ABSTRACT
Wardriving is searching for Wi-Fi wireless networks by moving vehicle. It involves using a car or truck and a Wi-Fi-equipped computer, such as a laptop or a PDA, to detect the networks. It was also known as 'WiLDing' (Wireless Lan Driving).Many wardrivers use GPS devices to measure the location of the network find and log it on a website. For better range, antennas are built or bought, and vary from omni directional to highly directional..
Software for wardriving is freely available on the Internet, notably, NetStumbler for Windows, Kismet for Linux, and KisMac for Macintosh. Wardriving was named after wardialing because it also involves searching for computer systems with software that would use a phone modem to dial numbers sequentially and see which ones were connected to a fax machine or computer, or similar device.
INTRODUCTION
Wardriving is searching for Wi-Fi wireless networks by moving vehicle. Wardriving was first developed by Pete Shipley in April 2001. It involves using a car or truck and a Wi-Fiequipped computer, such as a laptop or a PDA, to detect the networks. Many wardrivers use GPS devices to measure the location of the network find and log it on a website. For better range, antennas are built or bought, and vary from omnidirectional to highly directional. Software for wardriving is freely available on the Internet, notably, NetStumbler for Windows, Kismet for Linux, and KisMac for Macintosh.
The Origin of WarDriving
WarDriving is an activity that is misunderstood by many people.This applies to both the general public, and to the news media that has reported on WarDriving. Because the name "WarDriving'* has an ominous sound to it, many people associate WarDriving with a criminal activity WarDriving originated from wardialing, a technique popularized by a character played by Matthew Broderick in the film WarGames, and named after that film. Wardialing in this context refers to the practice of using a computer to dial many phone numbers in the hopes of finding an active modem. A WarDriver drives around an area,often after mapping a route out first, to determine all of the wireless access points in that area. Once these access points are discovered, a WarDriver uses a software program or Web site to map the results of his efforts. Based on these results, a statistical analysis is performed. This statistical analysis can be of one drive, one area, or a general overview of all wireless networks. The concept of driving around discovering wireless networks probably began the day after the first wireless access point was deployed.
Choosing A Wireless Network Interface Card
Most of the wireless networks that are currently deployed are 802.11b networks. You will find more access points if you use an 802.1 lb NIC. 802.1 lg access points, which transfer data at nearly five times the speed of 802.11b (54 MBps as opposed to 11 MBps) are gaining popularity and it is likely that an 802.1 lg card will soon supplant an 802.1 lb card as the favorite of WarDrivers. In addition to increased speed, the 802.1 lg standard supports WiFi Protected Access (WPA) encryption. Once effectively deployed,WPA will help to improve the overall security posture of wireless networks.
CONCLUSION
The sudden popularity of wireless networks, combined with a popular misperception that no additional steps to secure those networks are necessary, has caused a marked increase in the number of insecure computer networks that can be accessed without authorization. This in turn has given rise to the sport of wardriving detecting and reporting the existence of insecure wireless networks, ostensibly without actually accessing the network. Wardriving may also involve illegally accessing and monitoring the networks once so discovered. The sport of discovering connections to wireless computer networks can be done while driving in a car or while strolling on foot with a PDA .
