So like, I don’t think I’ve posted yet that I have all my stuff for my wardriving edification. After some extended time in the postal service, some packages arrived that allowed me to get everything together and do some testing runs. Everything seems to work, maybe not up to optimal efficiency, but nothing has been bricked yet so that’s a good thing. Some things have a few kinks that I need to work out, and I’ll get on them eventually. I’ve got my initial impressions of what I got once you click

To start off, the centerpiece of my newest additions: an Edimax EW-7318USg, a USB Ralink-based wifi card. I like this card alot, it’s small, lightweight, and just works. I bought it instead of the usual D-Link DWL-g122 that KisMAC people use a lot because it’s got an RP-SMA connector that can be used to exchange its 4dBi antenna with something more powerful.

Which leads me to my next purchase: a 15″ 9dBi rubber duck antenna. This omnidirectional bad boy came with its own magnetic mount, although it’s not incredibly strorng so there goes mounting it outside. I haven’t done any real definitive testing with it yet, but I can just taste that I’m getting an exponential number of routers with this sucker compared to my iBook’s internal patch antenna.

Also in my mail came a USB extension cable for great justice and a magnetic window suction mount. The USB cable I thought I would use if any of the cords at this point were too short, but the only one that was is the Edimax card and that surprisingly came with its own cable, so that fits. The magnetic mount is a mixed blessing though. While it’s a double suction, it can’t hold my antenna on its mount. The antenna is just too big and long, the mag mount too lightweight to keep it from swaying while I drive. So eventually it starts to rip the suction off and everything falls down. Everything including the GPS unit, which is too small and powerful enough to make a difference on the mount. So I’ll have to find a better place to put the antenna right now or mount it somewhere else inside the car. Perhaps I could attatch the card with the antenna directly plugged in to the mount or secure the antenna somehow. It’ll get fixed eventually.

That is one of the things bugging me in the physical realm of the car, but there is also a problem with the integral box. Originally I thought it would be neat to have it open sometimes to see where I’m going or look at some maps or something. However, the door to the box is on really weak springs, so if one is driving and makes the slightest of stops, the thing whams forward and hits the computer.

This, I don’t know how to fix. Like, how does one fix that? I can’t take the door off or else stuff will go flying when I put it back up so someone can sit there. The only solution is that I close the box when I’m driving. Ah, but then how does the computer not go to sleep if the box has to be closed? I did a quick search and found InsomniaX, for all your closed-shell computing needs. Thankfully the breakage of KisMAC in 10.5 didn’t prompt me to update this computer, so InsomniaX works as well. I love this app. You can run the system with the lid fully closed and it won’t go to sleep. At least, I did some testing in class and found that it didn’t go to sleep for one hour on battery power. One hour is good enough methinks if I’ll just be using this in the car. I could also be using it in my bag too, which I think if I use the EW-7318USg’s original 4dBi antenna it’ll fit and have no complications. So now I don’t have to worry about my car beating up my computer, or getting busted by the cops for having an open computer.

I did a test run awhile ago on my way to school. I think it was mostly successful. I was in a bit of a hurry so I used a small map, but I think if you look at it it’s pretty effective. Here’s my lovely trip before civilization ceased and there were no wireless networks anywhere. Setting up my rig was surprisingly simple. I already had gpsdX running, so all I needed to do was open up the box, plug the GPS and wifi card in, pull up KisMAC, then hit start scan. KisMAC was already set to take coordinates from gpsdX and I didn’t need to set waypoints.

Overall I think this is going to work out. I still need to get the antenna problem fixed, and I will most likely have to Dremel out a part of the integral box so that the USB cables can fit, if the top is going to be closed and I can’t keep it angled out of the box like I did the first time. Also, a cheapy little USB hub might be in order, so I don’t have to Dremel out a lot of space or plug in two cables and worry about something getting damaged. Also, even though it would be unnecessary unless we were talking roadtrip, a power inverter would be helpful in making sure my iBook wouldn’t die on me.