Equipment Check List :: Best Setup For Your Car?

asdf_44y · 09-29-2004

With cost and application in mind what would be an appropriate hardware setup for my truck in order to locate APs? I've got my laptop almost ready to go. As I understand it, I need to purchase a PCMCIA wireless card, external antenna(e), and cables.

Can someone check my shopping list (appropriate parts/proper application):
==================================
1 ORiNOCO Gold 802.11B/G Combo Card
1 19 inch ORiNOCO/Avaya to N-Male Pigtail LMR-100 (?card to antenna?)
1 19" Compact Black 7.4dBi Omni Antenna w/ Spring Base N Male
-or-
1 24" 9 dBi Fiberglass Omnidirectional Antenna integral N Female

or should i be going at this from a different route? maybe a different card/antenna/cable combo is more appropriate. And i don’t have a million bucks to spend. Thanks for the advice!

wrzwaldo · 09-29-2004

Really it depends on what you plan on doing with your setup. Most like using an omni in th 5 dbi range. Do you need a B/G card? If you own a G AP then I suppose the B/G would be OK. But if you are just going to use the gear for wardriving the go with just the B model.

Deoje · 09-29-2004

Might want think about a GPS, so you can map the Aps that you find. You can wardrive without one, but it's definately more fun with one.

There are plenty of threads about good GPS units so I'm not going to list out my favorites. Just search for "GPS" and you will find plenty.

You can get a good usb GPS for pretty cheap, so you can stay on your budget.

Also you might want to check out http://www.fab-corp.com/ for their 5dbi omni it's a good choice. It cost a little more (around $50-$60) but it's better to get quality equipment first than have to upgrade later.

JohnnyBra · 09-30-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrzwaldo

Really it depends on what you plan on doing with your setup. Most like using an omni in th 5 dbi range. Do you need a B/G card? If you own a G AP then I suppose the B/G would be OK. But if you are just going to use the gear for wardriving the go with just the B model.

Yes, I'm very new to this myself.. But will a B model card tetect on A/G AP's?

wrzwaldo · 09-30-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyBra

Yes, I'm very new to this myself.. But will a B model card tetect on A/G AP's?

A "B" card will not detect "A", it will however detect "G". If you reside in the USA you will be hard pressed finding an "A" card with an external antenna jack. I have done some "A" driving and have managed to find 1 AP (mine). Probably because the range of "A" is very short (and not having an external antenna). Here is my backup laptop scanning with 2 cards "A" on the left and "B" on the right.

Pseudonym · 10-04-2004

Here is a cool link showing a wardriving setup in a ford truck

http://www.geekspeed.net/~beetle/download/wardrive/

wrzwaldo · 10-04-2004

Is it your setup? Why not post it in here?

Pseudonym · 10-04-2004

no, not my set up. Simply posting an example of whats out there for the topic starter

l8

wrzwaldo · 10-04-2004

Yeah there is a forum called "Stumbling Setups" where that might actually go. Plenty of good stuff there...

sparafina · 10-05-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrzwaldo

Is it your setup? Why not post it in here?

Heh, that looks like Beetle's, one of the organizers of Schmoocon. Interesting.

beakmyn · 10-05-2004

I got the 5db mag mount contrary to Beetle's opinion about cable loss. I asked 'Borg man' about this (I hope he doesn't mind me posting his reply).
As I noticed the label on the sticker said 3dB and the advertised was 5dB

Quote:

The different numbers represent dBd and dBi. The higher number is the dBi, and the lower number is the dBd. They are always about a 2 dB spred. We have found that the 5 dBi is included with the cable loss. I would not suggest changing the cable for LMR-400.

To add to this I did a wardrive (same route) with and without the antenna connected to my Orinoco Gold b. Without the Antenna I found 125 APs. With the antenna I found over 400 APs. Definately worth it.

GPS in my opinion is a must. I did some driving without and yeah it's fun to find APs but it's much cooler to be able to map their relative location so you can see where you've been and where they are. As other posters said the hockey puck GPS units can be had rather cheaply. Myself I got a used Garmin Etrex on ebay for $136.00. The advantage is I can use the GPS for other things without needing to be connected to my computer.

09-29-2004	#1 (permalink)
asdf_44y Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 1	Equipment Check List :: Best Setup For Your Car? With cost and application in mind what would be an appropriate hardware setup for my truck in order to locate APs? I've got my laptop almost ready to go. As I understand it, I need to purchase a PCMCIA wireless card, external antenna(e), and cables. Can someone check my shopping list (appropriate parts/proper application): ================================== 1 ORiNOCO Gold 802.11B/G Combo Card 1 19 inch ORiNOCO/Avaya to N-Male Pigtail LMR-100 (?card to antenna?) 1 19" Compact Black 7.4dBi Omni Antenna w/ Spring Base N Male -or- 1 24" 9 dBi Fiberglass Omnidirectional Antenna integral N Female or should i be going at this from a different route? maybe a different card/antenna/cable combo is more appropriate. And i don’t have a million bucks to spend. Thanks for the advice!

09-29-2004	#3 (permalink)
Deoje AAAHHHH!!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 138	Might want think about a GPS, so you can map the Aps that you find. You can wardrive without one, but it's definately more fun with one. There are plenty of threads about good GPS units so I'm not going to list out my favorites. Just search for "GPS" and you will find plenty. You can get a good usb GPS for pretty cheap, so you can stay on your budget. Also you might want to check out http://www.fab-corp.com/ for their 5dbi omni it's a good choice. It cost a little more (around $50-$60) but it's better to get quality equipment first than have to upgrade later. __________________ I love Linux. I hate Linux. I love Linux. I hate Linux. I lov... If you don't think too good, don't think too much! Last edited by Deoje : 09-29-2004 at 11:45 PM.

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09-29-2004	#2 (permalink)
wrzwaldo I amuse you? Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 9,127	Really it depends on what you plan on doing with your setup. Most like using an omni in th 5 dbi range. Do you need a B/G card? If you own a G AP then I suppose the B/G would be OK. But if you are just going to use the gear for wardriving the go with just the B model.

10-04-2004	#6 (permalink)
Pseudonym Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 3	Here is a cool link showing a wardriving setup in a ford truck http://www.geekspeed.net/~beetle/download/wardrive/

10-04-2004	#7 (permalink)
wrzwaldo I amuse you? Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 9,127	Is it your setup? Why not post it in here?

10-04-2004	#8 (permalink)
Pseudonym Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 3	no, not my set up. Simply posting an example of whats out there for the topic starter l8

10-04-2004	#9 (permalink)
wrzwaldo I amuse you? Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 9,127	Yeah there is a forum called "Stumbling Setups" where that might actually go. Plenty of good stuff there...