Good complete rig - Expert opinions?

[WiFido]

I'm looking for help building a good complete rig.

I'll list what I have so far:
500W Power inverter / LCD screen / Keyboard with mouse

Small form factor Desktop Intel Pentium 4 PC consisting of:
2 Free PCI slots
4 Free USB 2.0 connections
Shock mounted 2.5" HDD plenty of space
DVD/CD player

I have access to Linksys WMP54G Wireless B/G PCI cards I do not know if these would prove suitable or not but they are my card of choice.

My requirements:
Powerful Antenna(s) and GPS suitable for car use
Quality components is a must. I have no specific budget in mind but I need something reliable

I have no problems with soldering and cabling. However I'm concerned with signal loss and gain problems so will need assistance there.
Dual antenna rig is no problems.

Software I would prefer free. Windows or Linux software (whatever is more flexible). A bootable CD/DVD solution will work but maybe something that I can automate the loading as I'm going to remote wire the power switch of the PC into the dash of the car. It would be nice if the software would just start up and be good to go.

If it could all be done in Windows XP I guess that would be a perfect scenario just due to the fact I want to automate data upload when parking the car (shutdown script when pressing the power button). I know it can all be done in Linux but will be easier in Windows (just toying with ideas).

If you have a desktop rig running I'm especially interested in knowing what you got or problems you had.

Any ideas on this very welcome.

WiFido

[007osint]

WiFido: I recommend you use PCI-to-miniPCI cards inside the box to allow you to utilize many cards if necessary. I already have a rig that will allow for 8 cards using two PCI slots. You can buy PCI-to-miniPCI cards that hold 2, 4 or even 8 miniPCI Wifi cards. You will probably only be able to handle 4 miniPCI cards per slot due to physical restraints from your chassis. That is what I had to do. With this configuration you will be able to use ALL kinds of antennas. The cards I am talking about allow a pigtail to be added to each miniPCI card for the antennas and connected to the PCI card plate which will allow standard antenna connections. You can use just about whatever you can find, then. I am not recommending any specific PCI-to-miniPCI cards. I have tested several makes and they seem to work fine. And even after you do this setup, you have USB slots for additional cards, if needed.

Most people don't understand that using MANY cards greatly reduces the chance that you will drive by a network and miss it. Single card channel hopping can have this happen quite a bit, depending on your speed.

[WiFido]

Most people don't understand that using MANY cards greatly reduces the chance that you will drive by a network and miss it. Single card channel hopping can have this happen quite a bit, depending on your speed.

I want to limit the amount of antennas I'm using.. probably to 2 Max. If I run 4 cards in one box how would I cable them so I can switch between cards? Have you got links to these products? Money is not an issue I can buy a dozen cards. Do you recommend I build a plate to mount the external antenna looms onto (instead into the back of each card)?

As this PC is small form factor it takes 1/2 height PCI cards so there is a limiting factor there. The more I think about this the more I would like to use a full size PC in a custom box.

On my car (see link) I would like to mount two aerials on the rear spoiler. I was thinking of a whip style antenna similar to those old mobile phone ones that go through the windscreen. 10" max. Do you know of any such suitable products? The PC is going to be mounted in false compartment in the boot.

http://www.swiftowners.co.uk/modules/ga ... temId=1698

How about an amp what’s good what’s recommended?
Don't forget I need software. Can I live in windows?

I'm practically new to the hobby but I'm at about master level with computer hardware and electronics assembly. Just need suggestions. Come on guys I want to go build this!

WiFido

[littledave]

This is what I'm working on.
The pc is a 1ghz w/ a M2-Atx psu. 4 2511 mp plus 200mw mini pci cards (Prism 2.5). Amps are 1 watt from Fab-corp,the panels have 2/ 11 dbi antennas. Both routers are kismet drones w/diversity turned off and only using one antenna. Not pictured 2/ 5dbi mobile mark antennas,bu-353 gps all on the roof.The monitor is a 10.4 lcd.

My OS. of choice is Ubuntu w/Kismet.

To do list:
TO MUCH

[WiFido]

Littledave,

Thats an interesting setup, you are only using 2 out of the 4 mini pci cards? What fuction are the routers used for? I see they are hooked up to one side of the panels.

What is the max resolution of your monitor?

WiFido

[whitedice]

Littledave,

Thats an interesting setup, you are only using 2 out of the 4 mini pci cards? What fuction are the routers used for? I see they are hooked up to one side of the panels.

What is the max resolution of your monitor?

