WiFi-Where explained

WiFi-Where
Developer:	3Jacks Software
Latest Release Version:	1.0.0
Operating System:	iOS, Palm OS
License:	Commercial

WiFi-Where was a tool that facilitated Wardriving and detection of wireless LANs using the 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g WLAN standards. Versions existed for the operating systems iOS and Palm OS. Originally created in June 2004 for the Palm OS by Jonathan Hays of Hazelware Software, the IP for WiFi-Where was licensed to 3Jacks Software in 2009. An iPhone version of the application was released in January 2010, but was pulled from the App Store by Apple in March 2010.^[1] The app was frequently listed as a common tool to facilitate Wardriving^[2] As of 2010, it is still available in the Jailbroken Cydia store.

App store removal

WiFi-Where was one of many applications that were suddenly purged by Apple in March 2010. Apple never commented publicly on the reasons why other than that they accessed 'private frameworks.' ^{[3] [4] [5]} This removal of an entire category of software from the App Store pushed Wardriving software to other platforms such as Android and Windows.

Uses

The program was commonly used for:

• Verifying network configurations
• Finding locations with poor coverage in a WLAN
• Detecting causes of wireless interference
• Detecting unauthorized (rogue) access points
• Wardriving

Features

Some of the unique features that the program implemented were:

• Continuous scanning mode
• GPS logging (when a device supports it)
• Email scan results
• Email attachments (OS 3.0 only) in NetStumbler, CSV, or Google Earth KML formats
• Option to filter hotspots by signal strength and location accuracy
• Displays detailed information about each network, including name/SSID, signal strength, raw RSSI value, security and authentication modes (WEP/WPA/WPA2), location, MAC address
• Save passwords for secure networks
• Upload hotspots to popular wardriving website Wigle.net

References

1. Web site: Hall . Kevin . 8 March 2010 . Apple widens App Store bans, Wi-Fi scanners on the chopping block . https://web.archive.org/web/20110723033734/http://dvice.com/archives/2010/03/apple-widens-ap.php . 2011-07-23 . DVICE . NBCUniversal Media, LLC.
2. Web site: Krastev . Ventsislav . June 20, 2023 . Wardriving and How Easy It Can Be Done . Sensors Tech Forum . Sensors Tech Forum.
3. Web site: Dalrymple . Jim . 2010-03-04 . Apple removes Wi-Fi finders from App Store . 2023-11-05 . CNET.
4. Web site: Newman . Jared . 2010-03-04 . Apple Abolishes Wi-Fi Scanners From App Store . 2023-11-05 . PCWorld.
5. Web site: Manninen . JP . 2010-03-04 . Wi-Fi detectors eighty-sixed from App Store . 2023-11-05 . VentureBeat.