TechIdiots Forum

The closest thing i have with vistumbler is the export to KML. Export to KML has the option of mapping signal strength (http://forum.techidiots.net/forum/viewt ... f=33&t=278)

The vistumbler VS1 file also keeps all the information you are looking for, but AP data would need to be matched up with GPS data (the VS1 format information is here: http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/v ... VS1_Format)

there is also the option of Text NS1. Even though scanning does not work with netstumbler, you can import a Text NS1 from vistumbler, and use whatever methods worked with netstumbler

The main issue with exporting to NS1 is that Vistumbler does not have a source of SNR, Noise, or dbi signal values. Netsh, which is what vistumbler uses to get wifi data, gives signal strength in a percentage value.

This means, to export to NS1 I basically had to make my own SNR values. The export to NS1 was made a long time ago, and could probably use some work, but basically this is what vistumbler outputs.

[ SNR Sig Noise ]
[ " & $Signal & " " & $Signal + 50 & " 50 ]"
so if signal is 25 it would display
[ 25 75 50 ]"

which was based on a netstumbler forum post that stated "Signal - Noise = SNR". Since i do not have a noise value, 50 was assumed.

On another note. If there's anything I could do to make vistumbler easier to use, please let me know. I could add a more detailed output that could be put into a spreadsheet easier.

I put out a beta update tonight (v9.81 Beta 1) with a few improvements. (its only available though auto-update or svn right now)

One thing i added is a detailed csv export which has all AP data and GPS data in a nice csv format.

Detailed CSV exports the following data with full history
SSID,BSSID,MANUFACTURER,SIGNAL,AUTHENTICATION,ENCRYPTION,RADIO TYPE,CHANNEL,BTX,OTX,NETWORK TYPE,LABEL,LATITUDE,LONGITUDE,SATELLITES,HDOP,ALTITUDE,HEIGHT OF GEOID,SPEED(km/h),SPEED(MPH),TRACK ANGLE,DATE(UTC),TIME(UTC)

Vistumbler represents signal as a percentage 0% - 100% which is pulled from the netsh output. I imagine, but don't know for sure that this value is derived from some combination of signal and noise. Basically the percent value represents quality of the signal in percent. There is not really much i can do to change this.

Netstumbler (from what i understand) works at a higher level with the hardware to read direct dbi Signal and Noise values. These Signal and Noise values are used to make the SNR value, which also represents quality of the signal (but in dbi). From what i've seen, usually netstumbler ranges from -80dbi to - 30dbi


over at the INSSIDER forums I read that there is no real standard for how a wireless card is supposed to show signal, so output may differ greatly between different brands of network card.