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Your First #WWWD Wardriving Rig - Rig 1: Android Phone

 Hello! If you've found this post it's likely you're looking to participate in 2023's World Wide WarDrive hosted by WiGLE.net

Getting started in wardriving is easy. You don't need a fancy rig or a bunch of antennas to get going. 

In the next article we'll be building a rig using a Raspberry Pi or other mini-computer that can run Kali Linux. It's the second easiest rig to make. The first is using a phone!

Rig 1: The Android Phone 

This one is pretty simple. You need to find an Android phone, change a couple of settings, and download the WiGLE.net app. 

  1. Find an old Android phone you have laying around. If you don't have one, I recommend going to a used video game store and looking there for one. Or, if you're willing to use Amazon, this phone isn't a bad place to start. Almost any BLU phone or unlocked Android will work. 
  2. Change a couple of settings
    1. Go to Settings, scroll down and select 'About This Device'
    2. Enable Developer Mode - this is usually done by rapidly tapping the Build Number seven times in a row. 
    3. Go to back to Settings and find the Developer Options section, select it
    4. Scroll down to Networking
    5. Deselect (turn off) Wi-Fi scan throttling. Warning: this will impact your battery life, so bring a charger or battery bank with you!
  3. Download the WiGLE app
    1. Download it from the Google Play store. Do not download it from a third party APK site and sideload it on your phone. 
    2. It's easier to create an account online than on your phone, but you can do either one. 
    3. Sign in on the app
  4. Hit the scan icon on the main page.
    1. Watch for the GPS sync. Make sure you have location settings turned on. 
    2. Optional: Turn on the audio feature

That's it! You're good to start wardriving!  

This rig will not capture everything and anything. It's limited to the hardware on your device. However, many successful stumblers (people who wardrive) find it perfect. This rig is best suited for war-ing that isn't fast, such as walking, running, or scootering. Try to keep it below 20 mph for the best coverage. If you need a faster rig, stay tuned for the next build!

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