WiFido

Littledave can correct me if I am wrong...
I would say he is using all 4 miniPCI. 2 are through amps connected to antennas not shown on the roof, and 2 are for the 2 panel antennas. The 2 routers are configured as kismet drones, just additional receivers of signals. Though the one thing I am unclear on is why the panel antennas are connected to them, if the router is setup to use only one antenna? Unless by turning off diversity, each remains independently active? I never did dabble with wrt54g drones.

Littledave, I would be curious to know if you have tested the different components seperately as to what kind of results you got with the 2 amped mobile mark antennas vs. just the 2 drones?

[littledave]

Littledave,

Thats an interesting setup, you are only using 2 out of the 4 mini pci cards? What fuction are the routers used for? I see they are hooked up to one side of the panels.

What is the max resolution of your monitor?

WiFido

1024 x 768

Whitedice answered the rest.

[littledave]

Littledave can correct me if I am wrong...

Your not

Littledave, I would be curious to know if you have tested the different components separately as to what kind of results you got with the 2 amped mobile mark antennas vs. just the 2 drones?

Not really,the amps do make a huge difference. I will have 6 before I'm done. After NS I went to Kiswin so I had the drones mite as well use them. Was that what you wanted to know?

Though the one thing I am unclear on is why the panel antennas are connected to them, if the router is setup to use only one antenna? Unless by turning off diversity, each remains independently active? I never did dabble with wrt54g drones.

The panels are 11dbi thats why the drones are hooked to them. I left the stock antenna on just to be safe. It should be turned off, better to be safe rather then burning up the radio.

[007osint]

I built a new rig this weekend and have it working pretty smoothly right now... It contains 4 internal miniPCI cards through a PCI-to-miniPCI converter card. Hooked antennas up to each miniPCI card, plus I have hooked up 3 USB sticks for use, as well.

I use a simple USB "hockey puck" gps device and it works well.

The whole rig uses a build called: WhirlWind, specialized build I have been using lately and really like it a lot! No running harddrive. Boots from CDRom and stores all data on a USB stick.

I don't have any noticeable problems with GPS or power items. The GPS piece is interesting for what I use it for. The WhirlWind build has a built in software package that takes the data and turns the wardrive into a Google Earth map. The part of the build that does the mapping checks for bounds on data points to make sure they don't fall out of place. If they do, the software will interpolate location of "error gps" point and correct them as best as possible using mathematics and bounding boxes. It has been tested over and over and works really well. I have used other things in the past, but this build seems to be the most rock solid for my needs.

The rig I use is much simpler than that pictured (no offense)... there is no need to create something crazy with wires, etc... to the point that a police officer will pull you over and ask all kinds of questions. Keep it simple and conspicuous. Being taken in for questions defeats trying to save time with a big rig.

Best of luck to everyone!

[littledave]

The rig I use is much simpler than that pictured (no offense)... there is no need to create something crazy with wires, etc... to the point that a police officer will pull you over and ask all kinds of questions.

No offense taken. Thats why it's a work in progress. Remember War driving is not a crime.

The whole rig uses a build called: WhirlWind, specialized build I have been using lately and really like it a lot! No running harddrive. Boots from CDRom and stores all data on a USB stick.

Are you with WhirlWind?

So your new box runs headless? If it does I would be interested.

I built a new rig this weekend and have it working pretty smoothly right now... It contains 4 internal miniPCI cards through a PCI-to-miniPCI converter card. Hooked antennas up to each miniPCI card, plus I have hooked up 3 USB sticks for use, as well.

Want to post a picture?

[littledave]

I was going to edit my previous post but this


Item Unit Price Qty Total
WhirlWind - Gold Version

Item #0207gv
$2,500.00 1 $2,500.00

Subtotal: $2,500.00
Enter ship-to ZIP Code tocalculate total order amount
Enter ship-to ZIP Code:Shipping outside U.S?
Select ship-to country:and ZipCode Shipping to U.S?

Subtotal: $2,500.00 USD

WhirlWind - Gold Version

Subtotal:$2,500.00USD
Enter ship-to ZIP Code tocalculate total order amount
Enter ship-to ZIP Code:Shipping outside U.S?
Select ship-to country:and ZipCode Shipping to U.S?

Click to view purchase details

[whitedice]

I built a new rig this weekend and have it working pretty smoothly right now... It contains 4 internal miniPCI cards through a PCI-to-miniPCI converter card. Hooked antennas up to each miniPCI card, plus I have hooked up 3 USB sticks for use, as well.
<<snip>>
The rig I use is much simpler than that pictured (no offense)... there is no need to create something crazy with wires, etc... to the point that a police officer will pull you over and ask all kinds of questions. Keep it simple and conspicuous. Being taken in for questions defeats trying to save time with a big rig.

Best of luck to everyone!

No offense, but how is yours simpler, when you have more stuff? What kind of antennas are you using, and where did you put them? Where are the USB sticks at?

