Sniffing out a signal
To use a wireless network detector, you need to have mastered the art of
pushing buttons. My wife tells me I'm an expert button-pusher, and I suspect
that every truck driver on the face of the earth is also quite well qualified.
(I'm sure this trait applies equally for those pushing an RV down the road.)
With the two keychain detectors, you just push the button, and if a hotspot
or wireless network is detected, the LEDs light up, indicating relative signal
strength. By turning a total of 360 degrees, 90 degrees at a time, you can get a
good idea of the direction in which the detected signal is originating.
With each push of the button, these devices detect a single network. If you're
in an area where more than one hotspot is present, you might have to push
the button several times -- and face a different direction with each push of
the button -- to find the strongest signal. You'd think that the strongest one
would be detected first, but for some reason, that's not always the case. The
Canary Digital Hotspotter, like the keychain detectors, also picks up just one
hotspot at a time, so you need to push the button a few times to be sure you
exhaust the potential list of hotspot candidates. When you push the button,
the display indicates that the device is looking for networks, and if one is dis-
covered, it displays information pertaining to it. If you push the button again,
it scans for hotspots again. If a new wireless signal is detected, the informa-
tion for that network is displayed, or if no other network is detected, the
information for the first one is displayed. If no networks are present, the dis-
play gives that indication.
The detector-adapter combo units work in a similar fashion but, since they
detect all the available networks with one push of the button, you only need
to push buttons as you make each 90-degree turn.
Putting Network Detection
Software to Work
Whatever connection management utility you happen to use, whether it's
WZC, JiWire, or the utility included with your wireless adapter, it includes
some form of active-scanning, network detection software. Also available are
several stand-alone software applications designed to provide as much infor-
mation as possible concerning the available networks in a given area.
Active scanning network detection software sends out probe requests on
every channel that the wireless radio transceiver is configured to use. Most
cards in North America are configured for Channels 1 through 11. (A few
cards use Channel 6 only. If that's the only channel your card is configured
Part II: Surfing the Net Unplugged
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