Q: How is it powered? A: It is powered via USB from your phone, tablet, or computer.

Q: Does it connect wirelessly to iPhone? A: No. It uses USB connection for data communication with your phone and it is also powered via USB from the phone.

Q: How much power does it draw from my iPhone? A: Idle WLAN Pi Go uses about 1.5 Watts. Scanning for Wi-Fi networks, it uses about 2 Watts. During the USB Power Delivery negotiation, it requests up to 900 mA.

Q: Any advantages over WiFiMan Wizard? A: Yes! WLAN Pi Go has Intel BE200 Wi-Fi adapter and supports Wi-Fi 7 including the 6 GHz band. It allows you to scan or capture frames on either 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or 6 GHz channel. With the optional Oscium Lucid spectrum analyser, it also supports tri-band spectrum analysis.

Q: How to update software on my Go? A: The WLAN Pi iOS and Android app allows you to upgrade software of your WLAN Pi Go. Connect your Go to yiur phone, connect your phone to a fast Wi-Fi network, and kickstart the update from the app.

Q: Can I connect it to a laptop? A: Yes, you can. Not all features will be supported though. It is designed to be a mobile tool. WiFi Explorer Pro on macOS and Windows, and Airtool on macOS, allow you to connect to the WLAN Pi Go via USB and perform Wi-Fi scanning and packet capture respectively.

Q: What iPhones does WLAN Pi Go support? A: Please review this list. If you are using a device which is not on our list yet, please do let us know. We will add it.

Q: Can it scan using the iPhone built-in Wi-Fi adapter? A: No, Apple doesn’t provide access to the built-in Wi-Fi radio of the iPhone.

Q: Where can I learn how to use WLAN Pi Go? Is any training available? A: Attend our WLAN Pi Go Deep Dive at the Wireless LAN Professionals Conference, learn everything about the Go by doing, and walk away with your very own unit. That’s 6 hours worth of hands-on training and practical labs.

Q: Can I label my WLAN Pi Go? A: Yes, here are the dimensions of the recessed area on the back side of the unit.

Q: What is the male USB-C port for? A: It takes Oscium Lucid USB tri-band spectrum analyser which enables spectrum analysis (not just Wi-Fi) on WLAN Pi Go. Software support for this is coming later.

Q: Oops, something has gone wrong, how can I restore factory defaults? A: Yes. Restore factory defaults by flashing the original software image by following these instructions.

Q: Why are only some Android devices supported? A: Not all Android devices support Ethernet over USB-C (also known as OTG), and not all Android devices can provide enough power via USB-C to power WLAN Pi Go.

Q: Do you plan to develop WiFi Explorer Pi for Android? A: No, no plans at the moment. Are you interested in developing one? Let us know.

Q: What mobile apps support WLAN Pi Go? A: It supports the WLAN Pi all, Airtool, and WiFi Explorer Pi.

Introduction

WLAN Pi Go introduces a new form factor. It magnetically attaches to your phone and allows you to discretely perform Wi-Fi scans or packet capture using a mobile app. It is powered by your phone via USB-C. Alternatively, connect it to your iPad or laptop via USB-C.

Software

It is powered by lightweight version of WLAN Pi OS stored on its built-in eMMC storage. To upgrade software of your WLAN Pi Go, please follow these instructions.

Hardware

Under the hood WLAN Pi Go uses Intel BE200 Wi-Fi 7 adapter, Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 with built-in eMMC storage and it features a host USB-C dock port for Oscium Clarity or Lucid spectrum analyzer.

Learn more

Attend the Wireless LAN Professionals Conference 2025 in Prague to learn more about WLAN Pi Go.

Your mobile device must be equipped with USB-C connector to power the WLAN Pi Go. To establish data connection, it must support Ethernet over USB, often referred to as OTG (On The Go) mode.

We have successfully tested WLAN Pi Go with these devices. Drop us a note using the live chat on if you have tested a device which isn't listed below. We will add it to the list.

Supported phones and tablets

Supported laptops

We tested these laptops and their capability to power WLAN Pi Go via USB and to establish Ethernet over USB. While the WLAN Pi iOS mobile app might run on macOS, please note that there is no alternative of the mobile app on Windows.

Remote Sensor is the main use case for Go connected to your laptop. This allows Airtool and WiFi Explorer Pro running on your laptop to use WLAN Pi Go's Wi-Fi radio for packet captures and Wi-Fi scanning.

