Re: Updated WE-18 (WPA) proposal

On Tue, Aug 31, 2004 at 06:48:48PM +0300, Vladimir Kondratiev wrote:

On Tuesday 31 August 2004 18:33, Pedro Ramalhais wrote:
PR> > > Intel Centrino driver is re-using chunks of HostAP, and I'm looking
 at PR> > > doing so for the RealTek 8180 driver I am about to publish.
PR> >
PR> > Can someone elaborate on what "chunks" the centrino driver is using
PR> > from hostap?
PR> >
PR> > Jeff what aspects are you looking to re-use from hostap?
PR> >
PR> > I guess we at prism54 should also see what we can re-use too then.
PR> > Our next driver (a softmac driver) will have a lot more code since the
PR> > MAC will need to be implemented on the driver side -- I'm not yet sure
PR> > of the exact details as I haven't grep'd through the available code yet
PR> > I'm wondering though -- are there any other softmac drivers out there,
PR> > or to come soon?
PR> >
PR> >  Luis
PR>
PR> The ipw2100 driver and ipw2200 driver both use these parts of hostap
PR> code:
PR> RX code (i think now it's in file hostap_80211_rx.c)
PR> little parts of the TX code (hostap_80211_tx.c)
PR> the hostap_crypt* code for WEP.
PR> Some IEEE802.11 related parts of header files.
PR> The ipw2100 is beggining to use hostap_crypt_tkip and hostap_crypt_ccmp
PR> for WPA and WPA2.
PR>
PR> I think that's it. Better ask James Ketrenos, he is one of the
PR> developers at intel.

Luis,
please correct me if I'm wrong. It seems to me that softmac drivers will need 
significant changes relative to the model that HostAP employ.

I am not sure as:

1. I haven't yet gone through hostap code besides wpa_supplicant
2. I haven't yet gone through the available softmac code:

http://www.dse.co.nz/isroot/dse/support/XH8196-linux.zip

Only once I have done both will I be able to tell. My guess yes
as I do not think hostap is softmac based.

Also, many 
changes dictated by QoS (TGe), if one want to really implement it. Will your 
product support TGe?

Again, 2.

May be, we need to do design for generic "softmac" that will be then used with 
different PHY's. 

That's where I was going with my previous e-mail.

Question is, whether we can formally describe boundary 
between softmac and PHY.

We need as much public information available on softmac and review, or
have someone experienced enough in this field to talk up.

I am interesting in joining this "softmac" development, as I will do some 
other .11 card which is "softmac". Can't reveal details yet, but we may 
discuss softmac issues without disclosing private info (I don't want to lose 
my job).

Well at least this confirms another card will be softmac based, and
hence the possible need for code sharing.

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