Re: RTL8187 in master mode with hostapd

[Larry Finger <Larry.Finger@lwfinger.net>]

On 07/27/2012 10:11 AM, Marco wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I own an Alfa AWUS036H network adapter using the rtl8187 driver on a
> Debian box running kernel 3.5.0. I want to use it with hostapd, which
> apparently requires master mode to be enabled in the driver.
>
> The page http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/rtl8187 states:
>
>    not working yet: AP/Master mode
>
> What means *yet*? Is it planned to add master mode support in the
> near future? Do you have other suggestions what I could do to get
> the driver to work together with hostap?
>
> Disclaimer: I am not an expert in those things. I set up the access
> point some years ago, then the network adapter started to function
> unreliably. I then replaced it with a different one (the
> abovementioned 036H) and didn't manage to get my setup running
> again.

In the case of the RTL8187L, which is the chip in your Alfa device, it means 
*never*. That chip only has a single hardware transmit queue and the work of 
getting the high-priority traffic, such as beacons, transmitted at the correct 
time would be much more than it would be worth.

Sorry,

Larry