Since noone responds to my posts in Hardware....

[M4LFUNCT10N]

I've got a question. I'm using "Boingo" to sniff out wi-fi lans, and it finds the lans WAY earlier than XP. In fact, it will show a really good signal, but XP won't always see it. Is there any way to make XP more sensitive or some way to connect to these lans when XP doesn't see them?

Another question. Does anybody know of any local stores that cary USB Serial adapters that don't cost more than $30? Radioshack wants $42 for one. Best Buy caries them, but not at our local store. And I'd like to pick one up today. (Some days I just don't feel like ordering over the net).

One last question. Does anybody know how to tweak the wireless settings on my router to increase my range? There's all sorts of settings, but I don't know which to change and by how much I should change it.

[Itsmeee]

first off whats the router? While there are no tweaks that will extend its range there are some things that will help with clarity such as placement of the router etc... ITs model is important because of the wirless its usuing. Like 802.11 b, g or whatever. G's are the best but a lot more expensive, some of the older ones have issues with distance and some routers that were released that are g's or something were released before the G standered came out so they are not fully complient. This could be an issue.

If XP doesn't see it I'd guess its a workgroup issue, unless it plain doesn't sense a signal. If thats the case resetting the router may help. Also you may have conflicts with your high speed modem. I'd deffinatly change the lans ip from defualt to something like 192.168.60.1-10 (keep the number of possible computers connected low if you live in a residential area so you don't get leechers).

[M4LFUNCT10N]

Well, I'm using a 128-bit WEP key. I know it's not incredibly secure... but I doubt anyone here in B'ham is going to be trying to hack my connection.

The wireless issue with XP, is more when I'm wardriving. Boingo will see all these available connections, but XP won't sense them until I get closer. I don't know if there is anything I can do about this...

[Itsmeee]

I'm not sure what Boingo is. I just googled it and I got what seems like a program for finding them?? Anyway there are a few possibilities, the most likely one is that there is a wall or something interfering with it in most places.

If there is a large wall, or some lines in the way that could mess up the signal. It could also just be your current wireless card. Find some reviews for it and see what other people are getting. There is some drematic difference between card qualities.

[M4LFUNCT10N]

What I mean is, Boingo sees the network, XP doesn't. If Boingo sees it, and says I have a "good" connection, but XP doesn't even detect it.... what's going on? Obviously I'm within range of connecting if other programs say I am, it seems like XP's software is limiting me.

[Tha[\]atos]

2 idias, one is the signal wep encrypted? xp may be ignoring signals with such security enabled on them.

the other idia si to compare the results from your wardriving program w/ NetStumbler (http://www.netstumbler.com/) and see if it has the same problems. I've never heard of the program you're useing but I have heard many good things about netstubler.
I hope this helps

[M4LFUNCT10N]

no WEP encryption. In fact, I found only 2 residential lans that were encrypted(out of 15 or so). I'll try Netstumbler and see what results I get with it.

[Tha[\]atos]

it's funny how much people worry about computer security and do absolutely nothing about it. :rofl:

[Excessive]

Well after reading so much about this lately I decided to give it a try. I had downloaded Knoppix STD a couple months ago, so I burned the CD today. Put it in my laptop and booted up. It loaded to the USB portion of the boot process and quit. :mad: My wireless card is a built in device that basically uses a USB port. So I go out and buy a PCI card and try it. After figuring out how to disable usb detection during boot I finally get in. But I decided to spend the extra few dollars on a G card. Linux does not like that.:mad: :mad: And there are no Linux drivers for my card. Not that I would know how to install them easily if I had them.

So Know I have to go try to return my card or exchange it for another one. If I can return my card I will buy an Orinoco card online. That’s what most people on the web recommend. They also have a jack to plug in an external antenna for better range.

So $60 dollars later I download Netstumbler for free and browse my own access point in my room for a couple minutes. Now its time to go to bed.
:(

[Tha[\]atos]

another fun tool for war driving is PHLAK (Professional Hackers Linux Assault Kit). It's a linux distro intended to be run from a bootable cd (they have an iso pre set up) and it's perfect for war drivint. you can get it here: http://www.phlak.org/

this won't help you get them to work in xp but it's a nice toolkit (even has a wep decripter if you have the hour it takes for it to determine the key). as far as getting xp to recognise signals, is it possible to manually set which network it uses(you might beable to tell it to use one it doesn't see this way... or not. I don't use xp so I could be wrong)

[Excessive]

I was able to return my wireless card but I had to argue a bit with the 60 year old lady at the counter. I had to explain that the no return policy on software products does not apply to driver disks. :rolleyes:

[M4LFUNCT10N]

Where the heck did you buy it???

That's the nice thing about Circuit City. You have 2 weeks no questions asked return policy.

[Excessive]

Originally posted by M4LFUNCT10N
Where the heck did you buy it???

That's the nice thing about Circuit City. You have 2 weeks no questions asked return policy.

I got it at Office Depot. They have a 30 day return policy. The problem was with the lady helping me. She was told not to do returns on open software. Thats normal for all stores. But she considered my driver disk for the wireless card, "software". And thus was hesitant about doing a return on my wireless card.

Edit:
Everyone says no questions asked retuns. I have yet to return something without being asked questions though.

[Tha[\]atos]

that's when you ask for the manager or "person in charge" (that would be at frys)

[M4LFUNCT10N]

Well, I'm downloading PHLAK. My dad's in his room using his laptop. So when I've got it downloaded, I'll see if I can snag the WEP key from his connection.

[Excessive]

From what I have read it can take anywhere from a couple hours to days or weeks to break a good key. A lot depends on how much actual traffic is sent back and forth to the wireless AP.

[M4LFUNCT10N]

Well, for the most part it won't matter. I'm not going to malisciously attack anyone, and 99% of the networks I find aren't protected anyway. Free bandwidth!!!

[M4LFUNCT10N]

wow.... this is interesting. I'm using Mozilla in Linux. This is my first Linux experience!!! Hmm... it's interesting. Unfortunately when I click both mouse buttons on my laptop(supposed to put it in scroll mode) it jumps back to the homepage. :shrug:

[M4LFUNCT10N]

So where is the WEP decryptor?

[Excessive]

Originally posted by M4LFUNCT10N
So where is the WEP decryptor?

Which OS are you using?

[M4LFUNCT10N]

PHLAK

Professional Hackers Linux Assault Kit

The link that Thanatos gave.

I opened snort. But as soon as I click the start button, it just disappears. ???

And my USB mouse doesn't work either. And I have no clue how to get devices running! Hmm.. Disque was right. Linux is funky.

[Excessive]

I looked at their website. So far I am not impressed. I am still downloading it though. You might try Knoppix STD. It is a bit more popular and has a bit more support on their forums I think.

] Knoppix (http://www.knoppix.net/forum/)

Knoppix STD (http://www.knoppix-std.org/)

[Excessive]

Actualy I may have been backward as far as the forums go. The Knoppix forums have a lot of action but the forums for the STD are a bit slow. Either way I think both distributions will have a steep learning curve for the beginer. But I have lots of time.

[M4LFUNCT10N]

Well, I was going to download Knoppix STD here at work... but man our connection is slow! 1 hr for 500MB. I don't have that much time! Guess I'll do it at home tonight.