[ath9k-devel] Virtual stations with ath9k_htc driver

[ath9k-devel] Virtual stations with ath9k_htc driver

[Kanhu Rauta]

Hi,

The latest Atheros driver for AR9271 chipset, it seems the driver is
hardcoded to limit the virtual interfaces to two!

The previous USB driver for AR9170 chipset (carl9170)  has the capability
to create/use > 128 interfaces

i can see the commits on this regard i.e (
http://marc.info/?l=linux-wireless&m=134971207706144&w=2)

i need to simulate more clients(like 32) on the AR9271 chipset. Is there
any way that i can trick the ath9k code/firmware and get it done. or is
there any limitation from the HW/firmware that the no. of interface reduced
to 2 ?

I have tried to increase the interface limit to 8 in file htc_drv_init but
it does not help. when i make the 4th interface up the command hangs and
non of the interface related commands works(ifconfig,ip,iw etc)

Thanks in advance !!!

>>>>>>>>>>>
[root at localhost logs]#iw list

valid interface combinations:
            * #{ managed, P2P-client } <= 2, #{ AP, mesh point, P2P-GO } <=
2,
               total <= 2, #channels <= 1

[root at localhost logs]# lsusb
Bus 001 Device 007: ID 0cf3:9271 Atheros Communications, Inc. AR9271 802.11n

[root at localhost logs]# lsmod | grep 80211
mac80211              510326  1 ath9k_htc    <<<
cfg80211              400375  3 ath,mac80211,ath9k_htc


[root@localhost logs]# modinfo -F firmware ath9k_htc
htc_9271.fw
>>>>>>>>>>>>>

With Regards,
Kanhu
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[ath9k-devel] Virtual stations with ath9k_htc driver

[Adrian Chadd]

Hi,

The AR9271 doesn't have enough memory to support that many clients. It
keeps some client state in memory in the AR9271. Fixing that requires
quite a bit of firmware and ath9k_htc work.

The AR9271 and AR9285 have a smaller keycache, I think it's only 16 or
32 slots. It's certainly not 128 slots. So you wouldn't be able to do
hardware encryption with that many peers.


-a

On 3 June 2014 03:34, Kanhu Rauta <kanhurauta@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> The latest Atheros driver for AR9271 chipset, it seems the driver is
> hardcoded to limit the virtual interfaces to two!
>
> The previous USB driver for AR9170 chipset (carl9170)  has the capability to
> create/use > 128 interfaces
>
> i can see the commits on this regard i.e
> (http://marc.info/?l=linux-wireless&m=134971207706144&w=2)
>
> i need to simulate more clients(like 32) on the AR9271 chipset. Is there any
> way that i can trick the ath9k code/firmware and get it done. or is there
> any limitation from the HW/firmware that the no. of interface reduced to 2 ?
>
> I have tried to increase the interface limit to 8 in file htc_drv_init but
> it does not help. when i make the 4th interface up the command hangs and non
> of the interface related commands works(ifconfig,ip,iw etc)
>
> Thanks in advance !!!
>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
> [root at localhost logs]#iw list
>
> valid interface combinations:
>             * #{ managed, P2P-client } <= 2, #{ AP, mesh point, P2P-GO } <=
> 2,
>                total <= 2, #channels <= 1
>
> [root at localhost logs]# lsusb
> Bus 001 Device 007: ID 0cf3:9271 Atheros Communications, Inc. AR9271 802.11n
>
> [root at localhost logs]# lsmod | grep 80211
> mac80211              510326  1 ath9k_htc    <<<
> cfg80211              400375  3 ath,mac80211,ath9k_htc
>
>
> [root at localhost logs]# modinfo -F firmware ath9k_htc
> htc_9271.fw
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>
> With Regards,
> Kanhu
>
> _______________________________________________
> ath9k-devel mailing list
> ath9k-devel at lists.ath9k.org
> https://lists.ath9k.org/mailman/listinfo/ath9k-devel
>

[ath9k-devel] Virtual stations with ath9k_htc driver

[Kanhu Rauta]

Thanks Adrian,

I can offload the crypto to software with options nohwcrypto=1. I have very
little hands on with the ath9k driver and looking first time at the
firmware. If is there pointers on which files needs to be modified then
will go and explore that more.

Also need one more suggestion, My requirement is creating virtual
stations(around 32 stations) and associating with an AP, do you know if any
other vendor(realtek,broadcom, etc . . .) has this kind of capability.


Thanks a lot again.....

