004). "War, Peace, or Stalemate: Wargames, Wardialing, Wardriving, and the Emerging Market for Hacker Ethics". Virginia Journal of Law & Technology 9 (7). Retrieved on 2007-09-01.  - Article on the ethics and legality of wardriving
• Kern, Benjamin D. (2005-12). "Whacking, Joyriding and War-Driving: Roaming Use of Wi-Fi and the Law". CIPerati 2 (4). Retrieved on 2007-09-01.  Alternate PDF - Law review article on the legality of wardriving, piggybacking and accidental use of open networks