Wireless Adapter Power Level / TXPower / legal limits

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Wireless Adapter Power Level / TXPower / legal limits

Post by Sethioz »

Thing that lot of people do not know, is that lot of wireless cards can be set on a lot higher power level than they are, this is because in lot of countries it is illegal to use high powered cards, so they automatically set the power based on countries, however this is bypassable in linux (maybe in windows too).

i've been testing with my Alfa AWUS036NHR which should output 33dbm TX Power, but it's only set to 20dbm. what nonsense ..

commands ive tried using are:

Code: Select all

iw reg set BO wlan0

Code: Select all

iwconfig wlan0 txpower 33

I don't have any concrete results yet, but i will update this topic once i get some good results.
7Ds have also been testing, hopefully he takes the time to post his updates here :)
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Re: Wireless Adapter Power Level / TXPower / legal limits

Post by Legu »

I guess this isnt very much legal, but is it possible for someone to find out that someone is using higher db than allowed?
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Re: Wireless Adapter Power Level / TXPower / legal limits

Post by Sethioz »

don't think so, no.
well its possible for sure, but i highly doubt someone would spend like 100000 usd to get proper equipment and team just to find out if someone is going over the limits.
You should be able to use normal wireless adapter to measure other signals around you, but it won't give you exact transmit power of other device/s, you can just see stronger signal and thats it really.
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Re: Wireless Adapter Power Level / TXPower / legal limits

Post by Legu »

When already talkin about txpower, i think it is relevant to know, how much range the db increase would make. I guess it is not linear...like if u have 10db u get 100m and when u have 20db it is 200m, from as far as i know, it is more like quadratic. like 10db = x meters, and 100db would be 2 * x . But im really not sure about this, so i look forward for some explanations ^^.
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Re: Wireless Adapter Power Level / TXPower / legal limits

Post by Sethioz »

I'm having issues with other computer, it doesn't want to install drivers. i could test in vbox or netbook or laptop, but i want to specifcally get it working on my other PC and i've been busy with other stuff.
will post some results after i have made tests.
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Re: Wireless Adapter Power Level / TXPower / legal limits

Post by 7Ds »

In Linux, the Alfa AWUS036NHR will not accept "iw reg set BO wlan0"

So no sneaking the country Bolivia?

There is a way and it's here,

http://ttys1.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/f ... rs/#more-3

&

http://ttys1.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/b ... e/#more-54

Linux vid:

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Re: Wireless Adapter Power Level / TXPower / legal limits

Post by Sethioz »

Code: Select all

make -C /lib/modules/3.2.6/build M=/root/compat-wireless-2012-04-11 modules
make: *** /lib/modules/3.2.6/build: No such file or directory.  Stop.
make: *** [modules] Error 2
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Re: Wireless Adapter Power Level / TXPower / legal limits

Post by Sethioz »

Seems like this error was because i did not actually have BackTrack5 R3, i had R1 upgraded to R3, which obviously is not same or maybe because of previous drivers .. who knows. This needs deeper research which i can't bother with.
After 7Ds was messing around with my other PC in vmware / vbox, he got it to 33dbm, but then all stations went nutz and couldn't associate shit, probably just bad timing.

I will test this out on my main pc in vmware and see if it works there, but i do this after i get my SSD and swap out the HDD, so will update this probably in week or so.

Most likely the error is because of old wireless drivers being in place and not because of R1 upgraded to R3, but i really can't bother testing both. takes too damn long.
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