# WG511 wireless card, Kismet and Airsnort probem [SOLVED]

## MHD

Thanks to all the great information here I have managed to start to get my wireless card running...

However I cant seem to get Kismet or Airsnort running (I am using these for testing debugging... No plans to go out around ASIO (our CIA))

First, the output from iwconfig

This is what I get when I first plug it in

```

eth1      IEEE 802.11b/g  Mode:Managed  Channel:3

          Access Point: 00:00:00:00:00:00  Bit Rate:0kb/s   Tx-Power=31 dBm

          Sensitivity=20/200

          Retry min limit:8   RTS thr:2347 B   Fragment thr:2346 B

          Encryption key:off

          Link Quality:143  Signal level:0  Noise level:80

          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0

          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

```

And then when I iwconfig it agaian

```

eth1      NOT READY!  ESSID:off/any

          Mode:Ad-Hoc  Channel:11  Cell: FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF

          Tx-Power=31 dBm   Sensitivity=0/200

          Retry min limit:0   RTS thr=-1 B   Fragment thr=-1 B

          Encryption key:off

          Link Quality:143  Signal level:0  Noise level:80

          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0

          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

```

I have managed to get it conected to a freinds lan ok.. (ping etc works)

Now the problems

AIRSNORT

When using both the prism orninoco mode when I press scan it says:

 *Quote:*   

>  could not set monitor mode

 

and in the shell I get

 *Quote:*   

> wlanctl-ng: Operation not supported

 

Kismet

Like many people I get:

```
Server options:  none

Client options:  none

Starting server...

Waiting for server to finish starting before startuing UI...

Will drop privs to scott (1000)

No enable sources specified, all sources will be enabled.

Source 0 ( prism2source): Using pcap to capture packets from  eth1

Source 0 ( prism2source):  Attempting to enter monitor mode.

Enabling monitor mode for a pcap prism2 card on eth1 channel 6

wlanctl-ng: Operation not supported

wlanctl-ng: Operation not supported

wlanctl-ng: Operation not supported

wlanctl-ng: Operation not supported

SIOCSIFFLAGS: Permission denied

SIOCSIFFLAGS: Permission denied

Source  prism2source: Created child capture process 25889

Dropped privs to scott (1000)

Enabling channel hopping.

Disabling channel splitting.

Allowing clients to fetch WEP keys.

Logging networks to Kismet-Jul-21-2004-2.network

Logging networks in CSV format to Kismet-Jul-21-2004-2.csv

Logging networks in XML format to Kismet-Jul-21-2004-2.xml

Logging cryptographically weak packets to Kismet-Jul-21-2004-2.weak

Logging cisco product information to Kismet-Jul-21-2004-2.cisco

Logging gps coordinates to Kismet-Jul-21-2004-2.gps

Logging data to Kismet-Jul-21-2004-2.dump

Writing data files to disk every 300 seconds.

Mangling encrypted and fuzzy data packets.

Reading AP manufacturer data and defaults from /etc/kismet/ap_manuf

Reading client manufacturer data and defaults from /etc/kismet/client_manuf

Dump file format: wiretap (local code) dump

Crypt file format: airsnort (weak packet) dump

Kismet 3.0.1 (Kismet)

Logging data networks CSV XML weak cisco gps

GPSD cannot connect: Connection refused

Listening on port 2501.

Allowing connections from 127.0.0.1/255.255.255.255

Registering builtin client/server protocols...

Registering requested alerts...

Registering builtin timer events...

Enabling packet source 0 ( prism2source)...

Gathering packets...

Shutting down source 0 ( prism2source)...

Didn't detect any networks, unlinking network list.

Didn't detect any networks, unlinking CSV network list.

Didn't detect any networks, unlinking XML network list.

Didn't detect any Cisco Discovery Packets, unlinking cisco dump

Didn't capture any packets, unlinking dump file

Didn't see any weak encryption packets, unlinking weak file

Waiting for capture child 25889 to terminate...

Kismet exiting.

Starting UI...

FATAL:  Could not connect to localhost:2501.

Client exited, terminating...

Done.  Run kismet_unmonitor or eject and re-insert your card (or restart your

 pcmcia services) to return your card to normal operation.
```

Now I am in the right directory (user home)  and the kismet server is started (/etc/init.d/kismet start

Any ideas???

If you need anyome info just yell...

How have other people gone with their wg511's?Last edited by MHD on Sat Jul 24, 2004 2:14 pm; edited 1 time in total

----------

## MHD

oops... sorry didnt meen to put it into K&H A mod might want to moove this to networking...

----------

## MHD

Some more info....