Known incompatible mobile devices

These devices are not compatible with WLAN Pi Go. Please review this list before purchasing to avoid disappointment.

Specifications / Technical Details

LED Status Indicators

A brief look under the hood

Power over Ethernet (PoE)

The M4 has built-in PoE circuitry. No additional power supply is required. This is the recommended option.

USB-C port of your laptop

WLAN Pi M4 can also be powered by USB-C port of your laptop using USB-C to USB-C cable.

Some older laptops might not be able to provide enough power via USB. Please double-check.

Apple USB-C PD MacBook chargers

While some MacBook USC-C chargers will charge the M4, some won't.

Power Distribution (PD) charger

A standard 5V USB-C PD charger is the best option.

Warning

Please do NOT use non-PD power supplies with USB-C connector, that are not rated at 5V. Doing so will result in a magic smoke escape. We've tested that, so that you don't have to.

Use case

Modular, PoE powered, Wi-Fi 6E capable WLAN Pi. more affordable than the .

What is it?

Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 (CM4) is the brains of a raspberry pi 4 but without any of the IO ports, instead we start with a 'carrier board' possessing the desired IO ports and we add a CM4 to it.

The board we are testing with the WLAN Pi CE is manufactured by 'Mcuzone', can be purchased from AliExpress , the solution is still to be validated. We don't recommend ordering one just yet.

Parts

• Sandisk Edge or similar 32 GB or larger micro SD card - From $10.99

• Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 (we recommend one with built-in Wi-Fi, so we can use the bluetooth module)

• Mediatek MT7921K or MT7922 (Wi-Fi 6E module)

• antennas

• Waveshare screen and buttons

• GPIO riser

We have identified two Mcuzone carrier boards of interest!

$76 + $12 (shipping) Total $88 USD

Pros

• PoE power input

• Type-C power (limited, see below)

• 40-pin GPIO (requires pin header) for display connection

• Bluetooth works on MediaTek adapters (USB bus is internally connected to M.2 slot)

• Slightly smaller than the WLAN Pi Pro carrier board

Cons

• No OTG - you can't establish data connection between your laptop and the board via USB

• No Real Time Clock (RTC)

• Potentially limited type-C options, varied results in testing regarding power from Macbook Type-C to Type-C or PD charger

• Only one M.2 slot for Wi-Fi adapters

WLAN Pi Go features built-in eMMC storage. In principle the software image flashing process is similar to SD card but there is no SD card.

1. Disconnect the USB-C cable from the WLAN Pi Go.

2. Place the Go on a desk with its back side facing up. Note the little hole providing access to the Reset button.

3. Use a paper clip to press and hold the Reset button. USB-C cable is still disconnected.

4. While still holding the Reset button pressed down, connect the USB-C cable to the WLAN Pi Go and your laptop.

5. Wait for 5 seconds and then release the Reset button.

6. Accept the security prompt and allow WLAN Pi Go storage to connect to your laptop.

1. Download Balena Etcher app to your laptop.

2. Download the latest WLAN Pi Go software image from www.wlanpi.com to your laptop.

3. Start Balena Etcher app. Select the software image. Select the Compute Module device which represents the WLAN Pi Go built-in storage.

4. Press the Flash button and wait for about 10 minutes. Please make sure your laptop doesn't lock its screen. If it does, the flashing process might stop and you might need to restart it.

5. Once the image has been successfully flashed, disconnect the WLAN Pi Go cable from your laptop. It is now ready for use. Connect it to your phone, iPad or laptop and download the WLAN Pi Go mobile app.

The basics

WLAN Pi is at it's core a Linux box. We aim to provide a suite of tools out of the box to help with Wi-Fi focused tasks, but there is flexibility for you to do almost anything you want.

Another way to interact with your WLAN Pi is via Wi-Fi using 'Hotspot Mode'

The following items are included with the WLAN Pi Pro:

• Braided USB-C / C cable

• USB-C / A adaptor

Get Connected

1. Connect to WLAN Pi OTG USB port (top)

2. FPMS will display your WLAN Pi hostname and IP

3. Open up your browser of choice and navigate to

   Copy

   http://wlanpi-xxx.local

   Alternatively you can use the link local IP address\

   Copy

   http://169.254.42.1

1. Plug your WLAN Pi into the provided ethernet cable at your desk

2. This should bring the ethernet port up FPMS will confirm this by displaying the assigned IP address in white text Also see the negotiated link speed

3. Now that we have an internet connection we will run through the FPMS functions

• Network > Interfaces

• Network > WLAN Interfaces

• Network > Eth0 IP Config

• Network > Eth0 VLAN

• Network > LLDP Neighbour

• Network > CDP Neighbour

• Network > Public IPv4

• Network > Public IPv6

• Utils > Reachability

• Utils > Speedtest (this is not 'official Ookla Speedtest')

• Utils > Port Blinker

What is the default username and password?

