AtomGPS Wigler

Table of Contents

• Flashing to AtomGPS
  • Method One: Esptool.py
  • Method Two: Arduino IDE
• SD Configuration
  • Variables
  • Example config.txt file
• Get out Wardriving!
  • LED Indicators
• Feedback & Community

Overview

AtomGPS Wigler is a wardriving tool originally created by @lozaning. For use with the M5Stack Atom GPS kit, this tool is specifically designed for Wi-Fi network geolocation. LED status indicators are outlined below. Wigle compatible CSV files are written to SD.

Prerequisites

• M5 AtomGPS
• SD card (Formatted FAT32)
• Arduino IDE or Esptool.py

Flashing to AtomGPS

• Download this forked codebase:

  git clone https://github.com/lukeswitz/AtomGPS_wigler.git
  cd AtomGPS_wigler/build

Method One: Esptool.py

1. Locate the device:

• Linux

   ls /dev/ttyUSB*

  • macOS:

  ls /dev/cu.*

  • Windows, check COM port in Device Manager.

2. Flash the firmware, partition and bootloader:

[!WARNING] Ensure you have the latest version of esptool.py installed from the link above, or a known warning about header fields will display when flashing.

• Navigate to the build folder (if not already there).
• Flash using the following command inside the build folder or by specifying file paths:

esptool.py -p [YOUR_PORT] -b 1500000 --before default_reset --after hard_reset --chip esp32 write_flash --flash_mode dio --flash_size detect --flash_freq 80m 0x1000 AtomGPS_wigler_v1_6.bootloader.bin 0x8000 AtomGPS_wigler_v1_6.partitions.bin 0x10000 AtomGPS_wigler_v1_6.bin

Method Two: Arduino IDE

1. Open the .ino file in Arduino IDE (or copy and paste it into a new sketch).

2. Add & Install ESP32 Boards:

• Open Arduino IDE.
• Go to File > Preferences.
• Add https://dl.espressif.com/dl/package_esp32_index.json to "Additional Boards Manager URLs."
• Click OK.
• Navigate to Tools > Board > Boards Manager.

• Search for "esp32" and search for "esp32 by Espressif Systems" and click Install

  

3. Add the Required Libraries:

M5Atom
SD
SPI
TinyGPSPlus
WiFi

For example:

• Library Manager > search M5Atom. Click Install.

  

4. Set Board: Tools > Board > esp32 > M5Atom

5. The default settings are as below:

6. Click Upload

SD Configuration

FIRST: Create a plaintext file named config.txt on the SD card.

The config.txt file on the SD card can contain the following variables, each defined on a new line

Variables

1. speedBased

   • Type: Boolean
   • Default: false
   • Description: Determines if the scanning delay is based on the speed of the device.
   • Values: true or false
   • Example: speedBased=true

2. scanDelay

   • Type: Integer
   • Default: 150
   • Description: The delay in milliseconds between scans when speedBased is false.
   • Values: Any positive integer
   • Example: scanDelay=1000

3. adaptiveScan

   • Type: Boolean
   • Default: true
   • Description: Enables adaptive scanning, adjusting the scan time based on the number of networks found.
   • Values: true or false
   • Example: adaptiveScan=false

4. channels

   • Type: Array of up to 14 Integers, with reuse possible.
   • Default: channels=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11
   • Description: A comma-separated list of WiFi channels to scan.
   • Values: Any valid WiFi channel numbers (1-11 for most regions)
   • Example: channels=1,6,11,12,13,14

Example config.txt

speedBased=false
scanDelay=250
adaptiveScan=true
channels=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11

[!NOTE]

• When speedBased is true it will override scanDelay.
• Ensure there are no spaces.
• Only valid channels for your region should be included in the channels array to ensure compliance with local regulations.
• Adjust the scanDelay value to balance between scan frequency and power consumption when speedBased is set to false.

Get out Wardriving!

After flashing, the device scans for Wi-Fi networks, using LEDs to display status. Configure with the SD config.txt file or use the defaults as described.

WWDC 32 Quad Feature

• By leaving the values as they are, no quad will be defined and work as normal.
• Change them to your coordinates, the scan will continue even if you do happen to exit the perimeter.

LED Indicators

• RED blink if the SD card is missing/write error.

• PURPLE blink while waiting for a GPS fix.

• GREEN blink during normal scanning

• ORANGE blink when outside set quad perimeter

• Press and hold the button during scanning to toggle the status LED on/off.

  Bonus: Contribute to the wigle.net database. Or join the community and compete to find the most Wi-Fi networks.

Feedback & Community

Detailed review and instructions for beginners | Thanks to kampf for the writeup:

• January 11, 2024: "Wigle Me This" by zZq.org

[!CAUTION] Wardriving may not be legal in all locations. Please check local laws and obtain proper consent where necessary.