Scanning networks

Passively find and review nearby Wi-Fi access points.

What this does

This passive scan lists nearby Wi-Fi access points without connecting to them or transmitting network traffic.

Before you start

  • GhostESP flashed device, powered on with a wireless antenna.
  • Use the on-device UI or serial CLI. On a single-board setup, the WebUI cannot remain connected while the Wi-Fi radio scans.

On-device steps

  1. Open Menu → WiFi → Scanning.
  2. Choose Scan Access Points.
  3. Wait for the scan to finish.
  4. Select List Access Points.
  5. Review each network’s name, channel, signal strength, and manufacturer.

Use Scan APs Live to see access points as they appear, or Channel Congestion to review activity by channel.

CLI steps

  1. Open the GhostESP terminal (serial connection or on-device terminal).
  2. Run scanap to start a scan.
  3. Run list -a to see the cached list of networks.

Run scanap -live to watch networks appear as they are discovered.

Expected result

GhostESP displays nearby access points and their available details. No network connection is created.

Troubleshooting

  • No networks found: Move closer to wireless routers and try scanning again.
  • “You Need to Scan APs First” message: Run a scan before trying to select a network.
  • Live scan stops right away: Stop any active Wi-Fi attacks or portals from the menu and try again.