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Linux Firmware For Some 802.11b Access Points

Posted by timothy on from the now-that-is-a-busybox dept.

drwho writes "This just unveiled at the BAWUG meeting tonight: Linux firmware for Access Points. Check this URL for more info. I haven't tried it yet but it looks great!" The upshot is that certain Access Points can be flashed with a stripped-down Linux system, which makes them more flexible than they'd be under the included firmware. There are even some screenshots of a modded access point booting up.

4 of 151 comments (clear)

  1. Mirror of Screenshots by NewbieSpaz · · Score: 4, Informative

    Here: http://kevindustries.com/screens.html

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    Random, useless fact: I type in startx entirely with my left hand.
  2. Hardware by Cybersonic · · Score: 4, Informative

    in case your curious, this works on access points using the Eumitcom WL11000SA-N boards...
    ( ref: http://opensource.instant802.com/hardware.php )
    Tested: US Robotics 2450, SMC EZconnect 2652W

    Time to buy an SMC for me :)

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    Cybie! aka Ralph Bonnell
  3. Re:How are they doing bridging? by irregular_hero · · Score: 4, Informative

    The "bridging code" is standard Linux bridging. I think what you're referring to is the "Host AP" or "Infrastructure" mode of the wireless card inside the AP.

    If the card is based on the Prism chipset, there's already a Linux driver that will operate the card in Host AP mode by implementing some of the functions normally present in the access point's Infrastructure mode in user space. Other things are handled by the card.

    For example, the card itself will handle time-dependent functions like beacon-sending. And it will handle hardware-dependent functions like WEP encrypt-decrypt (optionally). But the association table and all the rest of the functions are part of user space.

    Incidentally, you don't need the Host AP driver for your Wireless card to operate a bridged network. Oddly enough, the bridge code in the Linux kernel functions just fine with a wireless card in Peer-to-Peer mode -- it is, after all, just another interface to the kernel itself. What you won't get in peer to peer is sophisticated association handling -- that means that the signal strength meter in your wireless tools won't work exactly right in most commercial packages.

  4. You can build an AP on a PC: by burntfungus · · Score: 4, Informative

    You can build a Linux Access point on a PC or laptop, pehaps even a PDA:

    http://people.ssh.com/jkm/Prism2/

    Bridging software: http://bridge.sourceforge.net

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    http://wireless.pasadena.net