The WLAN Pi Pro includes two (2) Wi-Fi modules capable of capturing Wi-Fi traffic. Not only are they capable (support monitor mode) but they are both 2 SS, 802.11ax, 6GHz capable Wi-Fi modules. This provides great flexibility in capturing just about any Wi-Fi frames you might need to analyze for troubleshooting, testing, or validation.

macOS method

• AirTool2 - Paid tool, but includes 3-day free trial

• Wireshark

Windows method

• Wireshark + sshdump plugin

• Python

• wlan-extcap

iOS method

• iPhone or iPad

• Testflight App

• Airtool Pi App (not yet available on App store)

The WLAN Pi Pro has 2 built-in Bluetooth 5.2 radios, in this lab we will go through pairing a smart device to a WLAN Pi Pro to establish connectivity to it wirelessly.

1. Enable Bluetooth pairing mode on your WLAN Pi Via FPMS: Bluetooth > Pair Device

   Your WLAN Pi will be discoverable for 30 seconds

2. Grab your smart device (iPhone/iPad, Android) We recommend using your mobile device for this lab rather than your laptop

3. Switch on Bluetooth and search for nearby Bluetooth devices

4. Be sure to select your WLAN Pi-xxx from the list of nearby Bluetooth devices

5. Be patient, your WLAN Pi may take 10-20 seconds to appear

6. If pairing is successful, FPMS will display a notification indicating the success

7. If unsuccessful, re-initiate the pairing process by selecting Pair-Device from FPMS

8. Navigate back to the 'home screen'

9. You should see PAN: 169.254.43.1 displayed This is your Bluetooth network interface IP address

10. Open your mobile browser and navigate to the WLAN Pi webUI http://wlanpi-xxx.local

Once paired, you can easily disconnect and reconnect to your WLAN Pi by selecting it from the list of paired Bluetooth devices on your mobile device.

Navigation to the link local address http://wlanpi-xxx.local will bring you to the WLAN Pi landing page. Here you'll find several tabs, we'll reference these later on during the labs.

LibreSpeed - Network Segment speed test

• Lightweight speed test implemented in javascript that runs in a web browser

• Works on all modern browsers including mobile

Not to be confused with Ookla Speedtest (we have that too, in CLI form)

Profiler

Displays 'profiled clients' results

Network

WLAN Pi network information dashboard

Admin (Cockpit)

Web based graphical interface for managing Linux

Terminal

Direct link to the Cockpit Web Terminal

Finally, In the lower right hand corner of this page

You will see your WLAN Pi:

• Hostname

• System version

Display

1.5 inch Color OLED display

All the things it can display:

Header / top menu bar

• Time

• Internet status globe

• Bluetooth status

• Wireless interface status

• Battery status

Main Page

• Operating Mode

• Ethernet IP address

• Link connection speed

• Additional interface IP addresses

  • USB

  • Bluetooth

Footer

WLAN Pi hostname

Buttons

You have 5x buttons at your disposal

• We think of this array as 4x navigational buttons up, down, left right

• Centre button is the 'enter action'

What can I do with this FPMS?

• System > About

• Battery

• Date / Time

• Summary

• Reboot

• Shutdown

USB-C Power Distribution (PD) charger

WLAN Pi R4 can be powered by USB PD power supply. We highly recommend using Raspberry Pi 4 Revision 1.2 or newer, which supports all USB PD power supplies including MacBook USB-C chargers.

To check your revision, SSH to the RPi4 and execute:

USB-C port of your laptop

WLAN Pi R4 can also be powered by USB-C port of your laptop using USB-C to USB-C cable.

Some older laptops might not be able to provide enough power via USB. Please double-check.

The WLAN Pi server mode enables use cases like lab build, software upgrade of your network appliances or AP and staging with no additional servers or apps. Simply plug your WLAN Pi into your lab switch and let it provide all services.

