Is there any manuals or step-by-step walkthroughs that could give an idea for little bit advanced user how to get wireless working and how to test his configurations? maybe a little bit of unleagal stuff too. i don't mean specs and etc. but easy reading/explaining for average guy who wants to know everything about wireless /networks /stumbling /wepcrack etc. comments and links are welcomed

What is unlegal where you live might be illegal where I live.

sry english isn't my native language, i have to translate my thoughts and sometimes i don't find correct words i mean illegal in this sentence

I don't know of a definitive manual (yet!)

But I know of a great site that should help you get started on war driving and the materials supporting such a hobby.

<a href="http://www.wardriving.com">http://www.wardriving.com</a>

WarDriving.com and Netstumbler.com are all you need to get up to speed.

this is very singular view, it iwll work but might not be the most cost effective way to do it. It also wont provide you with every possible option, but will get you stumbling as quick as you can.

1. Obtain the needed Tools.
-A Laptop w/ 1 empty PcCard Slot
-1 Lucent Orinoco Gold/Silver/Turbo Card
-Windows 2000 or XP (XP is the easiest of the 2)
-A Copy of Netstumbler (Free Download)
-The Newest Drivers and Firmware for your Card
(www.lucent.com - Also Free)
-Etrex GPS w/ Serial Cable ($150 at cheapest)

2. Load XP onto the Laptop.
3. Install the Lucent 802.11 Card.
4. Install the 802.11 Drivers and upgrade the Firmware.
5. Install Netstumbler.
6. Set Netstumbler to talk to the GPS using NEMA on COM1.
7. Install Battiers into GPS, turn it on.
8. Connect the Serial Cable between the Laptop and GPS
9. Configure the GPS to Send Data in NEMA Standard.
10. Run Netstumbler.

11. If the GPS is working then you will see the current GPS coordinates on the bottom left status bar of NEtstumbler. If it says 'Timed Out' then check your Cable connections at both end or disconnect and reverify that both the GPS and Netstumbler are configured to use NEMA... if this doesnt work set both to GARMIN and reconnect. You might have to close NEtstumbler and restart it to get GPS working.

12. If the Wireless card is working, and netstumbler is stumbling then you shoudl see the number of AP's currently within range on the bottom Left of the Status Bar. If it says 'Not Scanning' then netstumbler might need to be started (click the green Arrow on the toolbar) if this doenst start it then maybe your card isnt installed right. Reinstall the Drivers.

14. Now put the Laptop on your Passenger seat, put the GPS somewhere it can get as clear signal, and drive around. PAy attention to the road and let the laptop do its work. Netstumbler will record GPS info so you can go back later.
If you set it up right you can navigate around to try and get better signals for AP's.

This is a basic over run, the easiest way to go as far as I know... it doesnt give you everything but works well enough.
Enjoy...

hi

hmm 150$ for one gps device?

here in germany you could get a USB gps for 130€ or a serial device for 99€.

try www.ebay.de and search for gps mouse

CU AssetBurned

GPS is still not chaning in price much over the last year or two...

Aside from some mailorder or pricewatch type setups... the prices i foudn on the net were pretty standard and matched the local stores within a few dollars.

A basic lowend Garmin Etrex was between $123 and $138
The Serial Cables were $25-$39
The Serial with Power Cable was $45-$65

The actual best price I found was a sale at Bass Pro Fishin shops where they had a Sale going on and the basic Etrex was $104 without a cable. This is a GPS without WAAS, so after considering the cable and the WAAS, I bought the Etrex-V for $180... it come swith a cable and the WAAS lowers its proximity to as low as 3ft where possible.

These are handheld units... not simple serial packs without displays that are basically anntenna's. The cheapest one of those I could find was still $159.00. Didnt look to hard cause the p[rice didnt seem any lower and thier resale if I ever wanted to get rid of it was almost nil....

welcome to the us [wink]

I picked up an Etrex Venture in an unopened box from a very reputable seller on Ebay for $140, including shipping. I've seen some go for a little less and others for a bit more. Buy.com has the Venture for $161 right now, including free shipping. Whether or not you pay tax depends on where you live, of course. Those offers include the PC cable, although it's not the PC cable with power.

The basic Garmin Etrex is $116 at buy.com, again with free shipping. Unopened units on Ebay seem to average about $100 with shipping.

The Garmin Etrex (pictured in my articles at www.transstellar.com/wireless) works great.

I bought mine at Best Buy (in-store.) Right now, bestbuy.com shows the Etrex cost as 119.99. It *includes* the serial cable in the box.

All I bought was this Garmin Etrex (in clear-green) and some AA batteries. Admittedly, a DC power cable would be sweet. But in the meantime, I turn it off when not wardriving, or it dies within about 24 hours.

Go to www.bestbuy.com and search for "etrex"

And remember, you have 30 days to bring it back if it doesn't work for you. (I bought 2 diff. GPS and kept the cheaper one that worked. Love that!)

Carbolic, the GPS on your site looks like the eTrex Venture and not the basic unit. AFAIK, the Venture comes only in green, while the base eTrex comes only in yellow. Also, I've never seen the base unit advertised as coming with the PC cable, while it's one of the big selling points for the Venture.

It's entirely possible I'm wrong here, but the unit I see advertised on the BestBuy web site for $119 looks like the basic unit without a PC cable to me. If I am wrong, please let me know, as I'll immediately sell the Venture I bought and go buy one at Best Buy. 8-)

I stand corrected. I didn't really pay attention to the product line at the time. I thought they were just different colors with something like a snap-on faceplate. heh.

And I remember paying something around $150-160. So I figured bestbuy was having a special. Oh well.

You are right though. Mine is the Venture. And it did come with the cable.

To help clear this up, see most of the other Garmin models, and relative pricing here:
http://www.gpstools.com/gps.htm#garmin

Sorry for any confusion, and thanks for clearing that up!

-carbolic

why are you so fixed on garmin GPS devices?

try holux devices! specaly the GM-200 serie, they are much cheaper than garmin standalone devices.
http://www.holux.com/

The important thing here is not what kind of GPS you use to war drive. Garmin, Magellan, Yoyodyne, whatever.

Just make sure that it can jack into your computer with a serial cable (and uses a communication method Netstumbler can understand.)

Check it - a giant list of GPS vendors
http://gps.adv100.com/gpsworld/static/staticHtml.jsp?id=3134

Also, here's a great magazine on GPS stuff:
http://www.gpsworld.com/
Lots of stuff about incredible accuracy, survey tools, and other neatness. Admittedly, beyond the needs of the casual war driver. But that never stopped me b4.

Anyone have a some basic help type info for others?

I think there is alot people could help out others with...
HOWTO's on Sniffing, WEP, etc...

I know I have located soem stuff on a few sites that straightened me out on things I thoguht I knew, but wasnt even close on...

USB devices does also work! aslong as there driver emulate a serial port.
just like holux do :-)