Wardriving is NOT always passive, it depends on the software you use to scan wireless networks. Some are "active scanners" others are "passive scanners"
Here is the best description of the differences I could find on short notice. http://www.airespace.com/technology/technote_rf-related_attacks_summary.php Netstumbler utilizes "active scanning" as the method to identify APs. With active scanning, a probe request is sent out about once a second on all available channels. As discovered APs respond to the probes, Netstumbler logs the MAC address, SSID, received signal strength indication (RSSI) of the AP, whether or not WEP is turned on, the AP manufacturer, and the latitude & longitude of the PC running Netstumbler. Kismet uses "passive scanning" as opposed to "active scanning", which is also referred to as "RFMON" or "promiscuous mode". When a WLAN card is set to RFMON mode, the radio can only receive packets. Since no beacons or packets are transmitted by Kismet while in RFMON mode, it can not be detected by RF scanning programs. On Wed, 19 Jan 2005 18:31:48 -0800 (PST), John Hebert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > --- Christian Tortorich <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > You can certainly log MACs on your AP, correct? I > > mean that doesn't give > > you much.... you could then use iptables to watch > > the activity of those > > MACs I guess..... > > Christian, > > Wardriving is completely passive radio reception. In > other words, wardriving is simply logging the > available wireless networks in a location with no > transmission back to those wifi networks; it does not > mean attaching to those networks. So, the AP won't see > wardrivers, hence their MAC, _unless_ they attempt to > connect to its network. > > Attempting to connect to a network would entail > sending radio waves from your WIFI card back to the > AP, but all the wardriving apps I've seen > intentionally do not do that, in order to keep your > rig from being detected. > > For example, <a > href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/accessories/6f76/";>these</a> > devices do passive radio reception of the 2.4Ghz range > in order to detect WIFI networks in the area, but > without the automatic logging that a PC can do. > > You could easily do the same with the right ham radio > equipment in your car, albeit a lot more expensively. > > Passively receiving radio signals is not illegal, as > others have pointed out. Transmitting on frequencies > that you do not have authorization for _is_ illegal. > > John > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > All your favorites on one personal page ? Try My Yahoo! > http://my.yahoo.com > > _______________________________________________ > General mailing list > [email protected] > http://brlug.net/mailman/listinfo/general_brlug.net > -- Adam Melancon Work: http://www.vermilion.lib.la.us Personal: http://www.melancon.org
