● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportLow impact1 neutral
WaveDigger Tool Locates Wireless Signals Using Apple's WLOC API
Key points
- WaveDigger locates Wi-Fi APs by BSSID and cell towers by network parameters.
- Uses Apple's undocumented WLOC API for location data.
- Features an interactive map with deck.gl and search history.
- Supports LTE and 5G NR tower lookups.
Tool Overview
WaveDigger is a new application designed to pinpoint the physical locations of wireless signals. It allows users to search for Wi-Fi access points using their BSSID (MAC address) and cell towers (LTE and 5G NR) by their network parameters, such as MCC, MNC, TAC, and Cell ID or NCI.
Technical Foundation
The tool is built with Next.js, TypeScript, and uses deck.gl for interactive map visualizations. A key component of WaveDigger's functionality is its reliance on Apple's real WLOC API, an undocumented location service. This implementation is based on research and protobuf definitions from the 'apple-corelocation-experiments' project, which reverse-engineered Apple's location services API.
The application communicates with Apple's servers at 'https://gs-loc.apple.com/clls/wloc' using protobuf and handles coordinate conversion from Apple's int64 format.
Key Features
WaveDigger offers BSSID search with automatic input validation and support for various MAC address formats. For cell towers, it supports both LTE and 5G NR lookups, with NR searches returning the target cell and surrounding cells in the same cluster. Results are displayed on an interactive map, and the tool includes a search history feature and responsive design for desktop and mobile use.
Availability and Development
A hosted version of WaveDigger is available at 'https://wavedigger.networksurvey.app'. The project is open-source, requiring Node.js 24+ and npm for local setup. Optional Mapbox token integration is available for enhanced map tiles.
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Primary sources
GitHub cmc_internal/api GitHub github/collect GitHub christianrowlands/wavedigger GitHub _private/browser GitHub get-started/accessibility GitHub open-source/sponsorsReporting from
WaveDigger is a new tool that identifies the physical locations of Wi-Fi access points and cell towers by utilizing Apple's undocumented WLOC API. It provides an interactive map visualization for BSSID and cell tower network parameter searches, offering a way to track wireless infrastructure locations.