Commview for WiFi

Pros

• This program is easy to use and can be set up in minutes.
• Commview for WiFi serves as a very powerful interface, allowing for detailed network monitoring, testing and troubleshooting.
• Lets the user capture packets from all available wireless networks.

Cons

• May not be compatible with certain wireless cards.

CommView for WiFi is a wireless network administration and monitoring tool that lets you see exactly what is going through your wireless networks. It has all the powerful features that a professional would need, while still remaining quite simple to use, even for people who've never used similar tools before. The user interface is quite simple as well, giving you an at-a-glance look at all of the available wireless networks. If you ever get lost or confused within this program, don't worry, as CommView for WiFi comes with a very detailed online help system. This documentation allows you to find explanations about how to use all of the program's features, even the more advanced ones, independently.

CommView for WiFi not only gives you a list of all the networks that your card can detect, but can also give you additional details on each access point, such as the signal strength, the protocols used, number of packets sent and received, and more. You can also inspect packets that go through networks. CommView for WiFi is thus a perfect tool if you're performing site surveys, testing for network connectivity in different locations, or troubleshooting problems related to your WiFi networks, such as adapters that won't connect to an access point.

The packet sniffing feature lets you get a clear idea of the information transmitted through unencrypted connections. Although this isn't a feature that is promoted by the creators of the software, CommView for WiFi can be used for penetration testing as well, as you can sniff for packets of networks that use WPA-PSK or WEP encryption and then attempt to retrieve the keys by using a different software tool.

Using the program will require the installation of drivers that allow you to place your network adapter in “Monitor” mode. Even though the drivers are provided when you install the software, you should know that not all wireless adapters are compatible with this software. Therefore, it is a good idea to visit the software publisher's site beforehand to see if your network adapter is compatible. If not, Tamos, the company that created Commview for WiFi, maintains a list of recommended adapters that would be suitable for use with their tool.

Pros

• This program is easy to use and can be set up in minutes.
• Commview for WiFi serves as a very powerful interface, allowing for detailed network monitoring, testing and troubleshooting.
• Lets the user capture packets from all available wireless networks.

Cons

• May not be compatible with certain wireless cards.