Kismon

Kismon

Kismon is an open-source wireless network monitoring tool for Linux. It can scan for Wi-Fi networks, collect detailed information about access points and clients, and map the locations of wireless devices.
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wifi network-scanner access-point-mapping

Kismon: Open-Source Wireless Network Monitoring Tool

A Linux-based tool for scanning Wi-Fi networks, collecting detailed access point and client info, and mapping wireless device locations

What is Kismon?

Kismon is an open-source wireless network monitoring and mapping tool designed for Linux systems. It allows users to scan for Wi-Fi networks in the area, collect detailed information about access points and connected clients, and graphically map the locations of wireless devices.

Some key features of Kismon include:

  • Passive monitoring and mapping of wireless networks without sending any active probes
  • Detection of WEP, WPA, WPA2 and other wireless encryption types
  • Logging and exporting of collected wireless data to various formats
  • Graphical mapping of access points and clients based on signal strength data
  • In-depth reporting on network names, channels, signal strengths, MAC addresses and more
  • Bluetooth device detection in some cases
  • Completely open-source software with community support and customization

Overall, Kismon serves as an approachable yet powerful tool for administrators, security professionals, and network enthusiasts to visually monitor and understand nearby wireless network activity.

Kismon Features

Features

  1. Real-time monitoring and logging of Wi-Fi networks
  2. Graphical mapping of wireless networks and devices
  3. Automatic scanning and logging
  4. Support for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands
  5. Channel utilization graphs
  6. Export data to various formats like CSV, KML, JSON
  7. Plugin system for extensibility

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Lightweight and easy to use

Good for basic Wi-Fi network monitoring and mapping

Can run on low-powered devices like Raspberry Pi

Customizable through plugins

Works well for tracking rogue access points or interference

Cons

Limited reporting compared to commercial tools

No user management or access control

Minimal alerts and notifications

No integration with other systems

Fairly basic compared to enterprise wireless monitoring

Limited support for newer Wi-Fi standards like 802.11ac


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