With Regards,
Kanhu


On Tue, Jun 3, 2014 at 7:50 PM, Adrian Chadd <adrian@freebsd.org> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> The AR9271 doesn't have enough memory to support that many clients. It
> keeps some client state in memory in the AR9271. Fixing that requires
> quite a bit of firmware and ath9k_htc work.
>
> The AR9271 and AR9285 have a smaller keycache, I think it's only 16 or
> 32 slots. It's certainly not 128 slots. So you wouldn't be able to do
> hardware encryption with that many peers.
>
>
> -a
>
> On 3 June 2014 03:34, Kanhu Rauta <kanhurauta@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > The latest Atheros driver for AR9271 chipset, it seems the driver is
> > hardcoded to limit the virtual interfaces to two!
> >
> > The previous USB driver for AR9170 chipset (carl9170)  has the
> capability to
> > create/use > 128 interfaces
> >
> > i can see the commits on this regard i.e
> > (http://marc.info/?l=linux-wireless&m=134971207706144&w=2)
> >
> > i need to simulate more clients(like 32) on the AR9271 chipset. Is there
> any
> > way that i can trick the ath9k code/firmware and get it done. or is there
> > any limitation from the HW/firmware that the no. of interface reduced to
> 2 ?
> >
> > I have tried to increase the interface limit to 8 in file htc_drv_init
> but
> > it does not help. when i make the 4th interface up the command hangs and
> non
> > of the interface related commands works(ifconfig,ip,iw etc)
> >
> > Thanks in advance !!!
> >
> >>>>>>>>>>>>
> > [root at localhost logs]#iw list
> >
> > valid interface combinations:
> >             * #{ managed, P2P-client } <= 2, #{ AP, mesh point, P2P-GO }
> <=
> > 2,
> >                total <= 2, #channels <= 1
> >
> > [root at localhost logs]# lsusb
> > Bus 001 Device 007: ID 0cf3:9271 Atheros Communications, Inc. AR9271
> 802.11n
> >
> > [root at localhost logs]# lsmod | grep 80211
> > mac80211              510326  1 ath9k_htc    <<<
> > cfg80211              400375  3 ath,mac80211,ath9k_htc
> >
> >
> > [root at localhost logs]# modinfo -F firmware ath9k_htc
> > htc_9271.fw
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> >
> > With Regards,
> > Kanhu
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > ath9k-devel mailing list
> > ath9k-devel at lists.ath9k.org
> > https://lists.ath9k.org/mailman/listinfo/ath9k-devel
> >
>
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[ath9k-devel] Virtual stations with ath9k_htc driver

[Ben Greear]

On 06/03/2014 10:09 PM, Kanhu Rauta wrote:
> Thanks Adrian,
>
> I can offload the crypto to software with options nohwcrypto=1. I have very little hands on with the ath9k driver and looking first time at the firmware. If is there pointers on which files needs to be modified then will go and explore that more.
>
> Also need one more suggestion, My requirement is creating virtual stations(around 32 stations) and associating with an AP, do you know if any other vendor(realtek,broadcom, etc . . .) has this kind of capability.

Only Atheros NICs can do this as far as I know.  Can you just use something like the WPEA-127N NIC?

It can do 200+ stations....

Thanks,
Ben


>
>
> Thanks a lot again.....
>
> With Regards,
> Kanhu
>
>
> On Tue, Jun 3, 2014 at 7:50 PM, Adrian Chadd <adrian at freebsd.org <mailto:adrian@freebsd.org>> wrote:
>
>     Hi,
>
>     The AR9271 doesn't have enough memory to support that many clients. It
>     keeps some client state in memory in the AR9271. Fixing that requires
>     quite a bit of firmware and ath9k_htc work.
>
>     The AR9271 and AR9285 have a smaller keycache, I think it's only 16 or
>     32 slots. It's certainly not 128 slots. So you wouldn't be able to do
>     hardware encryption with that many peers.
>
>
>     -a
>
>     On 3 June 2014 03:34, Kanhu Rauta <kanhurauta at gmail.com <mailto:kanhurauta@gmail.com>> wrote:
>      > Hi,
>      >
>      > The latest Atheros driver for AR9271 chipset, it seems the driver is
>      > hardcoded to limit the virtual interfaces to two!
>      >
>      > The previous USB driver for AR9170 chipset (carl9170)  has the capability to
>      > create/use > 128 interfaces
>      >
>      > i can see the commits on this regard i.e
>      > (http://marc.info/?l=linux-wireless&m=134971207706144&w=2)
>      >
>      > i need to simulate more clients(like 32) on the AR9271 chipset. Is there any
>      > way that i can trick the ath9k code/firmware and get it done. or is there
>      > any limitation from the HW/firmware that the no. of interface reduced to 2 ?
>      >
>      > I have tried to increase the interface limit to 8 in file htc_drv_init but
>      > it does not help. when i make the 4th interface up the command hangs and non
>      > of the interface related commands works(ifconfig,ip,iw etc)
>      >
>      > Thanks in advance !!!
>      >
>      >>>>>>>>>>>>
>      > [root at localhost logs]#iw list
>      >
>      > valid interface combinations:
>      >             * #{ managed, P2P-client } <= 2, #{ AP, mesh point, P2P-GO } <=
>      > 2,
>      >                total <= 2, #channels <= 1
>      >
>      > [root at localhost logs]# lsusb
>      > Bus 001 Device 007: ID 0cf3:9271 Atheros Communications, Inc. AR9271 802.11n
>      >
>      > [root at localhost logs]# lsmod | grep 80211
>      > mac80211              510326  1 ath9k_htc    <<<
>      > cfg80211              400375  3 ath,mac80211,ath9k_htc
>      >
>      >
>      > [root at localhost logs]# modinfo -F firmware ath9k_htc
>      > htc_9271.fw
>      >>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>      >
>      > With Regards,
>      > Kanhu
>      >
>      > _______________________________________________
>      > ath9k-devel mailing list
>      > ath9k-devel at lists.ath9k.org <mailto:ath9k-devel@lists.ath9k.org>
>      > https://lists.ath9k.org/mailman/listinfo/ath9k-devel
>      >
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> ath9k-devel mailing list
> ath9k-devel at lists.ath9k.org
> https://lists.ath9k.org/mailman/listinfo/ath9k-devel
>

-- 
Ben Greear <greearb@candelatech.com>
Candela Technologies Inc  http://www.candelatech.com