View the instructions for server mode here:

Tech Specs

1. Click on Admin

   Unfortunately we do not have an SSL cert in place yet, please continue past the security warning

2. Login using the default 'first time boot' credentials username: wlanpi password: wlanpi\

3. You will be prompted to change your password, you have to do this to proceed

1. The first time you login to Cockpit you will be in 'limited access mode' Look to the top-right corner of the WebUI interface Click on 'Turn on administrative access'

2. Now please have a poke around, explore what functionality is exposed by Cockpit GUI

Updating your WLAN Pi

Most utilities / functions on the WLAN Pi can be updated through the built-in package management system. This is accessed via:

• Cockpit > Software Updates

• CLI > sudo wlanpi-update

When is re-imaging required?

System level updates will be made occasionally that may require re-imaging your microSD card

If you choose to re-image your SD card with the latest release of WLAN Pi OS, this will come with the latest version of all the default packages.

Timezone Update

Click time, I think you can figure out the rest ;)

Terminal

The menu option at the bottom of the left side panel is 'Terminal'

For the duration of the DeepDive this web based terminal is going to be our default method for accessing the WLAN Pi terminal

It can be annoying to have to sit in an equipment room to use the serial console port on an item of networking equipment. This module allows you to use a WLAN Pi to connect to your serial console cable via a Wi-Fi link while sat in the comfort of a nearby office, rather than sat with your laptop on the equipment room floor :)

Visit the link below to view the user guide for this package:

As the WLAN Pi Community Edition as no OLED display, an alternative option to view status information is set up a Telegram bot to remotely query the WLAN Pi CE.

Instructions for the setup and use of the chat-bot module are included in the link provided below.

Note that chat-bot is provided as an optional module for the WLAN Pi, so you will need to download it before it is available for use. SSH to your WLAN Pi CE and perform the following commands:

The WLAN Pi hotspot mode has been created to provide a quick and dirty wireless AP for tasks such as wall attenuation measurements. It will also allow a temporary wireless connection when you'd like to hook up to a switch ethernet port and extend the network connection out to a wireless client. Finally, it can be used to provide wireless access to the WLAN Pi itself if an OTG or Ethernet connection is not available.

Visit the article below to get the full details on Hotspot code:

Powering On

Momentary press (1 sec) to power on

look for constant red light, this indicates power

look for the heartbeat LED, this means the OS has been initiated

Then the screen will come to life

Powering Off

The recommended way to do this is to issue the poweroff command!This can be done:

• via the screen and buttons on the front (FPMS)

• CLI command

• Cockpit GUI

Or... Long press the power button (2 seconds)

Charging

Check battery level while off

Bump power button​

LED status indicators

WLAN Pi M4

PCIe M.2 adapters

• Recommended: MediaTek MT7922 PCIe M.2 adapter

• MediaTek MT7921K PCIe M.2 adapter

WLAN Pi M4 has a single internal M.2 slot, which is already populated. To add a second adapter to M4, choose one of the USB adapters.

USB adapters

• Recommended: Comfast CF-951AX USB Wi-Fi 6E adapter (Device ID: 0e8d:7961)

• Comfast CF-953AX USB Wi-Fi 6E adapter (Device ID: 0e8d:7961)

• Netgear Nighthawk AXE3000 USB Wi-Fi 6E adapter (Device ID: 0846:9060)

• Alfa AWUS036AXML USB Wi-Fi 6E adapter (Device ID: 0e8d:7961)

WLAN Pi R4

USB adapters only

• Recommended: Comfast CF-951AX USB Wi-Fi 6E adapter (Device ID: 0e8d:7961)

• Comfast CF-953AX USB Wi-Fi 6E adapter (Device ID: 0e8d:7961)

• Netgear Nighthawk AXE3000 USB Wi-Fi 6E adapter (Device ID: 0846:9060)

• Alfa AWUS036AXML USB Wi-Fi 6E adapter (Device ID: 0e8d:7961)

WLAN Pi R4 has no internal adapter enabled (because the built-in one doesn't support Monitor mode), and it requires one of the above USB adapters.

WLAN Pi R4 has no M.2 slots. USB adapters are the only option.

