Python Wi-Fi Positioning System, use Google Maps Geolocation API, tested on GNU/Linux (require iw) and Mac OS X (require airport), special thanks go to contributors!

wifi_positioning_system.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
# -*- coding:utf-8 -*-
# Julien Deudon (initbrain) - 20/03/2012
# modified to run on OS X by James Armitage - 25/06/2012
# modified to process in python by Dan Gleebits - 26/06/2012
# modified to parse the xml output of airport by Vincent Ohprecio - 01/10/2012
# modified to work with the new Google geolocation API by Giovanni Angoli (juzam) - 03/01/2017
# merging all modifications by Julien Deudon (initbrain) - 06/01/2017

from commands import getoutput, getstatusoutput
import sys, os, re, simplejson, urllib2


# A Google Maps Geolocation API key is required, get it yours here:
# https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/geolocation/intro
API_KEY = 'YOUR_KEY'

# TODO check if there is another API from Open Street Map ?


def get_signal_strengths(wifi_scan_method, use_sudo):
    # GNU/Linux
    if wifi_scan_method is 'iw':
        iw_command = '%siw dev %s scan' % ('sudo ' if use_sudo else '', sys.argv[1])
        iw_scan_status, iw_scan_result = getstatusoutput(iw_command)

        if iw_scan_status != 0:
            print "[!] Unable to scan for Wi-Fi networks !"
            print "Used command: '%s'" % iw_command
            print "Result:\n" + '\n'.join(iw_scan_result.split('\n')[:10]) + '\n[...]'
            exit(1)
        else:
            parsing_result = re.compile("BSS ([\w\d\:]+).*\n.*\n.*\n.*\n.*\n\tsignal: ([-\d]+)", re.MULTILINE).findall(iw_scan_result)

            wifi_data = [(bss[0].replace(':', '-'), int(bss[1])) for bss in parsing_result]

    # Mac OS X
    elif wifi_scan_method is 'airport':
        address_match = '([a-fA-F0-9]{1,2}[:|\-]?){6}'  # TODO useless ?
        airport_xml_cmd = '/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/Current/Resources/airport --scan -x'
        airport_scan_status, airport_scan_xml = getstatusoutput(airport_xml_cmd)

        if airport_scan_status != 0:
            print "[!] Unable to scan for Wi-Fi networks !"
            print "Used command: '%s'" % airport_xml_cmd
            print "Result:\n" + '\n'.join(airport_scan_xml.split('\n')[:10]) + '\n[...]'
            exit(1)
        else:
            root = ET.fromstring(airport_scan_xml)
            networks = root.getchildren()[0]

            wifi_data = [(network.find("string").text, abs(int(network.findall("integer")[7].text))) for network in networks]

    return wifi_data


def check_prerequisites():
    if len(sys.argv) < 2:
        print '\nUsage:\n\tpython '+sys.argv[0]+' <wifi interface>\n'
        exit(1)

    # Do something/nothing here for different kind of systems
    if sys.platform in ('linux', 'linux2', 'darwin'):

        wifi_scan_method = None
        use_sudo = False

        # Do something specific to GNU/Linux
        if sys.platform in ('linux', 'linux2'):

            if os.geteuid() != 0:
                which_sudo_status, which_sudo_result = getstatusoutput('which sudo')
                if which_sudo_status != 0:
                    print "\nError: this script need to be run as root !\n"
                    exit(1)
                else:
                    etc_sudoers_status, etc_sudoers_result = getstatusoutput('sudo cat /etc/sudoers')
                    if etc_sudoers_status != 0:
                        print "\nError: this script need to be run as root !\n"
                        exit(1)
                    else:
                        use_sudo = True

            which_iw_status, which_iw_result = getstatusoutput('which iw')
            if which_iw_status != 0:
                print "Missing dependency: 'iw' is needed\n" + \
                      "    iw - tool for configuring Linux wireless devices"
                if 'ubuntu' in getoutput('uname -a').lower():
                    print "    > sudo apt-get install iw"
                # TODO for other distro, see with /etc/*release files ?
                elif 'gentoo' in getoutput('cat /etc/*release').lower():
                    print "    > su -c 'emerge -av net-wireless/iw'"
                exit(1)
            else:
                wifi_scan_method = 'iw'

        # Do something specific to Mac OS X
        elif sys.platform == 'darwin':
            aiport_path = '/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/Current/Resources/airport'
            if not os.path.exists(aiport_path):
                print "Missing dependency:\n" + \
                      "    airport - tool for configuring Apple wireless devices from Terminal.app"
                exit(1)
            else:
                wifi_scan_method = 'airport'
    else:
        # All other systems - or exception for non-supported system
        # Like 'win32'...
        # TODO is 'cygwin' could be found on Mac OS X operation systems ? 
        print "Error: unsupported operating system..." + \
              "\nMicrosoft Windows operating systems are not currently supported, missing Wi-Fi cli tool / library." + \
              "\nIf you use a Mac OS X operating system, the detected plateform could have been 'cygwin'," + \
              "\nplease let us know so we can publish a correction with your help !"
        exit(1)

    return wifi_scan_method, use_sudo


if __name__ == "__main__":
    # TODO argparse

    # Checking permissions, operating system and software dependencies
    wifi_scan_method, use_sudo = check_prerequisites()