Ok, and here is another thing. If WhirlWind Gold uses only 1 device and is $2500, you have to be using WhirlWind Platinum to be able to be using all 7 devices.

So either you have 7 devices hooked up to a computer using software that is only using one device, as the software suggests, or you are the owner or creator of WhirlWind using Wigle.net to advertise your excessively overpriced to the point of retarded software for what is suppose to be a fun hobby, in which free software works perfectly fine.

Have you even submitted data to Wigle.net?

[007osint]

No, not with the WhirlWind team. Sorry to bust your bubble on that. I work for a company that received a test version and have enjoyed using it. So, yes, the price can be bad for a regular person. It is priced for commercial interests right now from my understanding.

I have a pre-release test version of WhirlWind Platinum. That is how I use 7 different cards at once. Also, the Silver is all that is needed for wardriving. Gold is for companies to use to monitor their networks. So toss that out... not needed for just wardriving. Maybe someone should email them and discuss interest in it.. maybe that could push a multi-card Silver version.

Thanks for not taking offense to my comment on your rig's complexity. I only mean this from all the components shown in your picture. I will have a picture of my rig prior to weekend. I don't use powerful antennas. I am trying to locate the APs close to their actual vicinity. Powerful antennas make the accuracy of true AP location less accurate.

I put the antenna on the side of the chassis (bored holes in it, for them). 4 Omni antennas from the miniPCI cards and I just use the USB Stick antenna on them. I am seeking for accuracy on location. Not to find every and all AP out there. I have gear for that, but I am testing mapping accuracy right now to actual GPS pinpoint.

I do not have it run headless at the moment... yet. I have done that in the past, and will probably start working on that after I have things mounted the exact way I want them. I am trying to get the system to run 11 cards at the same time. I believe I can do it. I just have to get a couple more pieces of equipment (USB) or another internal PCI-to-miniPCI card.

Just trying to help folks out... not trying to create an unfriendly forum, which I see may be the case... I will strictly stick with hardware configs from now on... I won't talk about how I get many cards to work or the complexities of doing so.

[littledave]

Thanks for not taking offense to my comment on your rig's complexity. I only mean this from all the components shown in your picture.

You need to read this thread again,its not Whitedice rig its mine.
If you want to see a cool rig that he was running the look here
http://www.netstumbler.org/f10/how-get- ... pics-22072

No, not with the WhirlWind team. Sorry to bust your bubble on that

Again I asked that, it wasn't meant to start a pissing match. But everywhere I looked your push that cd pretty hard.

[whitedice]

No, not with the WhirlWind team. Sorry to bust your bubble on that. I work for a company that received a test version and have enjoyed using it. So, yes, the price can be bad for a regular person. It is priced for commercial interests right now from my understanding.

I have a pre-release test version of WhirlWind Platinum. That is how I use 7 different cards at once. Also, the Silver is all that is needed for wardriving. Gold is for companies to use to monitor their networks. So toss that out... not needed for just wardriving. Maybe someone should email them and discuss interest in it.. maybe that could push a multi-card Silver version.

Thanks for not taking offense to my comment on your rig's complexity. I only mean this from all the components shown in your picture. I will have a picture of my rig prior to weekend. I don't use powerful antennas. I am trying to locate the APs close to their actual vicinity. Powerful antennas make the accuracy of true AP location less accurate.

I put the antenna on the side of the chassis (bored holes in it, for them). 4 Omni antennas from the miniPCI cards and I just use the USB Stick antenna on them. I am seeking for accuracy on location. Not to find every and all AP out there. I have gear for that, but I am testing mapping accuracy right now to actual GPS pinpoint.

I do not have it run headless at the moment... yet. I have done that in the past, and will probably start working on that after I have things mounted the exact way I want them. I am trying to get the system to run 11 cards at the same time. I believe I can do it. I just have to get a couple more pieces of equipment (USB) or another internal PCI-to-miniPCI card.

Just trying to help folks out... not trying to create an unfriendly forum, which I see may be the case... I will strictly stick with hardware configs from now on... I won't talk about how I get many cards to work or the complexities of doing so.

How does bragging about using $2500+ software that no one can afford help people out?

What is the point of locating the actual place of 1 ap (if you are not using it with/for a company)? That is not what Wigle is about, and not what Wardriving is about. It is not an unfriendly forum. I am pointing out the stupidity of software vs. price for the purpose it is being used. I don't doubt the software sounds great, but it is unrealistic for what this website is all about.

The idea of Triangulating an AP is not new. Why use 7 devices in one location vs. 1 device in one location if you are going to do that? But why even do that? That makes no sense to me.