I thought there would be no way this many people around here use APs. But they do. It is a resort town so I guess lots of vacationers want an easy way to hook up to the internet when they are away from home. Lots of them are unsecured APs on DSL accounts. Amazing.

I have some questions for the more experienced stumblers out there. First let me tell you my set up, then I would like to hear some suggestions.

iPAQ 3765 PPC2002 sp1, Compaq WL110 (latest drivers from Compaq website http://www.compaq.com/support/files/networking/wlan/WL110CE.html ), ministumbler (v.3.23), vxUtils, CE-Niffer 3.0, Pharos iGPS 180. I have the GPS in the serial port (COM1), and the nic and a 64Mb CF card for maps in the sleeve.

It is working... great from what I can tell. I have a bunch of ministumbler files. What is the best way to append the Ministumbler files? I would assume I could just do it from the DOS command line on my PC. Will this duplicate the header information in the file? Can I do it on the PPC? I have a pocket version of vi. I will try it on that.

I would like to get an antennae for it as it has a connection in the top of the WL110. Any suggestions? Maybe something that won't look conscpicuous sticking out of a backpack. Well, I guess any antennae sticking out of a backpack is automatically suspicious.

So, are there some drivers for the WL110 I could possibly use besides Compaq's stock OEM version. I have read a lot of posts about people using alternate drivers. What are some of the benefits?

Also, I would like to convert my ministumbler GPS information to a map, but I do not have MapPoint 2002 or any other software that will take the StumbVerter info... I think. I guess I'll have to buy Streets and Trips 2002 to get the Pocket Streets 2k2 GPS. that will work... right? I know the teletype GPS software will allow you to use the aerial photos like from TerraServer. I would like to have and end product like a large aerial overview of my local area with the APs on it. I saw a website ( I believe from a Kasas Univ.) where they had the radio signals as color overlays on an aerial map and it looked really neat. I would like to see a map of my town like that when I am done. The GPS came with a moving map program that can record waypoints in a file called ostia.wps. Maybe I can edit this file to include waypoints with the GPS info from the ministumbler files? Then I could get voice instructions guiding me to the AP. Neat.

I have really enjoyed going around town in my little subaru Justy hearing my ministumbler "KA-PING" at me. I use the sound of a bullet ricochet to signal an AP discovery.

I was wondering what I was gonna do with this iPAQ. Now I know. This is an addictive hobby.

http://www.ittc.ku.edu/wlan/index.shtml

Looking at the procedures page on that site makes it look easy. Isn't there an evaluation copy of some GIS soft I could use. I recall there being a open source CAD program with GPS.

I'll try and find it.

"..It is working... great from what I can tell. I have a bunch of ministumbler files. What is the best way to append the Ministumbler files?..."

I find it easiest to use ministumbler tap on files and open and the file name, then I tap on files and save as and give it a name that means something to me. you can then use ministumbler and it will add any new AP to your list.

"...I would like to get an antennae for it as it has a connection in the top of the WL110. Any suggestions? Maybe something that won't look conscpicuous sticking out of a backpack. Well, I guess any antennae sticking out of a backpack is automatically suspicious. "

Can I suggest that you be real careful here! You are dealling with microwave frequence here, and I don't think you want a 10 or 15 db gain antennae two or three inches from your head! At least I wouldn't, nor would I want it that close to any other part of my body. Even putting it in an outside pocket on the back will probably get it with in a foot of my body, and I just don't think that would be healthy long term!

Here is a link to one you can make:

<http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html>

Just try not to cook anything you might need!

You can only use your GPS for one program at a time, and as far as I know Pocket streets will not use ministumbler info.

HTH
Grey Wolf

Thanks for the tip on the antennae. I was thinking there might be some concerns there... I mean if they say cell phones can give you cancer... I guess I wouldn't need an antennae while walking anyway. But it would be nice for the car.

I guess it would be best to stay in my car anyway. My GPS unit doesn't work on a hike as it requires being plugged in to my cigarette lighter for 12V power. I wish they had an adapter for that. Maybe there is a battery adapter to plug the cigarette lighter plug into some kind of battery... that would fit in a backpack.

Remember to mute your PDA before you go walking around in a Mall with a lot of APs.

If I can import into Map Point then I can mix it down to the pocket streets 2k2 GPS pushpins and have moving map to route me to APs I have stumbled. Does that sound right?

Conflicts with COM1 have been taken into consideration of course. I will not be using the GPS in ministumbler while using the moving map program.

how did you do the maps ---

autoroute ok , but what are your maps?

they are showing some kind of coloured cloud effect, I need it..

thanks

I was thinking to myself that the APs they found had a pretty big range compared to mine, until I found that that they were using a 10dbi antenna !

Hope they come up with that detailed procedure soon, especially software to do this IDW interpolation.