NetStumbler
NetStumbler is a popular wireless network discovery tool for Windows. It can detect wireless networks and access points, show signal strength and encryption, and help locate wireless deadzones.
wifi
wireless
network-scanning
wardriving
NetStumbler: Wireless Network Discovery Tool
Detect wireless networks and access points, show signal strength and encryption, and find wireless deadzones with NetStumbler, a popular Windows utility.
What is NetStumbler?
NetStumbler is a wireless network scanner application originally released in 2001 for Windows. It is used to detect wireless networks and access points, view and record signal strength, identify network names (SSIDs), determine if encryption is enabled, and generally survey the wireless landscape in an area.
Some key features of NetStumbler include:
- Ability to locate wireless deadzones where signal is weak or unavailable
- Graphical display of detected network signals over time to identify fluctuations
- Support for common wireless standards including 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g
- GPS integration to map locations of detected wireless networks
- Export detection data to various file formats for further analysis
Although advanced detection features have been added over the years, the tool maintains a straightforward and easy-to-use interface. NetStumbler paved the way for many later wireless scanners and remains popular despite lacking updates in recent years.
NetStumbler Features
Features
- Detects wireless networks and access points
- Shows signal strength and encryption of networks
- Helps locate wireless deadzones
- Works on Windows operating systems
Pricing
- Free
- Open Source
Pros
Free and open source
Easy to use graphical interface
Can export data to GPS for mapping
Widely used and well documented
Cons
Only available on Windows
Does not work well with newer security protocols
May be illegal to use in some contexts without permission
Official Links
The Best NetStumbler Alternatives
Top Network & Admin and Network Discovery and other similar apps like NetStumbler
Here are some alternatives to NetStumbler:
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