UJI Probes Revisited: Deeper Dive Into the Dataset of Wi-Fi Probe Requests

Abstract

This article centers on the deeper presentation of a new and publicly accessible dataset comprising Wi-Fi probe requests. Probe requests fall within the category of management frames utilized by the 802.11 (Wi-Fi) protocol. Given the ever-evolving technological landscape and the imperative need for up-to-date data, research on probe requests remains essential. In this context, we present a comprehensive dataset encompassing a one-month probe request capture conducted in a university office environment. This dataset accounts for a diverse range of scenarios, including workdays, weekends, and holidays, accumulating over 1 400 000 probe requests. Our contribution encompasses a detailed exposition of the dataset, delving into its critical facets. In addition to the raw packet capture, we furnish a detailed floor plan of the office environment, commonly referred to as a radio map, to equip dataset users with comprehensive environmental information. To safeguard user privacy, all individual user information within the dataset has been anonymized. This anonymization process rigorously balances the preservation of users' privacy with the dataset's analytical utility, rendering it nearly as informative as raw data for research purposes. Furthermore, we demonstrate a range of potential applications for this dataset, including but not limited to presence detection, expanded assessment of temporal received signal strength indicator stability, and evaluation of privacy protection measures. Apart from these, we also include temporal analysis of probe request transmission frequency and period between Wi-Fi scans as well as a peak into possibilities with pattern analysis.