PocketWiNc Wi-Fi Finder... For Free

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1252915,00.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,414...,1252915,00.asp</a><br /><br /></div>For a limited time (until Sunday), you can download a slick little Wi-Fi sniffing tool called PocketWiNc -- the same one that <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12643">Andy wrote about</a> a few months ago. PPCT review team member Philip Colmer reports that this isn't the full retail version, but it <i>is</i> a special PC Magazine version that doesn't expire.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/winc_01.jpg" /><br /><br />You can also get a special desktop version for free. Looks very handy. 8)

[dean_shan]

I nabbed the windows version too. Ilove love free stuff.

[Janak Parekh]

Ah, I should mention that in my post, shouldn't I?

Here I go editing a third post today... sigh ;)

--janak

[Jonathan1]

Note that you do need to register with them to get the software.

[DubWireless]

when i try and register all that happens is the following appears in the browser :(

Transfer-Encoding: chunked 4F6

&lt;

anyone else been able to register - or is it just me :|

[rmasinag]

Is it free to subscribe to PC World or what? Also, I'm weary of giving email addys. Is there another site for the down oad?

[Janak Parekh]

I don't think there is another site, as this is a PCMag special edition, but yes, I believe registering is free. Create a throwaway Hotmail account if you have to. :)

DubWireless, are you using Mozilla? Maybe their webserver is misconfigured and giving it fits, and maybe it's worth a shot trying the download through IE. Otherwise try clearing your cache.

--janak

[toml]

Is it free to subscribe to PC World or what? Also, I'm weary of giving email addys. Is there another site for the down oad?

You can give it bogus information, it doesn't do any type of challenge/response mechanism to verify e-mail addresses.

[JohnJohn]

Not picking up my Netgear MA701 CF card.

[DubWireless]

DubWireless, are you using Mozilla? Maybe their webserver is misconfigured and giving it fits, and maybe it's worth a shot trying the download through IE. Otherwise try clearing your cache.



hi janak, tried in IE and Netscape on the desktop and same in both (strange) i use a wireless ISP and it's very drizzley/misty out their this morning maybe the link is having trouble - booted the laptop and dialed-up and was able to get it through that (if a bit more slowly!) - thanks for the help though

[dean_shan]

If you can't get in just PM me and I can email you the program.

[teq]

Not picking up my Netgear MA701 CF card.
According to their website, you need to use the latest update of Netgear's driver.

This latest version doesn't work with PPC 2003 yet... Hopefully, it will soon.

Cheers,

teq

[Stephen Beesley]

when i try and register all that happens is the following appears in the browser :(

Transfer-Encoding: chunked 4F6

&lt;

anyone else been able to register - or is it just me :|

No problems with IE 6.

BTW - how are you finding being wireless in Dublin? The city centre seems to be full of poorly secured access points

Goldtee

[hshortt]

Just verifing that the program is great. Used it before for scanning networks in Dublin City Centre, Stillorgan, and Bray too.

WiFi is fun.

Cheerio

[tddisc]

What is the difference between the PC Mag version and the full retail version?

TD

[Deslock]

Does the program offer any advantages over Network Stumbler other than what was mentioned in the article? (simpler and offers support for more hardware)

[JohnJohn]

I'm using NetGear's latest... So WiNic doesn't work with 2003?? I downloaded the 2003 version via the link by the same name. As for Netgear's driver....I'm using my MA701 right now on my 2215. Any help on getting WinNic to work with the Netgear CF?

Thanks, JohnJohn

[PeterLake]

What is the real reason most people use this software? Is it to freeload on other's networks without the wireless network maintainer's notice?

I understand that the developers may encourage a more legitimate use and purpose. I also understand that companies that don't use WEP are taking a risk. I was just wondering what the users' goals are.

[crdiddle]

At the end of the registration process I get:

Error querying database:
[Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]Error converting data type varchar to int.

[Leo the 3rd]

Some folks may use it for "wardriving" or "warwalking", but I've used it to alert folks that their networks are unsecure. I've also used it at my office recently to alert folks that an unauthorized AP was attached to the corporate network - a definite no-no for any wireless connectivity at our office. Turned out a training session was using the equipment. And using PocketLAN I showed how folks could see our systems. I prefer to use the tool to help others out.

[DubWireless]

BTW - how are you finding being wireless in Dublin? The city centre seems to be full of poorly secured access points


i'm out in the suburbs using IrishBroadBand as my WISP, did a stroll around the neighbourhood and hotspots are very rare. did the same visiting the bro in the US and you can immediately see the difference in high adoption for home use in the US compared to here in Dublin / Ireland

there's one group i know of IrishWAN (http://www.irishwan.org) who are trying to get a community network up and running, they are split into regions and cities (e.g. DublinWAN (http://www.dublinwan.org))

the city centre is a lot more noisey alright! i'd use HSCSD/GPRS connectivity more though when out and about

all the best

[Stephen Beesley]

Just verifing that the program is great. Used it before for scanning networks in Dublin City Centre, Stillorgan, and Bray too.

WiFi is fun.

Cheerio

I have used it quite a bit on my Jornada. It is better than the built in software that came with my wifi card. Normally I use Pocket Warrior to locate a network then zero in on it with WiNc.

The industrial estates out on the Naas Road/ M50 area are just full of WLAN activity!

Goldtee

[gorkon280]

What is the real reason most people use this software? Is it to freeload on other's networks without the wireless network maintainer's notice?

I understand that the developers may encourage a more legitimate use and purpose. I also understand that companies that don't use WEP are taking a risk. I was just wondering what the users' goals are.

