WLW038 – WLAN Hardware & Software Options

WLAN Hardware & Software Options

I thought perhaps with this being the holiday season, and people thinking of their gift lists… I ought to have an episode dedicated to the various WLAN hardware and software tools you might want to have in your own personal kit.

I tried making an audio podcast out of this list… but failed to adequately describe all the items with just my voice… So this week’s audio podcast will be turned into a Video Podcast. But, it will take a bit more time to edit the video clips into something presentable.

In the mean time, I’ve included a list of the equipment and software I carry. Obviously I don’t carry all of this for every type of gig. For pre-deployment work there is one set, for post-deployment verification surveys a different set. For different training classes, different sets depending on needs. And when doing interviews and on-site work for the Podcast an even different setup.

Please go through these lists and let me know if there are any tools you’ve found useful in your Wireless LAN Professional work that I should include. Please e-mail your updates/changes/answers to keith at wlanpros.com.

Thanks – and I’ll send out a Twitter message when the Video Version of this episode is ready to download.

The *-asterisk denotes my personal favorites and what I use most of the time.

Hardware

Computer

  • Windows XP/Vista/*Window 7  —  Laptop/Netbook/*Tablet
  • *Macintosh OS X/VM/*Parallels/*Bootcamp  —  *MacBookPro, *MacBookAir
  • Smartphone  —  *iPhone, Android, BlackBerry

Accessories

  • *Fluke AirCheck
  • *GPS
  • *Spectrum Analyzers
  • WiFi NICs – both PCMCIA & USB
  • Jammers
  • *USB to Serial Converters
  • USB Hubs
  • Cases – I favor Pelican Cases

Miscellaneous Supporting Software & Security Software

  • *MapPoint, *GoogleEarth, *Visio, *Office Tools
  • Senao/Prism – Queensland Attack – WiFi Jamming
  • *NirSoft  – WirelessKeyView – WEP & WPA PSK Hacking
  • *Immunity – SILICAU – Penetration Testing
  • *Franson – GPS Gate

Software

WiFi Analysis Software

  • *AirMagnet    WiFi Analyzer Pro
  • *AirMagnet    VoFi Analyzer
  • WildPackets    Omnipeek
  • *CACE Tech    Wireshark
  • CACE Tech      WiFi Pilot
  • Tamosoft        Commview for WiFi
  • AirDefense     Personal

WiFi Site Survey

  • *AirMagnet    SurveyPro
  • Ekahau           Site Survey
  • Tamosoft        Tamograph
  • Visiwave         Survey
  • Veriwave        Wave Deploy

WiFi Pre-Deployment Design Tools

  • *AirMagnet    Planner
  • Motorola        LANPlanner
  • Ekahau           Survey

WiFi Scanners

  • Kismet             Kismet
  • NetStumbler  NetStumbler
  • Xirrus              WiFi Inspector
  • *MetaGeek     inSSIDer
  • PassMark        WirelessMon
  • *NirSoft          WirelessNetView
  • *Koingo           AirRadar (Mac OS X)
  • iStumbler        iStumbler (Mac OS X)
  • WLAN Book    WiFi Scanner (Mac OS X)

Spectrum Analyzers

  • Metageek       Chanalyzer (WiSpy family)
  • *Metageek     Chanalyzer Pro (WiSpy family)
  • Eakiu               Eakiu (WiSpy for OS X)
  • *AirMagnet    Spectrum XT – USB – Bandspeed
  • *Cognio          Spectrum Expert – PCMCIA (Cisco, AirMagnet, others)
  • Ubiquiti          AirView
  • AirMagnet      AirMedic – Intel 5×00 series WLAN NIC
  • Nuts About Nets        AirSleuthPro
  • Nuts About Nets        WiFi Eagle

2.4GHz and 5GHz RF Interfering Devices

  • *Nuts About Nets      AirHorn Jammer
  • *Nuts About Nets      AirHorn Dual-Band Jammer
  • Portable Phones        2.4GHz Narrow-band and Frequency Hopping
  • Portable Phones       5GHz Narrow-band and Frequency Hopping
  • *Wireless Cameras – Jamming
  • *Narrow-Band Jammer
  • *Wide-Band Jammer
  • *Bluetooth Devices – Discovery & Piconet
  • *Headset, mouse, keyboard
  • *2.4GHz Wireless Mice
  • WiFi Video Camera – just as a client
  • Old 802.11 Frequency Hopping AP & Client
  • Microwave Oven – good and bad
  • Nintendo DS (WiFi Client)
  • Xbox 360 Game Controller

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