Can Netstumbler detect passively?

rowland · 01-19-2005

Can netstumbler detect a network without the AP of the network being able to hear netstumbler? The AP is 13 miles away and has a sector antenna that supports several clients that are closer to it. I'm thinking that the AP can't hear my beacon probe requests, but I might be able to hear the AP. Before I invest in a larger antenna and/or an amplifier it would be good to know if I can hear the AP.

RedSector · 01-19-2005

no .

Thorn · 01-19-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by rowland

Can netstumbler detect a network without the AP of the network being able to hear netstumbler? The AP is 13 miles away and has a sector antenna that supports several clients that are closer to it. I'm thinking that the AP can't hear my beacon probe requests, but I might be able to hear the AP. Before I invest in a larger antenna and/or an amplifier it would be good to know if I can hear the AP.

No. NetStumbler is an active scanner, just like it says in the README.

Barry · 01-20-2005

Hole-lee crap!

wrzwaldo · 01-20-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by rowland

...

The AP is 13 miles away and ...

A "13 mile" link will require many things, including a clear fresnel zone and properly calculated link budget.

rowland · 01-20-2005

I have done the calculations and it appears there will be enough gain to establish a link. But, my experience has been that the implementation can vary, both positive and negative, from the calculated path loss. In this case, there is a bit of a fresnel zone problem that is hard to characterize. The antenna site will require solar panels for power. I've acquired an old-style 9 foot parabolic TV satellite antenna that I'm hoping will have enough gain so that I can get by with a smaller amplifier, and, thus, less required power.

01-19-2005	#1 (permalink)
rowland Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 2	Can Netstumbler detect passively? Can netstumbler detect a network without the AP of the network being able to hear netstumbler? The AP is 13 miles away and has a sector antenna that supports several clients that are closer to it. I'm thinking that the AP can't hear my beacon probe requests, but I might be able to hear the AP. Before I invest in a larger antenna and/or an amplifier it would be good to know if I can hear the AP.

01-19-2005	#2 (permalink)
RedSector Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Illinois Posts: 673	no . __________________ Get thine ass into the Church The Church of Wifi

01-20-2005	#4 (permalink)
Barry Managing the iTards. Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 5,388	Hole-lee crap! __________________ Atheism is a non-prophet organization. Last edited by Barry : 05-28-2007 at 01:38 PM.

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01-20-2005	#6 (permalink)
rowland Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 2	I have done the calculations and it appears there will be enough gain to establish a link. But, my experience has been that the implementation can vary, both positive and negative, from the calculated path loss. In this case, there is a bit of a fresnel zone problem that is hard to characterize. The antenna site will require solar panels for power. I've acquired an old-style 9 foot parabolic TV satellite antenna that I'm hoping will have enough gain so that I can get by with a smaller amplifier, and, thus, less required power.