FoxdotWifiSoundscapes.py

# Run this script in Atom with the FoxDot Extension. 
# Make sure "filepath" points to your TCPDump data.

# Set resample to True if you want to continuously resample the wifi packet data, 
# if so, you will need to continuously run the TCPDump script which contains the following line:
# sudo tcpdump -y 'IEEE802_11_RADIO' -i en0 -c 3000 -I -ttttt > "filepath"

# set up this script to be run without sudo using visudo. 

# at the end of this file, you will have all signals stored in the dictionary signalDictAligned, 
# pipe these arrays into foxdot players and jam!

import os
import re
import time as timeLib
filepath = '/Users/xxx/packetDump.txt'
tcpDumpCommand = "sudo /Users/xxx/tcpDump.sh"
resample = False

# -----------------------------------
looping = True
while looping:
	signalDict = {}
	if resample:
		p = os.system(tcpDumpCommand)
	with open(filepath) as fp:
		line = fp.readline()
		cnt = 1
		while line:
			line = fp.readline()
			os.write(2, str.encode(line))
			signal = re.search('(\S*)dBm signal', line)
			time = re.search('00:00:(\S*)', line)
			if signal == None or time == None:
				continue
			lastTime = float(time.group(1))
			key = re.search('Beacon (\S*)', line)
			if key == None:
				key = re.search('(\S*) \(oui Unknown', line)
				if key == None:
					continue
			address = key.group(1)
			if address in signalDict:
				signalDict[address].append((signal.group(1), lastTime))
			else:
				signalDict[address] = [(signal.group(1), lastTime)]
			cnt += 1
		fp.close()
		maxLength = 80
		signalDictSorted = []
		for address in signalDict:
			signalDictSorted.append(signalDict[address])
		signalDictSorted.sort(key=len, reverse=True)
		signalDictAligned = []
		for i, signalList in enumerate(signalDictSorted):
			if i > 9:
				continue
			signalAligned = [None] * (maxLength+1)
			for signal in signalList:
				time = signal[1]
				idx = int(maxLength * (time/lastTime))
				if idx > maxLength:
					continue
				signalAligned[idx] = int(0.4*pow(float(signal[0]),2)/100 + 20)
			signalDictAligned.append(signalAligned)
		count = 0
		execute("Clock.clear()")
		count = 0
	looping = resample

 # --------------------------------------

count = 0
for signals in signalDictAligned:
	playerval = "d" + str(count)
	count = count + 1
	execute(playerval + ">> pads(signals, dur=0.25)")

tcpDump.sh

sudo tcpdump -y 'IEEE802_11_RADIO' -i en0 -c 3000 -I -ttttt > /Users/xxx/packetDump.txt

FoxDot Wifi Soundscapes

Reveal the intangible dimension of wifi by using TCPDump to capture packets in monitor mode and sonifying their signal strengths with python / FoxDot

Script Tips

[+] Run this script in Atom with the FoxDot Extension.

[+] Make sure filepath points to your TCPDump data.

[+] Set resample to True if you want to continuously resample the wifi packet data,
if so, you will need a bash script which contains the following line:
sudo tcpdump -y 'IEEE802_11_RADIO' -i en0 -c 3000 -I -ttttt > filepath

set up this script to be run without sudo using visudo.

[+] at the end of this file, you will have all signals stored in the dictionary signalDictAligned,
pipe these arrays into foxdot players and jam!