Just updated the wireless-2.6 queue to include a HostAP update, and to 
add Wireless Extensions 18 (WPA).  See attached for BK info, patch info, 
and changelog.

I also wanted to comment on the general status and direction of wireless.


So far, the following decisions have been made:

1) Use HostAP as the basis for a wireless stack that can drive "softMAC" 
wireless hardware.

2) We want wireless to be better integrated into the network stack, 
rather than "faking" 802.3 ethernet.

3) The in-kernel Wireless Extensions API will see some changes, to be 
more type-safe (and more like other Linux APIs).  Userland ABI 
compatibility is desired, but don't care about kernel API compatibility.


Along these lines, the following work has been done:
* HostAP has been integrated into wireless-2.6, and Jouni has been 
updating it.
* Intel submitted the HostAP-derived ieee80211 lib code.
* DaveM posted some template code[1] that hackers can use as a starting 
point for true wireless protocol/management code.
* A few people have submitted some wireless cleanup patches associated 
with this.



Moving forward, the next "todo" for kernel wireless hackers is to get 
ieee80211 common code lib into shape, namely:
* Merge Intel ipw drivers, which use ieee80211
* Update HostAP to use ieee80211
* Merge/convert other drivers to use ieee80211?

At that point, ieee80211 has in-tree users, and I can push both the ipw 
and HostAP drivers upstream.  After that milestone, working on the 
wireless protocol layer (DaveM code template) and improving the 
in-kernel WE API will be key focus.


There is one minor point of contention so far.  Jouni stated he prefers 
that HostAP go upstream before it gets updated to use ieee80211.  I 
respectfully disagree, and prefer that HostAP is updated -first- to use 
the ieee80211 lib, before going upstream.

	Jeff


P.S.  For Realtek RTL8180 owners, I'm hoping to have some time in the 
next month or two to flesh out a driver that uses the ieee80211 lib in 
the wireless-2.6 queue.

[1] 
http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/jgarzik/patchkits/2.6/davem-p80211.tar.bz2