Well, some people may freeload but I would use it as a tool for making sure my own networks are secure. ALOT of clueless newbies see these AP's and set them up because it's so cool to be surfing from the couch. ALOT of newbies also don't read the instructions and the basic setup is probably insecure. Thye can't really secure them by default because if they did, they'd have to have the default WEP key printed in the manual and we all know how many AP's are setup with the defaults. The linksys BSSID is the one I see the most. Either that or one following the name of the place (faithmisson, jbrwlan and soone). The ones that really scare me are the ones that are starting to be included in Cable Modems and some cable companies use. I bet thats how alot of unsecured home WLAN's get setup. I have found at least 3 unsecured WLANS in my neighborhood alone. For Home WLANS, one should do the following:

USE WEP! (PLEASE!)......it may be cracked, but use it anyway.

DON'T broadcast your BSSID!

Use a BSSID that is not easily guessable.

Use MAC Filtering

Limit the amount of DHCP addresses that are doled out.

Note: None of these will stop a true hacker from getting in, but they will discourage the script kiddie from getting much further. If you in a corporate environment, use a VPN and isolate the WLAN from the rest of the network. Only allow people inside the network via the VPN. Even if they invent some new encryption and make it available with ROM flashes and the like, STILL use this VPN. WEP was never meant to be totally secure. This is why it's called Wired Equivalent Privacy....it does not stand for Wireless Encryption Protocol. Using just wep and a few other precautions is fine for home networks (make sure you patch your systems too!). Besides, unless your home AP is equipped with a amp and a high gain antenna, the most coverage I have experienced from a home AP is about 100 feet.....they'd have to be outside of your house for a extended period of time. I think you may notice them! :) Also, make sure to turn off your radio before you go on a trip. No sense giving people time to crack the network and it's easy enough to do without shutting the switch down.

[doogald]

I'm using NetGear's latest... So WiNic doesn't work with 2003?? I downloaded the 2003 version via the link by the same name. As for Netgear's driver....I'm using my MA701 right now on my 2215. Any help on getting WinNic to work with the Netgear CF?


Are you sure that you have the latest driver? I'm not sure about WM2003, but installing the beta 2.0 driver from Netgear's site made it work on PPC 2002. The driver was posted Sept 9.

[jherubin]

What is the real reason most people use this software? Is it to freeload on other's networks without the wireless network maintainer's notice?


Another reason is to determine the boundaries of your network. You can use this information to reposition access points if the signal reaches too far to a road or out into the parking lot. Or use it to find weak spots of the network where an additional access point may be needed.

[SVX]

Transfer-Encoding: chunked 4F6



Any idea on how to get past this error when I try to register to download these apps? I would really like to give it a whirl, but I cannot get past the error.

Thanks in advance!

[rcobourn]

SVX: If you have some sort of download manager, or pop-up filter in place, try turning them off temporarily.

[SVX]

Doh - it wat the google popup killer. Got em now -- Thanx!!

[jlp]

SVX: If you have some sort of download manager, or pop-up filter in place, try turning them off temporarily.

No download manager, or pop-up filter in place here but I get the same error. I have WinXP SP1 & IE 6.

Please a charitable person PM me so I'll give them my email.

Thx a lot in advance.

Jean-Louis

[Philip Colmer]

What is the difference between the PC Mag version and the full retail version?
The only thing that I've tried to use that resulted in a "only in the full version" pop-up is the ability to apply a WEP security key provisioning file.

I haven't used the software in detail, though, so there might be other features that have been turned off. The majority of what you might use in everyday life, though, does appear to be there.

--Philip

[robclif4d]

I can't get this to install on my ipaq 3955. Anybody else having trouble? Nothing happens...the ppc install screen never shows up. I choose to install this and all subfeatures. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Rob

[rcobourn]

Did you perhaps grab the PC installation in error? There are 3 of them, PC (WiNc.zip), PPC2002 (PocketWiNc2002.zip), and PPC2003 (PocketWiNc2003.zip).

[robclif4d]

I dl'd the 2002 for the ipaq and the winic for my laptop. I have no idea what is wrong. I just loaded another app to make sure there was no other problem and it loaded fine. Got me.

Rob

[heyaj]

I'm using NetGear's latest... So WiNic doesn't work with 2003?? I downloaded the 2003 version via the link by the same name. As for Netgear's driver....I'm using my MA701 right now on my 2215. Any help on getting WinNic to work with the Netgear CF?

Thanks, JohnJohn

I'm using a MA701 in my Maestro running the beta 2.0 driver from Netgear. Pocket WiNc works for me.

[beq]

Just curious, whose screenshot is that on the first post??

[RKosin]

It is confusing...WinNic worked with the existing MA701 NetGear driver on a 3950 PPC2003 but when the 9/9 beta driver was loaded, both WinNic and NetGear found no device :( So uninstalled/installed the original NetGear driver and it found the card but WinNic doesn't....all this is not to freeload but setup "ad-hoc computer-to-computer connections....without users having to be within range of a standard WiFi™ network." 8O

[ppc4me]

I am very happy to have heard about this app here at ppct. I just d'led it and it works as advertised. I've found my home network and tmobile in Borders and to sign on in Borders I didn't have to enter a ssid or delete my wep key. Now if I go home and just click on my home network and it connects right up... sweet!

[pharbrian]

I am having trouble downloading pocketwinc for PPC 2003. Can anyone IM or email me a copy of the program?

Thanks :D

[sharveymead]

I have registered on the PC Mag page but after logging in when I click on the file to download I get the popup window that wants me to pay. What gives with that? I have even tried some of the suggestions in the forum such as clearing the cache. Still get the popup and dun for money. Any suggestions? Scott. :(

[delfuhd]

For a limited time (until Sunday), you can download a slick little Wi-Fi sniffing tool called PocketWiNc --

Only until Sunday can you download it freely... I didn't need it then, but randomly yesterday I had quite a need for a WiFi sniffer, and wish I could have downloaded it/had it....