StumbVerter
StumbVerter is a project that I started in early 2002, when the first wardriving pioneers needed a tool to put the WiFi signals they were finding on a map. With the discovery that Microsoft MapPoint 2002 allowed programmers to automate it through an ActiveX component, which could be embedded in a Visual Basic application, I created StumbVerter. It has so far been downloaded 500.000 times, and its users include law-enforcement agencies and security consulting firms. It was also used in the four WorldWide Wardrives that took place starting in August 2002.
The software takes as an input a Netstumbler text format log file, processes it, and adds the records that contain GPS coordinates to a MapPoint map (both North America and Europe 2004 versions are supported). This is what the software looks like:
Other features include:
- Real-time GPS navigation, with indication of the nearest WiFi network.
- Indication of encrypted and open networks, with the little waves signifying their signal strength.
- Map image export and save.
- Antenna comparison tool (ACT), which allows you to compare up to three log files, showing the best results for each. This is useful for testing antennas or wireless adapters. A screenshot of the ACT is shown below.
You can download the software here. Currently, there are alternatives such as WiGLE (web-based) or scripts for converting log files to Google Maps, and StumbVerter is no longer maintained. You will need a copy of MapPoint 2004 for StumbVerter to work.