WLAN Pi Pro - EoS

PCIe M.2 adapters

• Recommended: Intel AX210 PCIe M.2 adapter

USB adapters

• Comfast CF-951AX USB Wi-Fi 6E adapter (Device ID: 0e8d:7961)

• Comfast CF-953AX USB Wi-Fi 6E adapter (Device ID: 0e8d:7961)

• Netgear Nighthawk AXE3000 USB Wi-Fi 6E adapter (Device ID: 0846:9060)

• Alfa AWUS036AXML USB Wi-Fi 6E adapter (Device ID: 0e8d:7961)

WLAN Pi OS is built on top of the official Raspberry Pi OS. WLAN Pi OS includes specific customizations for the WLAN Pi Pro hardware and comes pre-loaded with a full suite of tools for Wi-Fi professionals. It runs on the WLAN Pi Pro hardware but also on any Raspberry Pi hardware that is 64-bit compatible.

Raspberry Pi OS is a free operating system based on Debian, optimized for the Raspberry Pi hardware, and is the recommended operating system for normal use on a Raspberry Pi. The OS comes with over 35,000 packages: precompiled software bundled in a nice format for easy installation on your Raspberry Pi.

WLAN Pi Pro Lanyard

This lanyard allows you to wear your WLAN Pi Pro, and use it as a battery-powered handheld unit.

Parts

• 4x nylon flat washers size M3 x 8mm diameter x 1mm thick - Order locally

• 2x stainless steel M3 x 9 mm eye bolts - Order here or locally

• 1x orange lanyard with black text "WLAN Pi Pro" - Order here in the UK or locally

Instructions

1. Before installing the eye bolts to bottom Universal Mounting System (UMS), make sure to add 2 nylon washers on each eye bolt. The washers are very important, because the eye bolts are too long. There is a potential risk of eye bolts getting to close proximity to the lithium battery cell.

2. Screw the eye bolts into the UMS attachment points by hand. We have already installed M3 nuts to the WLAN Pi Pro case for you during manufacturing.

Share yours

These accessories are brought to you by the WLAN Pi development team. If you have any ideas, or you have made your own, please tweet us a photo @WLANPi, or use http://feedback.wlanpi.com.

Step 1 - Sign up for a Tailscale account

1. Follow the sign-up instructions

Step 2 - Install Tailscale on your laptop

Follow the installation instructions from the Tailscale website

Step 3 - Install Tailscale on you WLAN Pi

1. Bring up your terminal window

2. Install Tailscale on your WLAN Pi\

   you will be prompted to enter your password\

3. Log in to start using Tailscale by running command:\

4. Copy and paste the authentication URL into a new browser window

5. Authorise again

6. You will get the message success in your terminal window

The Tailscale client is now installed on both your laptop and your WLAN Pi! You should have local IP connectivity between your 2x devices via a Tailscale VPN tunnel.

Step 4 - Connected Devices

1. Execute the following command in your terminal window\

   This will reveal all the available Tailscale commands

2. View the devices currently connected to your Tailscale 'Node'\

Step 5 - Test local IP connectivity

From the list of connected devices, you will see the Tailscale IP address for each device

From your WLAN Pi try to ping your laptop 'Tailscale IP address'

This may not instantly strike you as an incredible!!!... right now, as you sit at the same desk as the WLAN Pi. BUT now imagine your WLAN Pi is away from you, on a customer site perhaps, with very little effort you can enable communication with it as though it were local to you.

Access somebody else's WLAN Pi via Tailscale

One potentially super useful feature of Tailscale is 'device' sharing, this will allow you to 'share' your WLAN Pi access via Tailscale with another Tailscale user.

1. On your laptop, navigate and login to Tailscale

2. Find your WLAN Pi

3. Share your WLAN Pi with your DeepDive neighbour

4. Once your neighbour has accepted the invitation, test that connectivity is possible

5. Finally, revoke your neighbour's access

Alternative VPN provider

If Tailscale is not doing it for you, we suggest giving ZeroTier a try (similar idea)

One of the many challenges we face working with Wi-Fi is determining the 'actual' capabilities of a Wi-Fi device. Mike Albano (@mike_albano) maintains a database of device capabilities over at clients.mikealbano.com

When a Wi-Fi station attempts to associate to an AP, the station will share capability information so that the AP can communicate with the station efficiently. This capability information is not always published or easy to locate, WLAN Pi Profiler makes the gathering of this detail a breeze!

