2011-03-04 10:05:08

by Joerg

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Subject: Re: [PATCH] ath5k: Put hardware in PROMISC mode if there is more than 1 stations.

| From: Ben Greear <greearb@...>
|
| It seems ath5k has issues receiving broadcast packets (ARPs) when
| using multiple STA interfaces associated with multiple APs.
| This patch ensures the NIC is always in PROMISC mode if there
| are more than 1 stations associated.

Is this a band aid or a real fix?



2011-03-04 15:53:14

by Ben Greear

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Subject: Re: [PATCH] ath5k: Put hardware in PROMISC mode if there is more than 1 stations.

On 03/04/2011 06:28 AM, Stanislaw Gruszka wrote:
> On Fri, Mar 04, 2011 at 06:14:37AM -0800, Ben Greear wrote:
>> On 03/04/2011 02:04 AM, jpo234 wrote:
>>> | From: Ben Greear<greearb@...>
>>> |
>>> | It seems ath5k has issues receiving broadcast packets (ARPs) when
>>> | using multiple STA interfaces associated with multiple APs.
>>> | This patch ensures the NIC is always in PROMISC mode if there
>>> | are more than 1 stations associated.
>>>
>>> Is this a band aid or a real fix?
>>
>> I don't know. It definitely makes things work, but it smells
>> like a hack. Considering ath9k works fine, it must be something
>> in the ath5k driver, but I can't see any other problems.
>
> In opposite to ath9k, there is no possibility to set multiple sta
> addresses in the ath5k hw. I'm not sure if multiple station virtual
> interfaces have sense is such case.

There is an ssid-mask, and sending directed (layer-2 ethernet frames
directly to/from the STA's MAC addresses) work fine. It's just ARP
(and probably other broadcast or multicast) that fails to work, as
far as I can tell.

Since my patch only takes affect when there are more than one virtual
station, I think it might be OK, even if it's a bit of a hack. Normal
users won't see their NIC suddenly go promisc, for instance.

Thanks,
Ben

>
> Stanislaw


--
Ben Greear <[email protected]>
Candela Technologies Inc http://www.candelatech.com

2011-03-04 14:14:38

by Ben Greear

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: [PATCH] ath5k: Put hardware in PROMISC mode if there is more than 1 stations.

On 03/04/2011 02:04 AM, jpo234 wrote:
> | From: Ben Greear<greearb@...>
> |
> | It seems ath5k has issues receiving broadcast packets (ARPs) when
> | using multiple STA interfaces associated with multiple APs.
> | This patch ensures the NIC is always in PROMISC mode if there
> | are more than 1 stations associated.
>
> Is this a band aid or a real fix?

I don't know. It definitely makes things work, but it smells
like a hack. Considering ath9k works fine, it must be something
in the ath5k driver, but I can't see any other problems.

Thanks,
Ben

--
Ben Greear <[email protected]>
Candela Technologies Inc http://www.candelatech.com

2011-03-04 14:28:30

by Stanislaw Gruszka

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: [PATCH] ath5k: Put hardware in PROMISC mode if there is more than 1 stations.

On Fri, Mar 04, 2011 at 06:14:37AM -0800, Ben Greear wrote:
> On 03/04/2011 02:04 AM, jpo234 wrote:
> >| From: Ben Greear<greearb@...>
> >|
> >| It seems ath5k has issues receiving broadcast packets (ARPs) when
> >| using multiple STA interfaces associated with multiple APs.
> >| This patch ensures the NIC is always in PROMISC mode if there
> >| are more than 1 stations associated.
> >
> >Is this a band aid or a real fix?
>
> I don't know. It definitely makes things work, but it smells
> like a hack. Considering ath9k works fine, it must be something
> in the ath5k driver, but I can't see any other problems.

In opposite to ath9k, there is no possibility to set multiple sta
addresses in the ath5k hw. I'm not sure if multiple station virtual
interfaces have sense is such case.

Stanislaw