    # TODO parameter for displaying messages or not
    print "[+] Scanning nearby Wi-Fi networks..."
    wifi_data = get_signal_strengths(wifi_scan_method, use_sudo)
    
    print "[+] Generating the HTML request"
    location_request = {
        'considerIp': False,
        'wifiAccessPoints':[{
            'macAddress': mac,
            'signalStrength': signal
        } for mac, signal in wifi_data]
    }
    print '\n'.join([l.rstrip() for l in simplejson.dumps(location_request, sort_keys=True, indent=4*' ').splitlines()])

    # Check for missing API_KEY
    if not API_KEY or API_KEY is 'YOUR_KEY':
        print "\nError: a Google Maps Geolocation API key is required, get it yours here:\n" + \
              "https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/geolocation/intro\n"
        exit(1)
    else:
        json_data = simplejson.JSONEncoder().encode(location_request)
        http_request = urllib2.Request('https://www.googleapis.com/geolocation/v1/geolocate?key=' + API_KEY)
        http_request.add_header('Content-Type', 'application/json')

        print "[+] Sending the request to Google"

        # TODO internet connection error handling ?
        api_result = simplejson.loads(urllib2.urlopen(http_request, json_data).read())

        # TODO check if the amount of detected Wi-Fi access points is good enough to call the API
        print "[+] Result"
        print '\n'.join([l.rstrip() for l in simplejson.dumps(api_result, sort_keys=True, indent=4*' ').splitlines()])

        print "[+] Google Maps link"
        print 'https://www.google.com/maps?q=%f,%f' % (api_result['location']['lat'], api_result['location']['lng'])

        # TODO optional parameter
        print "[+] Accuracy overview"

        # TODO parameter for google.maps.MapTypeId
        # ROADMAP   displays the default road map view. This is the default map type.
        # SATELLITE displays Google Earth satellite images
        # HYBRID    displays a mixture of normal and satellite views
        # TERRAIN   displays a physical map based on terrain information.
        map_type = 'HYBRID'  # HYBRID, ROADMAP, SATELLITE, TERRAIN

        html="""<!DOCTYPE html>
        <html>
            <head>
                <meta name="viewport" content="initial-scale=1.0, user-scalable=no" />
                <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"/>

                <style type="text/css">
                    html, body {
                        height: 100%;
                        margin: 0;
                        padding: 0;
                    }

                    #map_canvas {
                        height: 100%;
                    }

                    @media print {
                        html, body {
                            height: auto;
                        }

                        #map_canvas {
                            height: 650px;
                        }
                    }
                </style>

                <title>Geolocation</title>
                <script type="text/javascript" src="http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?sensor=false"></script>
                <script type="text/javascript">
                    function initialize() {
                        var mapOptions = {
                            zoom: 18,
                            center: new
                            google.maps.LatLng("""+str(api_result['location']['lat'])+", "+str(api_result['location']['lng'])+"""),
                            mapTypeId: google.maps.MapTypeId."""+map_type+"""

                        };

                        var map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById("map_canvas"), mapOptions);

                        // Construct the accuracy circle.
                        var accuracyOptions = {
                            strokeColor: "#000000",
                            strokeOpacity: 0.8,
                            strokeWeight: 2,
                            fillColor: "#000000",
                            fillOpacity: 0.35,
                            map: map,
                            center: mapOptions.center,
                            radius: """+str(api_result["accuracy"])+"""
                        };
                        var accuracyCircle = new google.maps.Circle(accuracyOptions);

                        var contentString = '<div>'+
                            '<p><b>Wi-Fi geolocation</b><br>'+
                            'Latitude : """+str(api_result['location']['lat'])+"""<br>'+
                            'Longitude : """+str(api_result['location']['lng'])+"""<br>'+
                            'Accuracy : """+str(api_result['accuracy'])+"""</p>'+
                            '</div>';

                        var infoWindow = new google.maps.InfoWindow({
                            content: contentString
                        });

                        var marker = new google.maps.Marker({
                            position: mapOptions.center,
                            map: map
                        });

                        google.maps.event.addListener(accuracyCircle, 'click', function() {
                            infoWindow.open(map,marker);
                        });

                        google.maps.event.addListener(marker, 'click', function() {
                            infoWindow.open(map,marker);
                        });
                    }
                </script>
            </head>
            <body onload="initialize()">
                <div id="map_canvas"></div>
            </body>
        </html>"""

        # TODO parameters for output file path / name modification
        overview_filename = 'Wifi_geolocation.html'
        with open(overview_filename, 'wb') as overview_file:
            overview_file.write(html)

        pathname = os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0])
        fullpath = os.path.abspath(pathname)
        if not fullpath.endswith('/'):
            fullpath += '/'
        print fullpath + overview_filename

add this:

import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET

consider non-google geolocator, e.g. https://mozilla.github.io/ichnaea/api/geolocate.html

https://mozilla.github.io/ichnaea/api/geolocate.html

Your link text points to mozilla, but the actual link points back to this gist

Hi, the code works amazing! However does anybody know how to automatically update the marker position when new lat/long is pass in without needing to refresh the whole page? p.s. I am new to javascript. Thank you!