I just check my /etc/pcmcia/config

```
card "Intersil PRISM2 11 Mbps Wireless Adapter"

  manfid 0x0156, 0x0002

  bind "orinoco_cs"

```

Why does it bind to the Orinco drives...

and this 

```
[00:37:28] aspiring:pcmcia> cardctl info

PRODID_1="Intersil"

PRODID_2="ISL3890"

PRODID_3="-"

PRODID_4="-"

MANFID=000b,3890

FUNCID=254

PRODID_1=""

PRODID_2=""

PRODID_3=""

PRODID_4=""

MANFID=0000,0000

FUNCID=255

```

----------

## MHD

Sorry to spam my own post but here is another sign of health (which is confusing... darn airsnort/kismet...)

from dmesg

```
PCI: Enabling device 0000:03:00.0 (0000 -> 0002)

eth1: prism54 driver detected card model: Netgear WG511

eth1: islpci_open()

eth1: resetting device...

eth1: uploading firmware...

eth1: firmware uploaded done, now triggering reset...

eth1: islpci_close ()

eth1: prism54_set_txpower() auto power will be implemented later.

eth1: islpci_open()

eth1: resetting device...

eth1: uploading firmware...

eth1: firmware uploaded done, now triggering reset...

eth1: islpci_close ()

eth1: islpci_open()

eth1: resetting device...

eth1: uploading firmware...

eth1: firmware uploaded done, now triggering reset...

```

----------

## MHD

Might have just found out whats happening in KISMET...

Looks like only the ~x86 version supports the intersill prism54 chipest...

still no idea on airsnort

----------

## beastmaster

I followed up the original wg511 howto thread and found yours here  :Wink: .

I got the same problem like you described for airsnort and krismet, both of them will just exit out on me. I was sort of tinkering around with it about a week ago.

I think you may wanna try to put the wireless card to "Monitor" mode first and see what'll happen...  cuz it makes sense that only monitor mode will cap packets. (I haven't tried monitor mode yet...   :Embarassed:  )

Another thing to consider,  I believe you need a wireless NIC that is capable of doing it   :Razz: , netgear wg511's prism deute chipset doesn't work in promious mode at all or maybe it doesn't work well with it, I'm not sure though, but I too would like to find out.

 :Smile: 

worst-case scenario, buying another wireless nic   :Crying or Very sad: 

however I love this netgear's wg511 a lot, it works really flawlessly just for my need, surfing the net.

----------

## Goodle

I also have a NetGear WG511... I got airsnort working but not kismet.  To get airsnort to work you have to put the card in "monitor mode" you can do with by running:

```
iwconfig ethx mode monitor
```

Then when you start up airsnort -

The field where it says  Network Device: type: ethx

The field where it says  Card Type: choose other

Then press start at the bottom.

Note: ethx where x is a number like eth0 or eth1

I think gentoo verison of kismet didn't come with all the drivers and sources so you might have to compile it on your own. I am going to try to compile it tonight and see what happens.   :Wink: 

----------

## beastmaster

 *Goodle wrote:*   

> I also have a NetGear WG511... I got airsnort working but not kismet.  To get airsnort to work you have to put the card in "monitor mode" you can do with by running:
> 
> ```
> iwconfig ethx mode monitor
> ```
> ...

 

Hi Goodle, thanks for the good info... 2 questions.

1) when you set it to monitor mode, can you still surf online?   :Confused: 

2) about the kismet source, you meant patching it yourself? and how specifically? can you post a wg511-kismet-how-to here later on  :Wink: 

UPDATE: I've tried. No matter what I do, airsnort will exit with " Segmentation fault " error after I click "start"   :Sad: 

Recompiled airsnort several times to no avil as well...  Anybody having the same problem?

Thank you.

----------

## MHD

Thanks!

I will try this for airsnort and see...

----------

## Goodle

To answer you question putting your card on monitor will not allow you to surf the web.  It puts your card on a listen mode which you can only listen to traffic.  When your card is on monitor you can't send, only recieve. 

Could you post a copy of your 

```
ifconfig -a 

iwconfig
```

while trying to run airsnort

Also what is your kernel version?

I got kismet to work with the net gear WG511.   In the /etc/kismet/kismet.config edit the source section so it says

```
source=generic,ethx,generic
```

Also make sure you edit this line to...

```
suiduser=<YOUR NORMAL USERNAME>
```

You may also have to be in group wheel for this to work.

Set your card manually into monitor.  Basicilly kismet does this with the card drivers that you specified in /etc/kismet/kismet.conf. I have not had any luck with specifing the drives.

Now you have to start the kismet server that runs on local host.  

