With the increasing use of cell phones, the rate of mobile phone thefts is also growing with every passing day. In case of cell phone thefts, there are ways to block the outgoing and incoming calls by informing the service provider about the theft, but then there is no sure-shot way to detect the lost phones.

A new technology called Sniffer for detecting lost mobiles may prove to be effective in this regard. So, let’s get to know more about this technology in detail, and see how it can help the cause.

Introduction
Sniffer plays a significant role in detecting the lost mobiles. It is necessary to design it in small size for ease of portability. The IMEI number, which is embedded in all cell phones, is a unique number that identifies a mobile handset, and it can be used to block calls made by an unauthorized person when the mobile is stolen. The same IMEI number can be used effectively for detecting the whereabouts of lost phones also.

Sniffer Design
A sniffer is also known as a mobile base station that has the following components:
• Sniffer base station: It is a small base station, which also includes a transceiver section. It functions at a frequency that is quite different from the current cell’s frequency where the detection operation is being executed. A proper design of base station is very much essential in the Sniffer’s design.
• Unidirectional Antenna: We agree that a transceiver has an important role in detecting lost mobiles, but then the directional antenna also has a major role in the transmitter’s design. This antenna is the key that assists in detecting the lost phones.
• Tracking Software: The tracking software is the base for the directional antenna to track the device. It helps in the process of creating a database by using RAM. The RAM in the sniffer stores the lost phone’s IMEI number, which acts as the directory or database of the lost number.

The software is designed such that this IMEI number behaves as the input from the RAM. After receiving the input of the IMEI number, it checks for any signaling info from the lost device in response to the signal transmitted by the sniffer.

Potential Drawbacks
Due to the complexity and cost issues involved in the process, such a device may prove beneficial when used for only large scale detection. The concept of sniffer for detecting lost mobiles paves a way to the recovery of lost cell phones. But still, this has not been practically implemented quite yet, so once the pricing and complexity of implementation can be brought down to reasonable levels, one can expect to see lot of practical implementations over the next few years.