User manual

WhirlWind Overview

The purpose of WhirlWind is to be a rapidly deployable wireless network

monitoring/collection product that is small, simple, inexpensive, disposable,

and all the time remaining invisible to the wireless networking environment.

WhirlWind catalogues activity on a wireless environment to glean insight into

the types and volumes of activity. The product runs entirely within the RAM

(Random Access Memory) of the host and has no interaction with the system or

data “loaded” onto the storage media of the system unless the user directs it

to do so. Upon a re-boot (with the CD removed), the host system reverts back

to the state it was in prior to using the WhirlWind CD.

System Requirements

Intel x86 or equivalent system.

Adequate Memory – 256MB is recommended, if not using system memory for

storage of data. If system memory is being used to store data, (which will

be lost upon shutdown of the system) then 512MB of memory is

recommended.

For WiFi use: PCMCIA slot, USB port, or built-in miniPCI slot.

Compatible WiFi device. A list of compatible devices is provided (See

Appendix A, Table 1 – Tested WiFi Cards), but is not all inclusive.

For Storage: System memory, USB device, Firewire device, internal hard

drive (resulting in host modification), PCMCIA storage device, etc.

For GPS (for collecting GPS coordinates): USB GPS device or USB-to-serial

converter for serial GPS device. See Appendix C, Table 3 – Tested GPS

Devices.

System capable of booting from CD-ROM drive.

WhirlWind Features

Currently, there are four versions of WhirlWind (Bronze, Silver, Gold, and

Platinum). The Bronze version is a build with a session limit of one (1) hour.

Otherwise, Silver will be the initial production version. The following

highlights the features of WhirlWind. Additional features are in testing as this

document goes to print.