What are Wi-Fi software tools?

A wide variety of Wi-Fi software tools are available. These tools for Wi-Fi perform functions such as:

Wireless network discovery
Wireless network mapping
Wireless network traffic analysis
Wireless network RF signal strength monitoring
Wireless network encryption cracking
Wireless network custom frame generation
Dictionary or brute force attacks against wireless networks
Denial of Service (DoS) attacks against wireless networks

These Wi-Fi software tools are available for a variety of platforms:

Wi-Fi Software Tools for Multiple Platforms
Wi-Fi Software Tools for Windows
Wi-Fi Software Tools for Unix
Wi-Fi Software Tools for Mac OS
Windows tools useful when associated with Wi-Fi tools


Wi-Fi Software Tools for Multiple Platforms
Aircrack-ng
Aircrack-ng is a WEP and WPA-PSK key cracking program for use on 802.11 networks. The primary purpose for the program is to recover a lost or unknown key once enough data is captured.

Aircrack-ng has the following advantages over the original Aircrack release:

Updated and better documentation
Updated drivers, including new drivers not originally supported in Aircrack
New and faster WEP attack algorithm PTW
Supports Unix, Windows, and Zaurus
Includes fragmentation in attacks
Better cracking performance
Dictionary support for WEP attacks
Use multiple cards to capture simultaneously
New tools including airtun-ng, packetforge-ng (improved arpforge), wesside-ng (still under development), and airserv-ng(still under development)
Code optimizations and bug fixes
Wi-Fi Software Tools for Windows
KNSGEM II
KNSGEM II is a program that takes the survey logs produced by NetStumbler, Kismet, or WiFiHopper and compiles the data with data google earth to provide colorized 3D coverage maps.

NetStumbler
NetStumbler is a Wi-Fi tool for Windows that allows you to detect Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) using 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g. It has many uses:

Verify that your network is set up the way you intended.
Find locations with poor coverage in your WLAN.
Detect other networks that may be causing interference on your network.
Detect unauthorized "rogue" access points in your workplace.
Help aim directional antennas for long-haul WLAN links.
Use it recreationally for WarDriving.
OmniPeek
Omnipeek is the next generation version of commercial wireless analysis software from wildpackets which combines the legacy applications AiroPeek and EtherPeek.

Features of OmniPeek include the ability to:

Analyze any network interface, including 10Gigabit, Gigabit, and WAN adapters
Analyze media and data traffic simultaneously
View results in normal document formats such as PDF, HTML or just through email or IM clients
View high level details of traffic in a dashboard, or drill down into the individual packet payloads
View local, remote, or previously stored captures, including view multiple active captures at once.
View capture details by conversation pairs to quickly identify useful or problematic events
Change capture filters at will without restarting the capture sequence
Stumbverter
StumbVerter is a standalone application which allows you to import Network Stumbler's summary files into Microsoft's MapPoint 2004 maps. The logged WAPs will be shown with small icons, their colour and shape relating to WEP mode and signal strength.

As the AP icons are created as MapPoint pushpins, the balloons contain other information, such as MAC address, signal strength, mode, etc. This balloon can also be used to write down useful information about the AP.

Lucent/Orinoco Registry Encryption/Decryption
Lucent Orinoco Client Manager stores WEP keys in the Windows registry under a certain encryption/obfuscation. This wi-fi tool can be used to encrypt WEP keys into a registry value or to decrypt registry values into WEP keys.

WiFi Hopper
WiFi Hopper is a windows network discovery and connection client. WiFi Hopper can assist auditors with Site Surveys, Connection parameter testing, and Network Discovery. Filters allow you to easily limit the details displayed, as well as what kinds and configurations of equipment will be tested.

APTools
APTools is a utility that queries ARP Tables and Content-Addressable Memory (CAM) for MAC Address ranges associated with 802.11b Access Points. It will also utilize Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) if available. If an Access Point that is web managed is identified, the security configuration of the Access Point is audited via HTML parsing.