Wardriving

Wardriving is the act of searching for Wi-Fi wireless networks as well as cell towers, usually from a moving vehicle, using a laptop or smartphone.

The disadvantages of this method are a slower speed of travel (leading to the discovery of more infrequently discovered networks) and the absence of a convenient computing environment.

Consequently, handheld devices such as pocket computers, which can perform such tasks while users are walking or standing, have dominated this practice.

Later, the active Nintendo DS and Sony PSP enthusiast communities gained Wi-Fi abilities on these devices.

The results can then be uploaded to websites like WiGLE, openBmap or Geomena where the data is processed to form maps of the network neighborhood.

Examples include Place Lab by Intel, Skyhook, Navizon[7] by Cyril Houri, SeekerLocate from Seeker Wireless, openBmap and Geomena.

[15] Passive, listen-only wardriving (with programs like Kismet or KisMAC) does not communicate at all with the networks, merely logging broadcast addresses.

With other types of software, such as NetStumbler, the wardriver actively sends probe messages, and the access point responds per design.

In this case, Allen had been wardialing in an attempt to get free long-distance calling through Southwestern Bell's computer systems.

There also exists a mode within Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops for the Sony PSP (wherein the player is able to find new comrades by searching for wireless access points) which can be used to wardrive.