Can't find access point....physically

[cctech]

I was dispatched yesterday to a local high school who was in need of some wireless assistance. Having not helped them in the past, I didn't know what I was getting into. The school had lost power and when it came back up, their wireless internet didn't work. After a bit of investigation, I discovered the whole school is DHCP. The only static addresses are the servers and routers. I was then on a hunt to find the wireless access points, however many there may be. After about 30 minutes of searching and rebooting AP's I discovered the internet was still down. I decided to unlpug all of the AP's to see if I missed any (all of them have the same SSID to prevent dropping the connection). With all 5 of them down, I was still hitting one somewhere. I have searched every ceiling tile in that building and cannot find it. I have a full signal to it, walking the hallways with the laptop, across the whole top floor. Does anybody have any idea how in the heck I might be able to find this? I am considering turning off the upstairs breakers and leave them off for 30 seconds, then turn them back on. HELP!?

 

[dacman61]

Download Netstumbler... Look for the download link on google. It may help you pinpoint the location of the AP.

 

[cctech]

Well aware of NetStumbler, and have tried this approach! But I have a full signal throughout the school. Thanks! Keep em comin

 

[kaboooom2000uk]

This might help, if you own a windows mobile PDA, get WIFIfofum, its got a radar so you can visualy "see" aproximalty where its located. It bases its position on signal strength. also if you are lucky enough to have a GPS enabled device, you can get its position, again this is crude but good for getting an idea. Sadly it wont give an altitude of target.

hope this helps!

 

[kaboooom2000uk]

Another method is install netstumbler onto a laptop, buy a cable or blutooth GPS reciver, depending if ur laptop suports it... and get netstumber running with the GPS.

The idea is to generate a file you can export to either google earth or some other mapping tool. Id expect google earth or autoroute wouldnt provide the best level of resoultion you require, however it may be possible to get the plans of the building and calibrate the map cooordinates against that to provide an accurate plot.... this is a bit overlkill, but just might point you in the right direction.

This method is normaly used by wardrivers to pinpoint wifi zones. Tools used in chart plotters are valuble if you have a map drawing or plan of your building, you simply calibrate the map with known points. for example the lamppost in the yard has a known location, so u can use it as a calibration point, and other things like benches etc

Again long winded approach, but i think if its all failing it might be somthing to persue.