Freeware detects insecure wireless networks

Wireless networking has become a convenient way to connect computers without the hassle of running cable between machines. But if it's not properly secured, it can be a loophole through which crackers can hijack free network access.

Network Stumbler, or NetStumbler as it's more commonly called, is a free utility that can help a network administrator determine if one or more wireless networks in the organization is insecure or just lacking in signal strength. It works with 802.11b/a/g networks on Windows and will continue to be upgraded as changes in wireless network protocols and standards evolve.

When you launch the program, the first thing it does is try to disable the Wireless Zero Configuration Service, since the service must be disabled to give the program direct access to the wireless card's configuration. The program then attempts to scan all channels on all available wireless devices and retrieve what networks are available on each.

If you click on the name of a discovered network, the program displays a graph that shows the signal strength of the network in question. The graph, which is updated regularly, shows signal readings as well as noise readings. If a network is weak in a particular area, this feature helps determine if that is because of interference from other radio sources or simply a...

Digg This!     StumbleUpon     Del.icio.us

VIEW ALL IN THIS CATEGORY

RELATED CONTENT Windows Systems and Network Management Tools and Techniques Perfmon made easy with PAL utility Troubleshooting Windows application crashes or hangs Free Windows security tools every admin must have Top five Server Core management tips for Windows 2008 Top free tools for Windows server administration A first look at Internet Information Services 7.0 Windows registry hack improves offline file access for mobile users Reducing the size of network backups in Windows Monitor network bandwidth with CyberGauge How to format NTFS: More tricks to improve file system performance Microsoft Systems and Network Troubleshooting DNS troubleshooting best practices Troubleshooting tops Windows admins' most tedious tasks Troubleshooting Windows application crashes or hangs Troubleshooting poor Windows logon performance in Active Directory environments Immediate steps for Windows disaster recovery Quick hits: Troubleshooting service account failure, batch job execution Case Study: Troubleshooting Windows service dependency failures Troubleshooting common Windows service failures How can I boot to a floppy and receive a command prompt without being directed to the system drive? RRAS utility in Windows Server 2003 traces network problems Microsoft Windows Network Security Are security concerns over cloud computing unfounded? Balancing Windows security with reasonable password policies Windows AppLocker in R2: Turning conventional security wisdom on its head Using software restriction policies in Windows IIS gets patched, SQL Server not so much Windows Server Security Guide Free Windows security tools every admin must have Common causes of Windows server security vulnerabilities Cutting the cost of Windows identity and access management Group Policy Object modeling simplifies network security

RELATED RESOURCES 2020software.com, trial software downloads for accounting software, ERP software, CRM software and business software systems Search Bitpipe.com for the latest white papers and business webcasts Whatis.com, the online computer dictionary

lack of strength on the part of the transmitter.

The "Filters" tree in the program's left-hand pane lets you filter the discovered networks by various parameters. For instance, with the "Encryption Off" filter, you see all networks that are not using encryption, which provides a quick way to see if a given network is not secured. Likewise, the "ESS (AP)" filter lets you see all access points with publicly available names – another common security problem, since a network with a publicly broadcast name can be easily infiltrated.

• Tip: Wireless networking in SP2 now made easy
• Learning Center: Man your wireless LAN
• RSS: Sign up for our RSS feed to receive expert advice every day.