How to find/ figure out your node's BSSID

5 posts / 0 new

Wed, 08/10/2016 - 19:56

wa2ise

Of course if you have two nodes on the same band, you can do a wifi scan with the 2nd node to find out your first node's BSSID. I have a Bullet M2 with a BSSID of C6:F4:28:3D:E6:8D On my Bullet's status page it says under the wifi address fe80::6a72:51ff:fe06:af5d Link. The bullet's MAC address is 68:72:51:07:AF:5D
I can see some of the MAC address in the number below the wifi address, but is there any relationship between the BSSID and the MAC address? Or is the BSSID randomly made up? And how do I find it out if I don't have a 2nd node on the same band? SSH and vi some file in the mode?

Wed, 08/10/2016 - 22:02

AE6XE

The BSSID is derived

The BSSID is derived differently. A node's BSSID will show up as "My ad-hoc Network" when there are other received signals showing. If you're not receiving other signals, then wifi scan does not show your own BSSID going out with your beacons.   I think wifi scan should be showing this so that everyone can know what the self node's BSSID is in case other's receive your signal, but you do not yet receive theirs -- and can then match up to confirm what network someone else is seeing.

Until then, there is a command line:

root@AE6XE-RM5GPS:~# iw wlan0 scan
BSS 96:d7:80:93:c7:01(on wlan0) -- joined
   TSF: 0 usec (0d, 00:00:00)
   freq: 5745
   beacon interval: 500 TUs
   capability: IBSS (0x0002)
   signal: 0.00 dBm
   last seen: 270463300 ms ago
   SSID: AREDN-10-v3
...

Joe AE6XE

Thu, 08/11/2016 - 11:32

k1ky

Another method fo Identify BSSID

Thanks for the tip Joe. The other method I use is to connect to a different node that is in range (and connected to the node of interest) - run a Wi-Fi scan and look for the BSSID od the unit that you are interested in.

Thu, 08/11/2016 - 12:52

(Reply to #3) #4

AE6XE

For the general reader that

For the general reader that may not be familiar, the BSSID of an 802.11 adhoc network that shows up in wifi scan (as "foreign adhoc network"), is an identification that represents this group of devices that have all connected together--it represents their 802.11 adhoc "network" that we are seeing. The BSSID does not identify a specific member or device on that network. We only know with assurity that one or more of the signals is being received from devices on that network. Although, in many cases we would have a good idea of which specific device we are seeing.

Thu, 08/11/2016 - 14:09

wa2ise

That works, iw wlan0 scan

That works, iw wlan0 scan
I noticed that the BSSID changed since yesterday. Seems it changes when you reboot.

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How to find/ figure out your node's BSSID