WLAN Pi Profiler works like this:

1. Makes use of Scapy (python library) to create a "fake" access point by transmitting specifically forged beacon frames

2. Listens for an association frame, decodes the frame and parses out the relevant Wi-Fi capability information about the device

Device information that Profiler can reveal:

• 802.11k/r/v/w support

• 802.11n/ac/ax support

• Max No. of Spatial Streams

• Beamforming support

• Supported MCS Rates

• Max Tx Power

• Supported 5 GHz channels

Step 1 - Start Profiler

Profiler can be initiated via Front Panel Menu System or the command line interface

FMPS

1. Navigate: Apps > Profiler > Start

2. Screen displays: Starting...

3. Wait 3-6 seconds

4. Screen displays: Success, Profiler started.

CLI

1. Open your web browser of choice

2. Navigate to http://wlanpi-xyz.local

3. Change xyz to match your own WLAN Pi

4. Click on the Admin tab

5. Login with your WLAN Pi credentials

6. Display 'all' the available Profiler commands:

   Copy

   sudo profiler -h

7. Activate Profiler on a channel of your choosing:

   Copy

   sudo profiler -c 48

Step 2 - 'Profile' a Wi-Fi device

Smart device capable of reading a QR code

1. Via FPMS navigate: Apps > Profiler > Status

2. Scan the QR code with your iPhone/Android smart-device

3. 'Action' the discovered Wi-Fi network by tapping on the pop-up This 'should' initiate an attempt to associate with your WLAN Pi 'fake AP'

When an association attempt is successfully captured FPMS will indicate this with message:

Device Profiled xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx

Less smart device 'incapable of QR code association'

1. Via FPMS Navigate: Apps > Profiler > Status

2. Take your device and attempt to associate to the SSID displayed on the WLAN Pi screen SSID: wlanpi-xyz passphrase: does_not_matter

Step 3 - Analyze the results

1. Open a new tab, in your chosen browser

2. Navigate to http://wlanpi-xyz.local

3. Click on the Profiler tab, from here you can:

   1. View test results within the browser window

   2. Download the association request pcap Open the pcap in your packet analysis tool of choice

Step 4 - Profile that same device again

1. Profile your primary device again, what happens?

2. Enable Low Power mode on your primary device (if you can)

3. Profile your primary device again, what happens? What is different now?

Step 5 - Profile the other frequency band

Profiler is only able to capture device capabilities for the frequency band on which you are broadcasting the 'fake AP'. Profile a device on the 'other' band.

FPMS

1. Stop Profiler, navigate to Apps > Profiler > Stop

2. Start Profiler on the 2.4 GHz band, Apps > Profiler > Start on 2.4 GHz

CLI

1. Stop Profiler with command

   Copy

   sudo profiler stop

2. Start Profiler on specific channel (from the other frequency band)

   Copy

   sudo profiler -c 11

Step 6 - Profile Additional Devices

Test any and all other devices you have with you to capture and view their capabilities on both frequency bands.

Step 7 - Download Profiler Report

Navigate your way to the Profiler section of the WLAN Pi web GUI, download the report CSV.

This includes all the data you just collected. You should see a separate report for each frequency band.

Step 8 - Share your results

1. Browse to https://clients.mikealbano.com and look through the list

2. Check whether any of the devices you profiled just now are absent from the list? If you wish to share your profiled device capabilities:

   1. Click on the menu item “How to Contribute”

   2. Skip to step 2

   3. Continue to follow the on-screen instructions

Learn more about usage and the details from the wlanpi-profiler repository.

You run a mac, fantastic, first install and then

Airtool can perform 'local' and remote Wi-Fi packet captures using a capable Linux box with a compatible Wi-Fi adapter such as... the WLAN Pi. Airtool 2 makes it possible to perform affordable, multi-channel captures using multiple remote sensors and Wi-Fi adapters.

Download and install Airtool 2

Launch Airtool

1. Verify Airtool is running in your menu bar (Wi-Fi icon with a wrench spanner

2. Configure Airtool 2 Preferences

Airtool dropdown > Preferences

Capture using a remote sensor

Remote captures are achieved using SSH to connect to the remote device. When Airtool 2 connects to the device using SSH, it remotely executes a series of commands to capture Wi-Fi traffic. These commands drop the device's Wi-Fi adapter (e.g., wlan0) into monitor mode, set the desired channel and channel width, and then runs tcpdump to capture and send the Wi-Fi frames back over to Airtool 2 via the SSH connection.