1 )Login as root

2 )run 

```
ifconfig ethx up
```

3 )run 

```
iwconfig ethx mode monitor
```

4 )run 

```
kismet_server
```

5 )kismet server should just sit there running

If the server dies your card is not set up properly.

Starting Kismet itself

6 ) Open a new term as your normal user

7 ) Got to a directory which you want kismet to dump and log the packets.  Mine is /home/blitz/netlogs/

8 ) run it that directory 

```
kismet
```

9 ) kismet should start  :Cool: 

A few useful commands while in kismet:

type h will give you the help window

type a and the sort window will come up and choose something other then autofit by type on of the <letters> listed. Then you can scroll through the access points.

Having more problems~

Post them here ~

Check Kismet docs - http://www.kismetwireless.net/documentation.shtml

Howto set up WG511 - https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=177446&highlight=wg511+setup&sid=db77ca871ffb8d6eb64e08a9a3c693a5

Wanting to brake WEP with kismet - http://wepattack.sourceforge.net/

----------

## MHD

It all works now!!

SOLUTIONS

KISMET:

Emerge the masked version (2004blahblah) The stable version does not supprot prism54

AIRSNORT

iwconfig eth1 mode monitor

to put the device in monitor and use default setting as your card...

Been having some great fun mapping out the area.. Quite stunned the number of networks!!!

----------

## Goodle

I will have to try the masked version then.

----------

## beastmaster

Hi Goodle,

my kernel version is  2.6.5-gentoo-r1.

um... I just found out that it won't give me seg fault if I run airsnort in root.. but not in normal user  :Sad:  any idea?

but on the bright side, it's capping data...  :Surprised:  now what should i do with it?  :Embarassed: 

By the way, thank you for the writeup, I will try krismet shortly and post the update.

----------

## Goodle

I not sure... Maybe upgrade you kernel to gentoo-2.6.7-r11

----------

## danpixley

I am having trouble getting the Kismet 2004.04.1 version running.  I can get the server to run using Goodle's instructions, but the client refuses to load:

```

user $ kismet

Server options:  none

Client options:  none

Starting server...

Waiting for server to start before startuing UI...

Will drop privs to dan (1000) gid 100

FATAL:  Unable to set up pidfile /var/run/kismet_server.pid, unlink() failed: Permission denied

```

/var/run should have the proper permissions as far as I can see:

```

user $ ls -al /var/run

total 48

drwxr-xr-x   5 root root   448 Aug  3 19:13 .

drwxr-xr-x  12 root root   336 Jun 29 22:09 ..

-rw-r--r--   1 root root     5 Aug  3 15:27 cardmgr.pid

drwxr-xr-x   2 root root    72 Aug  3 15:29 console

-rw-------   1 root users    3 Aug  3 15:29 console.lock

-rw-r--r--   1 root root     5 Aug  3 15:27 cron.pid

-rw-r--r--   1 root root     5 Aug  3 19:13 dhcpcd-eth1.pid

-rw-r--r--   1 root root     5 Aug  3 15:27 gdm.pid

-rw-r--r--   1 root root     5 Aug  3 19:10 kismet_server.pid

-rw-r--r--   1 root root     5 Aug  3 15:27 pcmcia-scheme

-rw-------   1 root root   512 Aug  3 15:27 random-seed

drwxr-xr-x   2 root root    48 Jul 31 23:41 samba

-rw-r--r--   1 root root    16 Aug  3 15:27 stab

-rw-------   1 root root     5 Aug  3 15:27 syslog-ng.pid

drwxr-xr-x   2 root root    48 Aug  2 17:20 usb

-rw-rw-r--   1 root utmp  5376 Aug  3 17:12 utmp

```

The kismet_server program runs just fine.  I run it as root at the shell from /home/user/dump (where user is my setuid user), and then it drops down to the setiud user.  It sees access points and everything.  I just can't get the client itself to work.  I use the same user to start the client as the setuiduser in kismet.conf.  Any ideas as to what I am missing?  I am new to Kismet, and would love to get it up and running!

Thanks in advance,

Dan

FIXED: 

This new version of kismet is ran by root with one single command: kismet.

----------

## aminal

Shouldn't you be able to run the 'kismet' command as the suid user you put in kismet.conf?  I know I could do it in FC2, but in gentoo I get the 'unable to set up pidfile' error.

----------

## isaidi

I was having similar errors in Kismet.

ifconfig eth1 fixed it for me

thanks guys!   :Very Happy: 

----------

## rek2

with the 54G prism use:

-c prism54g,eth1,prism54g

of course eth1 in my setup... change it for yours..

kismet_server as root

then from your user run

kismet_client and you wshould have it running..

now I cant get the panel to work.. only ncurses...  anyone knows why?

Cheers

----------

