User Scenarios:
NetStumbler is designed to be useful to a number of different categories of users. A few of these categories are described below, along with some settings that might be useful.

Important Safety Note:
Exposure to radio frequency radiation can be harmful. Read the manual that comes with your wireless equipment to see how far away you need to be from it in order to be safe. Use of an external antenna puts you at higher risk.

Wireless LAN Auditing:
A corporate network administrator needs assurance that the wired LAN is not being exposed to unauthorized users. This can often happen when users set up their own wireless LANs for convenience. Such wireless LANs often have little or no security, which poses a risk to the entire LAN. The network administrator can use NetStumbler to detect the presence of these "rogue" wireless LANs.

1. Switch on Auto Reconfigure, to ensure that as many wireless LANs as possible are found.
2. If your LAN uses DHCP, make sure that DHCP is enabled on your wireless LAN card. You will then be able to tell if networks that you find are connected to your network

.
Wireless LAN Coverage Verification:
The owner of a wireless LAN can use NetStumbler to verify that an area is well covered by a good quality signal. NetStumbler can also be used to see how far the coverage area extends beyond its intended boundary.

1. Configure the wireless LAN card with the SSID and other settings of the LAN being verified.
2. Switch off Auto Reconfigure, so that only the desired SSID will be seen.

Site Survey:
When installing or troubleshooting a wireless LAN, it is important to pick locations and channels in such a way that interference is minimized. A site survey typically includes finding out what existing items (microwave ovens, cordless phones, radio hams) are using the radio frequencies as the wireless LAN. A survey should done before installation of a new wireless LAN, and then subsequent surveys should be performed after installation. A full site survey requires special hardware such as an RF spectrum analyzer, but NetStumbler can also be used as part of a site survey.

1. Switch on Auto Reconfigure, to ensure that as many wireless LANs as possible are found.
2. Use a wireless card that reports noise levels. High noise levels are one of the indicators of interference.
3. A post-installation survey should include coverage verification, which may be performed with Auto Reconfigure turned off.
4. To avoid using networks that you observe and that you do not own, go to the Network Control Panel and unbind TCP/IP from your wireless LAN card.
    

Wardriving:
Wardriving is the sport of detecting and/or locating wireless LANs. NetStumbler is a very popular tool for wardriving, because of its ease of use and GPS integration.

1. Switch on Auto Reconfigure, to ensure that as many wireless LANs as possible are found.
2. To avoid using the networks that you observe, go to the Network Control Panel and unbind TCP/IP from your wireless LAN card.
3. Use of a GPS receiver is highly recommended.

Antenna positioning:
When setting up an antenna, NetStumbler can be used to assist with optimal antenna position and aim.

1. Connect the remote antenna to a wireless access point (or a wireless LAN card in IBSS mode)
2. Configure the wireless LAN card with the SSID and other settings of the remote system.
3. Switch off Auto Reconfigure, so that only the desired SSID will be seen.