What is Wardriving?

Wardriving is the practice of systematically scanning for and mapping wireless networks while moving through an area. It's similar to what happens when your phone searches for available WiFi while you walk — except in wardriving we log and study these networks for network security analysis, infrastructure research, and educational purposes.

As a subject matter expert and community figure in the wardriving space, I've spent years researching wireless network topologies, security implementations, and the evolving landscape of WiFi infrastructure. This guide represents practical knowledge from extensive fieldwork.

The data collected through wardriving helps security professionals understand network deployment patterns, identify vulnerable configurations, and improve wireless security standards. Below is a full professional setup using Kali Linux, Kismet, and industry-standard WiFi adapters.

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USB Live Boot Setup (Optional)

1. Create a Bootable USB with Persistence

• Download the Kali Linux Live ISO from the official Kali website.
• Use Rufus to write the ISO to your USB drive. Rufus is required for persistence to work correctly.

Rufus settings:

• File system: FAT32
• Cluster size: 64 kilobytes
• Enable persistence and allocate as much space as possible.

2. Boot into Kali Live

• Choose the "Live Boot" option at startup.
• Once on the desktop, create a test file (e.g., a text file).
• Reboot and check if the file is still there. If it is, persistence is working.

3. Update Kali (critical)

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

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Fixing Repositories & System Time (if needed)

1. Reset Kali rolling repository

sudo bash -c 'echo "deb http://http.kali.org/kali kali-rolling main contrib non-free non-free-firmware" > /etc/apt/sources.list'

2. Fix time sync issues

sudo timedatectl set-ntp true
sudo systemctl restart systemd-timesyncd
timedatectl   # Verify time is correct

3. Re-run the update/upgrade

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade -y

4. Optional cleanup

sudo apt clean
sudo apt autoremove -y

5. Reboot if needed

sudo reboot

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GPS Configuration

1. Install GPS tools

sudo apt install -y gpsd gpsd-clients python3-gps

Bonus (for Kismet compatibility):

sudo apt install -y kismet gpsbabel gnuplot

2. Set GPS device

Edit the GPSD config file:

sudo nano /etc/default/gpsd

Find the DEVICES= line and change it to:

DEVICES="/dev/ttyACM0"

Save and exit (Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter).

3. Restart gpsd

sudo systemctl restart gpsd

4. Verify GPS lock

cgps
xgps

Wait a few seconds to see GPS coordinates appear.

5. Troubleshooting GPS

sudo systemctl start gpsd         # Start GPSD
sudo systemctl status gpsd        # Check if it's running
sudo systemctl enable gpsd        # Enable GPSD at boot
sudo systemctl restart gpsd       # Restart GPSD

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Allow GPS Data in Kismet

1. Edit Kismet config

sudo nano /etc/kismet/kismet.conf

Scroll to the GPS CONFIGURATION section. Find this line:

# gps=gpsd:host=localhost,port=2947

Uncomment it (remove the #) so it reads:

gps=gpsd:host=localhost,port=2947

Save and exit.

2. Restart Kismet

sudo systemctl restart kismet

3. Launch Kismet

sudo kismet

Open the Kismet web interface and check for live GPS coordinates.

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Install Realtek Driver for ALFA AWUS036ACS (RTL8812AU)

1. Install dependencies

sudo apt install build-essential libelf-dev linux-headers-$(uname -r) dkms -y

2. Download the driver

cd /usr/src/
sudo git clone https://github.com/aircrack-ng/rtl8812au.git

3. Install with DKMS

sudo dkms add ./rtl8812au
sudo dkms build 8812au/5.6.4.2
sudo dkms install 8812au/5.6.4.2

4. Reboot

sudo reboot

5. Verify the device

iwconfig    # Check for wlan interface
lsusb       # Ensure USB adapter is detected

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One-Liner Script for Rapid Setup (Optional)

Run this on a fresh Kali install to handle driver setup automatically:

sudo apt install -y dkms build-essential libelf-dev linux-headers-$(uname -r) && \
git clone https://github.com/aircrack-ng/rtl8812au.git && \
cd rtl8812au && make && sudo make install && sudo depmod -a && \
echo "88XXau" | sudo tee -a /etc/modules && \
echo 'ACTION=="add", SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="0bda", ATTR{idProduct}=="8813", RUN+="/sbin/modprobe 88XXau"' | \
sudo tee /etc/udev/rules.d/8814au.rules && \
sudo udevadm control --reload-rules && sudo udevadm trigger

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Installing Realtek Drivers for RTL8812AU and RTL8814AU on Kali Linux

If you're running Kali with a Realtek-based USB Wi-Fi adapter — the ALFA AWUS036ACS (RTL8812AU) or ALFA AWUS1900 (RTL8814AU) — you may notice the adapter doesn't show up in iwconfig out of the box. Below are the correct drivers for each chipset.

Realtek driver overview

Not all Realtek chipsets are supported by the same drivers. For RTL8812AU, use the aircrack-ng/rtl8812au repository. For RTL8814AU, use morrownr/8814au — it's more current and also supports RTL8812AU.

Step 1 — Identify your adapter

lsusb

Look for a line like:

• Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL8812AU
• Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL8814AU

Once you know your chipset, follow the appropriate method below.

Method 1 — RTL8814AU Drivers (ALFA AWUS1900)

Remove conflicting drivers

sudo rm -rf /etc/udev/rules.d/8814au.rules
sudo rm -rf /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/88XXau*
sudo modprobe -r 88XXau
sudo depmod -a

Install required packages

sudo apt install -y dkms git build-essential libelf-dev linux-headers-$(uname -r)

Clone and install the driver

git clone https://github.com/morrownr/8814au.git
cd 8814au
sudo ./install-driver.sh

Reboot

sudo reboot

Verify the adapter is active

iwconfig                # Should show wlan1 or similar
lsmod | grep 8814au     # Driver should be loaded

Method 2 — RTL8812AU Drivers (ALFA AWUS036ACS)

Install required packages

sudo apt install build-essential libelf-dev linux-headers-$(uname -r) dkms -y

Clone the driver repository

cd /usr/src/
sudo git clone https://github.com/aircrack-ng/rtl8812au.git

Install with DKMS

sudo dkms add ./rtl8812au
sudo dkms build 8812au/5.6.4.2
sudo dkms install 8812au/5.6.4.2

Reboot

sudo reboot

Verify the adapter

iwconfig
lsusb

Optional — RTL8812AU one-liner setup script

Install everything in one command (RTL8812AU only):

sudo apt install -y dkms build-essential libelf-dev linux-headers-$(uname -r) && git clone https://github.com/aircrack-ng/rtl8812au.git && cd rtl8812au && make && sudo make install && sudo depmod -a && echo "88XXau" | sudo tee -a /etc/modules && echo 'ACTION=="add", SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="0bda", ATTR{idProduct}=="8813", RUN+="/sbin/modprobe 88XXau"' | sudo tee /etc/udev/rules.d/8814au.rules && sudo udevadm control --reload-rules && sudo udevadm trigger

What's next?

Once your Realtek adapter is working you can:

• Enable monitor mode with airmon-ng
• Scan nearby networks with airodump-ng
• Capture wireless packets in Wireshark or Kismet
• Test packet injection for pentesting