Sniff Wi-Fi

There is an old joke in the IT world that software is like sex: you'll need support after you buy it.  Actually, the punchline to that joke is usually, "it's better when it's free." The problem is that the latter punchline fits poorly in the world of WiFi sniffing. The stuff you pay for really is a lot better. That said, a lot of people like to use free software whenever possible, and for Mac OS X and Linux users, there are some decent free WiFi analysis tools out there. For Windows users, however, the search goes on (and on, and on, and on...). Long time readers of this blog may be aware that I prefer commercial WiFi sniffing software when doing real work. But free WiFi sniffers do have a place . If you are trying to learn about the technology, troubleshoot your own personal WiFi device or study for a CWNA / CWSP / CWAP certification exam, then you'll probably want some protocol analysis software but you probably won't want to pay a lot of money fo...

We all know that the iPad is great. We watch video on it, we play games on it and we can view our  Twitter feeds  on it (which, really, is where we get  all important news ). The only problem is, I could never do any work on it. The fact that Apple doesn't allow the internal WiFi radio to be used as for protocol analyzer software, site survey software or spectrum analyzer software always bugged me. Now, thanks to Oscium's WiPry-Spectrum , a spectrum analyzer is available, and boy does it show why the iPad is the ideal form factor for WiFi field work. Oscium is a company that I was unfamiliar with up until I happened upon their website while searching the web for iPad apps, and there is a reason for that. They are a company that makes device testing tools, not WiFi analysis tools. Luckily, those interests overlap. People who test devices need spectrum analyzers, and so do people who sniff WiFi. In this case that leads to a beneficial crossover, though there are some w...

Mice in beer bottles , cold hands and supporting VoIP applications. These are a few of a wireless admin's least favorite things. And while this blog is the wrong place to look for solutions to two of those problems, here are some things to look for when evaluating software that lets you talk. Voice over WiFi is a topic that yours truly has written about before , but never in any real detail on this blog. Part of the reason is that the previously linked whitepaper was something less than a performance for the ages, and part of the reason is that VoFi is still a ways away from being a pervasive technology. Over the last few weeks the need to use VoFi software has arisen, and now is as good a time as any to describe how WiFi analysis software can be used to sniff out (pun not intended. Seriously. That word that is also in the name of this blog WAS TOTALLY ACCIDENTAL AND WITHOUT ANY INTENT AT  SELF-PROMOTION AT ALL.) which VoIP application is best. The two applicatio...

The darned computer (or phone, or tablet) won't connect. We've all been there, and we've all wondered what the heck the problem is. Here's a quick way (using an OS X 10.7 [Lion] Macbook Air with Wireshark) to start yourself on the road to figuring out why. Last week I put out a call for blog topic suggestions and my man Keith Parsons made the fine suggestion of going through some tips for troubleshooting using Mac OS X. I think that is a good idea, so here is a little bit on troubleshooting connection problems on my (and the unemployed screenwriter industry's) favorite operating system. If you understand 802.11 protocols , then troubleshooting connection problems can be done at an extremely low level. When your (or the people you support's) WiFi connection seems to be unavailable for no reason, you can look at the frames being sent to see if things are going the way they're supposed to. When working with a Mac, I use Wi-Fi Diagnostics (an OS X Lion-on...

FINALLY! If you do a lot of sniffing, there is a chance that you have a bag full of USB adapters whose contents look like this: Riverbed AirPcap NX Metageek WiSpy DBx D-Link DWA-160 Cisco-Linksys WUSB600Nv1 D-Link DWL-122 D-Link DWL-G122 Ubiquiti SR71-USB (w/ two HG2401RD-MMCX 2.4 GHz antennas) I do, and it stinks . AirPcap is for Wireshark, WiSpy is for Chanalyzer, the DWA-160 and SR71-USB are for AirMagnet software, the DWL adapters are for Kismac and the Cisco-Linksys is for OmniPeek. It is a bit frustrating, especially if I need to switch between applications. Well, today I am a happy(er) man.  The screen in that shot is WildPackets OmniPeek, running like a champ. And do you see that little thing on the right, there? That is the D-Link DWA-160, working with OmniPeek like a champ. It is a little thing, I guess, but I am very happy to be able to use the DWA-160 adapter with WildPackets OmniPeek. This means that Fluke Networks' Air...

The darned computer (or phone, or tablet) won't connect. We've all been there, and we've all wondered what the heck the problem is. Here's a quick way (using an OS X 10.7 [Lion] Macbook Air with Wireshark) to start yourself on the road to figuring out why. I'm on a connection kick as of late, so let's follow up the last post on this blog by going into a little more detail about WiFi connections. If you understand 802.11 protocols , then things can be taken a little deeper. When your (or the people you support's) WiFi connection seems to be unavailable for no reason, you can look at the frames being sent to see if things are going the way they're supposed to. Now, I was in a little bit of a lazy mood today, so I decided to use the OS X Lion application called Wi-Fi Diagnostics and Wireshark rather than a professional tool like WildPackets OmniPeek or Fluke AirMagnet WiFi Analyzer. This same stuff can be done (and, in fact, can be done even easier)...

We've all encountered bad WiFi networks in the past. Is there anything (besides cursing the admins) that can be done about it? There is a fantastic phrase going around nowadays that is used to describe all manner of first-world problems: white whine . Complaints about the quality of guest WiFi certainly would fit into that unfortunate category, but I'm going to join the white whiners anyway (while throwing in a few helpful sniffing tips so that I feel better about myself). UFC 137 happened on October 29, 2011 at the Mandalay Events center in fabulous  Las Vegas, NV, and I was there covering the show for the Wrestling Observer . As is the case at almost all sporting events nowadays, WiFi-based Internet access was provided to the media in order to enable live blogging, tweeting and general reporting on the event. As is also the case at many sporting events nowadays, the WiFi stunk. In fact, it sucked. (And I don't use that term loosely. My mother would be angered at my p...