wifi network utilities, some questions

[vhelp]

i finally resolved the issues i was having with the app in this project.

below is a snippet of an actual listing from my desktop pc. line 8 has "NONE" in it. this is a network that does not have any secur/encry turned on. i never go to any of the names, whether they have secu/ency on or off. mostly because i don't trust anyone, and they could be purposely trying to temp anyone into their system.

Lin  name sig      auth name1   auth name2   fdatetimename    
 1   xx   90 %     80211_OPEN   WEP          e:\2014-06-01 11-24-34.txt     
 2   xx   90 %     80211_OPEN   WEP          e:\2014-06-01 11-24-34.txt     
 3   xx   54 %     RSNA_PSK     WPA2 (CCMP)  e:\2014-06-01 11-24-34.txt     
 4   xx   50 %     RSNA_PSK     WPA2 (CCMP)  e:\2014-06-01 11-24-34.txt     
 5   xx   96 %     80211_OPEN   WEP          e:\2014-06-01 11-24-34.txt     
 6   xx   38 %     RSNA_PSK     WPA2 (CCMP)  e:\2014-06-01 11-24-34.txt     
 7   xx   54 %     80211_OPEN   WEP          e:\2014-06-01 11-24-34.txt     
 8   xx   40 %     80211_OPEN   NONE         e:\2014-06-01 11-24-34.txt     
 9   xx   68 %     RSNA_PSK     WPA2 (CCMP)  e:\2014-06-01 11-24-34.txt     
10   xx   28 %     RSNA_PSK     WPA2 (CCMP)  e:\2014-06-01 11-24-34.txt     
11   xx   32 %     RSNA_PSK     WPA2 (CCMP)  e:\2014-06-01 11-24-34.txt     
12   xx   94 %     RSNA_PSK     WPA2 (CCMP)  e:\2014-06-01 11-24-34.txt     
13   xx   38 %     80211_OPEN   WEP          e:\2014-06-01 11-24-34.txt     
14   xx   54 %     RSNA_PSK     WPA2 (CCMP)  e:\2014-06-01 11-24-34.txt

but first, let me say, that in past topics, i did asks for suggestions on wifi network apps similar to what i have been working on, above. i even downloaded some and tried them. and while some of them do offer features not found in my own custom made wifi application, i only really need a few features for my own use. plus, those app that i did download, came with unexpected surprises. i recommend anyone to keep a careful eye on what you d/l when it comes to anything having to do with wireless wifi. and this was another reason why i went back to my custom wifi app and try and get it working again. and now that have, i have a few questions that i hope the experience members in this area can answer.

1. why do the net names come and go ?

the only name that always stays in my listing is mine. but all the other names come and go. they don't stay. example, i'll see tomtop pop up in one interval (i set to 1 minute intervals) and it doesn't list in the next listing, but one, two, ten or more minutes later, it (tomtop) will pop up again, stay for a while in each interval, and then disapear again, maybe a few minutes or maybe hours, and sometimes with different sig strength, though not too far from its original strength. which leads to my next question.

2. why do the signal strength vary for the same net names ?

example, the first time tomtop comes up, it is at 28% and then the next time, it is 30% and the next, maybe 5%, and so on..but never too far from its actual signal strength. for example, my sig name is anywheres between 90% to 100% for obvious reasons.

3. why do some computers and laptops list more net names than others ?

for example, in my old desktop is using an usb2 belkin play wifi (model F9L1101v1_N600) and is a 54Mbps speed, and the most it will give me is 17 names, so far, but will vary between 8 and 12 names. however, on my newer dell inspiron laptop, it gives me 42 names. the laptop sits besides my desktop.

the net name, tomtop, is fictional, for the sake of this discussion.

thank you.

[usually_quiet]

1. You answered this question yourself. Names come and go because their signal strength varies and may drop too far to be detectable. ...and some people turn off their modem and router when they are not using their computers or other wireless devices.

2. Interference from other signals on the same frequency. Weather conditions. Moving solid objects like trees that sway in the wind or people.

3. Not all wireless networking devices are the same. Some can pick up weaker signals better than others or are designed to ignore overly weak signals.

[nic2k4]

Have you tried WiFiInfoView from Nirsoft? It's pretty complete and there's no surprises with Nirsoft. Also, check out NirLauncher, it's packed with neat little utilities.

[vhelp]

yea, this was one of the problems i was having when trying to review some these utilities and for ideas for my project.

https://forum.videohelp.com/attachments/25484-1401648123/malware.warning.png

[Nelson37]

Agree with Usually_Quiet.

There is a tremendous difference among reception devices and antennas. Signals in the marginal areas will often go in and out. A rotation as small as 5 degrees, a height change of a couple inches, can make a significant difference.

Best and most accurate such utility I have used is NetStumbler. For fine-tuning a long-distance antenna, excellent program. Anything you download can come with extras, from the program company OR from the hosting company. Watch those checkboxes carefully.