Because Airtool 2 will use the remote device's main Wi-Fi adapter for capturing, Airtool 2 needs to connect to the device using a wired connection or a secondary Wi-Fi adapter.

If you were to do this using a secondary Wi-Fi adapter, ensure the channel you will be capturing is not the same as the Wi-Fi adapter being used for device access.

All Airtool 2 features (automatic frame slicing, capture size limits, file rotation, live captures, etc.) are available when capturing using a remote sensor in the same way as when capturing using the built-in Wi-Fi adapter.

Using a sensor

To use a remote sensor, go to Preferences > Sensors and add a new sensor. You will need the hostname or IP address of the sensor. If the sensor is not configured to use the standard SSH port (TCP port 22), then you need to specify the correct port number in the Port field. Then, choose the sensor from the Airtool 2 menu to start the remote capture.

Before the capture starts, you will be prompted to enter the name of the wireless interface you wish to capture on remotely (e.g., wlan0) and to select the channel and the channel width.

The first time you capture from the remote sensor, you will be prompted to authenticate using the remote device's SSH username and password. You can choose to have Airtool 2 remember the credentials, so you don't have to enter them every time you do a capture. Airtool 2 will store the credentials securely in your Mac's keychain.

Managing sensors

To manage the sensors, go to Preferences > Sensors. You can add, edit or delete existing sensors, mark sensors as favourite, and change the sensors' order by dragging the entries in the list.

More details: https://www.intuitibits.com/help/airtool2/#/topic-capture-remote_capture

Capture on multiple channels and remote sensors

You can also use Airtool 2 to capture Wi-Fi traffic on multiple channels simultaneously by using multiple remote sensors or a single remote sensor with multiple Wi-Fi modules. Airtool 2 generates a single capture file by merging the frames captured on each sensor based on their timestamps.

To ensure the correct merging of Wi-Fi frames from each sensor, Airtool 2 requires all sensors to synchronize their time using NTP.

Airtool 2 uses the PCAP Next Generation (pcapng) Capture File Format. This format allows Airtool 2 to annotate each frame with the sensor and interface name used to capture the frame. You can use this information to filter frames by sensor and interface name in Wireshark.

You can also capture Wi-Fi traffic on multiple channels simultaneously using the same remote sensor if the remote sensor supports more than one Wi-Fi adapter. For example, if you have three remote sensors, and each sensor supports two Wi-Fi adapters, you can capture Wi-Fi traffic on six different channels simultaneously.

Advanced Airtool 2 features, such as automatic frame slicing and live captures using Wireshark, are also available for multi-source captures.

Prepare for a multi-source capture

You must first go to Preferences > Sensors and add any remote sensors you would like to use for multi-source captures. You only need to add a remote sensor the first time you use it. After that, the remote sensor will always be available for multi-source captures.

Airtool 2 discovers WLAN Pi-based remote sensors deployed in your local area network automatically.

Also, make sure you plug in at least one compatible Wi-Fi adapter per remote sensor and know the interface name assigned to it (e.g., wlan0) as you will need it when configuring the remote sensor for capturing.

Start a multi-source capture

1. Choose Multi-Source Capture from the Airtool 2 menu.

2. Click the "+" button to add an entry for each remote sensor you want to use for capturing.

3. For each entry, configure which sensor, interface name, channel, and channel width you want to use.

4. Click "Start Capture."

Airtool 2 won't allow you to start the capture if it detects an invalid configuration. For example, you cannot use the same sensor and interface name combination twice.

To reduce the amount of data sent back from a remote sensor, you can choose to limit each captured frame's size by enabling the "Limit each frame to" option and entering the desired frame size in bytes.

More details:

Intended Use

The WLAN Pi product is a wireless networking device intended for use by qualified individuals in controlled educational, laboratory, or testing environments. It is specifically designed for incidental wireless network testing and analysis, with a primary focus on Rx operations. This device is not authorized for permanent installations, continuous transmission, or commercial deployments.

Users are solely responsible for ensuring that their use of the WLAN Pi complies with all applicable local, national, and international laws. Any use outside the specified intended purpose is strictly prohibited and may result in regulatory or legal consequences.

The WLAN Pi development team and its affiliates disclaim all liability for any unauthorized, improper, or unlawful use of the device. By using this device, users agree to these terms and accept full responsibility for its use.

