Homemade Wireless Network Detector

Sensing the presence and relative signal strength of wireless hotspots is made possible by building this small electronic wireless network detector project while having a feature of portability.

By way of sequences of pulses, as compared to a heartbeat, the device communicates the presence and signal strength of an in-range hotspot since it is always ON. The stronger and faster the heartbeat, the stronger the wireless signal detected. It is a 100% passive device, since it does not actually authenticate or otherwise interact with a hotspot in any way. Although it detects hotspots, it transmits nothing and cannot be detected itself.

The project was made using a microcontroller, some electronic interfaces, small vibe motor, and off-the-shelf Wi-Fi detector. To initiate a reading, the button in the detector is periodically pressed by the microcontroller. The output from the indicator LEDs on the detector is then read by the microcontroller. This is the basis used for pulsing out a signal on the vibe motor which the user feels.

There are two basic ways the electronic add-on part interfaces to the sensor which consists of the button hitter for button activation and the LED watcher for sensing.

Rest of the project