Wireless AP detection questions

[maroonaccord2.2]

I'm kind of a newb to wireless, and now have a BELKIN 802.11 PCM card in my laptop. I have the driver installed, but here are my questions:

Do I need AP detection software to find/utilize any available unsecured APs?

Does anyone have a link for a FREE program that'll allow me to use my wireless setup to scan, aquire, and utilize unsecured APs?

[phatdoughnut]

wish i could help, my laptop had one already IS it g? or the faster one?

[blackice]

haha noobs helping noobs, what is this site coming to? you should have asked me man. check this out http://www.netstumbler.com/downloads/ thats one of the more popular wifi scanners we used for wardriving at college lol. there are also some programs like airsnort that can monitor wifi connections and look for network passwords....i'm guessing you have a g card right now because a is crappy and outdated imo (same goes for the b spec but g is backwards compatible ). the newest n spec at 108 supposedly hasn't really been widely accepted as a standard or ratified as one or whatever, plus there aren't many compatible ap's/routers out for it yet.

[maroonaccord2.2]

haha noobs helping noobs, what is this site coming to? you should have asked me man. check this out http://www.netstumbler.com/downloads/ thats one of the more popular wifi scanners we used for wardriving at college lol. there are also some programs like airsnort that can monitor wifi connections and look for network passwords....i'm guessing you have a g card right now because a is crappy and outdated imo (same goes for the b spec but g is backwards compatible ). the newest n spec at 108 supposedly hasn't really been widely accepted as a standard or ratified as one or whatever, plus there aren't many compatible ap's/routers out for it yet.

Ya, I just downloaded that so I'll try it.... I only know of one AP in the area beacause my boss had found it when he had his laptop here. This is a company PC, so I just borrowed the wireless card from a friend of mine at work.

[phatdoughnut]

hahaha

[93Akkord]

whats AP?

[blackice]

whats AP?

access point otherwise known as WAP (wireless access point lol)

[phatdoughnut]

wap wap wap adap!

[93Akkord]

ahhhh...ok I feel dumb

[wed3k]

the windows software already comes with something that allows you to see the available networks and the intensituy.

[blackice]

the windows software already comes with something that allows you to see the available networks and the intensituy.

True but it provides a lot less info than third party programs.

edit: check out this guide for netstumbler http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials...le.php/3589131