Wifi Overview

  • Uses 802.11 standard

To DS / From DS

  • To DS is FROM client TO AP

  • From DS is FROM AP TO client

FROM DS 
AP ----------------> CLIENT
MAC Addresses: BSSID, SOURCE, DST

TO DS
AP <---------------- CLIENT
MAC Addresses: BSSID, SOURCE DST

Common Packet Types

  • Association Request - Request to join a WLAN -> subtype of 0

  • Authentication Request - Request authentication to WLAN -> subtype of 11

  • Probe Request -> STA looking for known WLANs (How "Connect Automatically works) -> subtype 4

  • Deauthentication request -> Disconnect Request -> subtype 12

  • Beacon Frame -> AP beacon to advertise ssid and AP capabilities -> subtype 8

Linux Monitor Mode configuration

  • iw creates and manages wireless interfaces

  • ip configures and ip and the up or down state

iw dev wlan0 interface add wlan0mon type monitor 
ip link set wlan0mon up 
iw dev wlan0mon set channel 1 
iw dev wlan0mon info

# to delete interface 
iw dev wlan0mon del

Airmon-ng Monitor Mode configuration

  • use the shell script with aircrack-ng

  • Does not deal with deleting interfaces

# see detected interfaces
airmon-ng

# place in monitor mode 
airmon-ng start wlan0 

# delete interfaces
iw dev wlan0 del

Types of WIFI networks

  • IEEE 802.11b or 802.11g -> 20MHz channels at 2.4 GHz

  • IEEE 802.11a -> 20MHz channels at 5 GHz

  • IEEE 802.11n -> 20MHz or 40MHz channels at 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz

  • IEEE 802.11ac -> 20MHz, 40MHz, 60MHz, 80MHz, 160MHz channels at 5 GHz

  • IEEE 802.11ax -> 20MHz, 40MHz, 60MHz, 80MHz, 160MHz channels at 2.4 GHz or 5GHz

Controlling Channel and Width

iw dev wlan0mon info | grep type
    type monitor
iw dev wlan0mon set channel 1 
iw dev wlan0mon set channel 132
iw dev wlan0mon info | grep channel
    channel 132 (5660 MHz), width: 20 MHz (no HT), center1: 5660 MHz
    
iw dev wlan0mon set channel 132 HT40+
iw dev wlan0mon info | grep channel 
    channel 132 (5660 MHz), width: 20 MHz (no HT), center1: 5670 MHz
iw dev wlan0man set channel HT40-
    channel 132 (5660 MHz), width: 20 MHz (no HT), center1: 5650 MHz

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