[vhelp]

1. You answered this question yourself. Names come and go because their signal strength varies and may drop too far to be detectable. ...and some people turn off their modem and router when they are not using their computers or other wireless devices.

being connected to an "always-on" device, a DSL modem/router, which would be same for Cable and FOIS internet setups, i can understand why i see these network names all the time, though their signal strength varies, from 40 to 100 percent. and networks in my listing showing a 10 - 50 percent sig strength indicate to me that they are much farther away from my (weaker) wifi capable adapter inside my desktop pc. again, which explain why i see them come and go throughout the day, or will stay in my wifi list longer and the sig strength fluctuating a lot, due to various interferences.

however, i don't know about *other* devices, say, game consoles, blu-ray players, media players (ie WD Live) and other such wifi-enable devices. do they show up as a network name or are they excluded ? and, i would ask, (if this is true) how does one diferentiate an internet device versus one of these devices ?

maybe it has something to do with them being connected to routers. i think i read that such devices must be connected to a router to function properly. but i am not sure about how to they get network names, if a user or the devices creates one. after all, just recently, the next door tentant use to be xyz name for several years, and then they changed the name to abc. its the same tenant. not sure what the change was all about, though.

i am just trying to understand all this as i continue work in this project.

[usually_quiet]

1. You answered this question yourself. Names come and go because their signal strength varies and may drop too far to be detectable. ...and some people turn off their modem and router when they are not using their computers or other wireless devices.

being connected to an "always-on" device, a DSL modem/router, which would be same for Cable and FOIS internet setups, i can understand why i see these network names all the time, though their signal strength varies, from 40 to 100 percent. and networks in my listing showing a 10 - 50 percent sig strength indicate to me that they are much farther away from my (weaker) wifi capable adapter inside my desktop pc. again, which explain why i see them come and go throughout the day, or will stay in my wifi list longer and the sig strength fluctuating a lot, due to various interferences.

however, i don't know about *other* devices, say, game consoles, blu-ray players, media players (ie WD Live) and other such wifi-enable devices. do they show up as a network name or are they excluded ? and, i would ask, (if this is true) how does one diferentiate an internet device versus one of these devices ?

maybe it has something to do with them being connected to routers. i think i read that such devices must be connected to a router to function properly. but i am not sure about how to they get network names, if a user or the devices creates one. after all, just recently, the next door tentant use to be xyz name for several years, and then they changed the name to abc. its the same tenant. not sure what the change was all about, though.

i am just trying to understand all this as i continue work in this project.

A collection of wireless devices can't act as a network without something controlling them. A wireless network is normally controlled by the router, and the name of the network is stored there. If the router is unplugged, then the wireless network it controls goes away. The person who sets up the router gives the network a name during setuop. It is possible to set up a wireless network with a PC controlling the network and no router (See http://www.labnol.org/software/wireless-network-without-router/11494/) but almost nobody does that.

Maybe you should to set up your own wireless network to really understand what is going on. There is an enormous amount of of information about networking is available online. You should be able to find out a lot of this on your own.

[nic2k4]

yea, this was one of the problems i was having when trying to review some these utilities and for ideas for my project.

Oddly enough, Malwarebytes on Virus Total gives it thumbs up.

[vhelp]

can you run it on the "wirelessnetview.exe" file ? since that was the file that the warning came from.

[Nelson37]

Two quibbles with the quiet one.

All routers have a default SSID, or broadcast network name. Very often the human does nothing to change this.

You can set up a network with no dedicated, standalone router, but then the PC controlling the network IS the router.

You can also do a point-to-point with no router at all, using static IP addresses. A router can also be setup to NOT broadcast the SSID. You have to know the network name to connect to it.

Many standalone devices, particularly Multi-function printers, will also broadcast a network SSID.

What exactly are you trying to achieve?

[usually_quiet]

Two quibbles with the quiet one.

All routers have a default SSID, or broadcast network name. Very often the human does nothing to change this.

True, but the human setting up the network will always be provided the means to change the default network name and should.

You can set up a network with no dedicated, standalone router, but then the PC controlling the network IS the router.

You can also do a point-to-point with no router at all, using static IP addresses.

Yes. That is what my link is about.

A router can also be setup to NOT broadcast the SSID. You have to know the network name to connect to it.

Yes, but the network can still be detected. It is just shown as "Hidden Network"

[nic2k4]

can you run it on the "wirelessnetview.exe" file ? since that was the file that the warning came from.

Yes I can and you can do it to, Virus Total is a web ressource. Here's the report for wirelessnetview.exe, it looks a lot like a false positive. The staff at Malwarbytes has a different name for it, but all in all it's safe to run.

I think WifiInfoView gives more "interesting" results especially considering Nelson37's quibbles.