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WiFi Seeker, Finder, Detector Roundup

Posted by timothy on from the beat-me-to-it dept.

captainJam points to this review at handtops.com of five reasonably priced hardware WiFi finders. A snippet: "If you're not using a WiFi enabled PDA, you either have to turn on your handtop or laptop, or wake it from standby just to check if there's a network in the area. While a WiFi Finder / Seeker won't make a connection out of thin air, it will conveniently tell you whether there is a WiFi network in the area."

4 of 168 comments (clear)

  1. time by Suburbanpride · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Its takes less than 7 seconds from the time I open the lid on my powerbook untill I can browse available networks. The wifi dector doesn't even tell you if you will be able to connect to the network or not. I don't really see the use for these devices

    --
    sorry 'bout the mess...
  2. Expensive but excellent solution. by Yaztromo · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The best solution by far that I've found is my Palm Tungsten C running NetChaser. Not only does it detect the networks, it will let you know their SSIDs, the last time you saw them, their MAC address, and a pile of other information. It can alert you by a tone or by using the Tungsten C's vibration function, and can operate with the screen off. It can even initiate a WiFi connection to a selected network.

    I've had mine set-up to operate with the screen off, and vibrate when an unencrypted network is encountered. I can walk around with it in my pocket and can silently know when I'm within range of an unencrypted wireless signal (it just logs the encrypted ones without vibrating). At that point, I can either connect from the T|C, or whip out my PowerBook.

    It's been fun walking around the neighbourhood with it in my pocket looking for open networks. I seem to hit upon one ever 2 or 3 houses. It's nice to know that if I'm really hard up for cash I can probably print up a bunch of fliers and distribute them around the neighbourhood where there are open access points offering to secure their access points for cash :).

    Yaz.

  3. I can't believe I can finally... by enystrom · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ... buy a working Sub-Etha Sens-O-Matic!

  4. The basic circuit by EvilMidnightBomber · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The standard incarnation is a generic rf detector/level meter with an antenna that is tuned to 2.4ghz.

    The Basic Circuit
    (Back the url up one dir for datasheets and pics of one hobbyists's implementation)

    And another version using a pic instead of a dedicated display driver chip.