Compare WLAN Pi Models

WLAN Pi OS compatibility

The first version of WLAN Pi OS to support respective WLAN Pi hardware models:

Download the latest WLAN Pi OS release from our GitHub.

NEO2 software compatibility

Please note that NEO2 only supports software images 2.x.x. Newer images 3.x.x software is not compatible with NEO2.

Download the latest NEO2 image from our Github.

WLAN Pi M4+ uses the proven form factor of the M4 and adds these exciting new features:

• Native Wi-Fi 7 support using built-in Intel BE200 M.2 E-Key adapter

• Direct IP connectivity between your laptop/tablet and the WLAN Pi M4+ via USB-C OTG

• Soft-to-touch joystick cap with improved ergonomy

• Black (instead of the grey) plate around the display

What is kismet?

Kismet is a monitoring tool for wireless - originally only supporting 802.11 Wi-Fi, with the right hardware Kismet can now capture Bluetooth advertisements, BTLE, nRF-based wireless mice and keyboards, weather stations, wireless thermometers, switches, smoke detectors, 802.15.4 / Zigbee, ADSB airplane transponders, AMR wireless power, water meters, gas meters, and more.

1. To start kismet, simply head over to terminal and type kismet then press enter\

2. Kismet should now be running Leave it running

3. Open a new browser tab

4. Navigate to http://wlanpi-xxx.local:2501

5. Login to kismet Before you can access kismet, you will need to create a username and password

"Classic" mode is the default mode that WLAN Pi boots into with a fresh OS install. It is the mode that is most likely used for 90% of the use-cases that you will have for the WLAN Pi.

The WLAN Pi may be switched in to a number of "modes" that change the primary operating characteristics of the device. This is generally required to change the fundamental networking characteristics of the WLAN Pi Pi to provide a specialized feature that would otherwise clash with the networking setup required for standard, day-to-day operation.

When the WLAN Pi is powered on, the home screen show on the front panel provides useful status information about the unit. If the home screen displays the title "WLAN Pi Pro", then your unit is in Classic mode. When switched to other modes, the current mode is displayed as a title on the home screen.

To switch to other modes, use the menu system on the WLAN Pi. Use the navigation buttons to select the required mode from the "Modes" menu item. Note that the WLAN Pi will reboot when switching between modes.

The other mode available are:

- : a lab network server to provide miscellaneous useful functions

- : a simple wireless access point

- : a wireless CLI console

If the WLAN Pi Pro won't charge when connected to a power source (PoE or USB), it is likely it is in a low power protected mode to prevent over discharging the battery. To recover from this state follow the steps below, this will reset the charging IC and should allow the device to recover.

1. Unscrew the 4 screws on the back cover, and carefuly remove the back

2. Remove and reinsert the 18650 battery

3. Reinstall the back cover and screws

4. Connect a power source to PoE or the top USB-C port, verify the device is charging, and let it charge until it has at least 20% charge

5. Power on device

Use case

Similar to the original WLAN Pi based on Nanopi NEO2, this model gives you a very similar Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) feature set. Simply order the parts and build your own. It is affordable and the hardware is widely available. Ideal for a leave behind use case, labs, cert study, and remote troubleshooting.

Parts

• Raspberry Pi 4 Model B 2 GB or 4 GB - From $44.99

• Waveshare 128x128, 1.44inch LCD display HAT for Raspberry Pi - Order here for $11.99

• MediaTek 7612U USB Wi-Fi adapter with Monitor mode support - Order here for $19.17

• Sandisk Edge or similar 16 GB or larger micro SD card - From $10.99

• Waveshare Lightweight Aluminum Alloy Case for Raspberry Pi 4 - Order here for $17.99

• WLAN Pi Fascia Kit (the orange and grey top of the case, button and joystick caps) - Order here for $43

• That's around $148 in total

​

Software support and features

WLAN Pi OS 3.0.1 or newer is required to support all components including the display and buttons out of the box.

Check what features are supported here.

Hardware

**Only use the MediaTek Wi-Fi adapter in the bottom USB 3.0 port (or any of the USB 2.0 ports). **The adapter does not work in the top USB 3.0 port (highlighted in red).

Metal case (black part) assembly instructions

The case includes rubber feet, standoffs and thermal tape. Here are the assembly instructions, just click the link and scroll down.

Fascia Kit (orange part) assembly instructions

Fascia is the orange part of the case. Follow this guide to install it.