Return-path: Received: from mail.candelatech.com ([208.74.158.172]:42199 "EHLO ns3.lanforge.com" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1752135Ab1CDPxO (ORCPT ); Fri, 4 Mar 2011 10:53:14 -0500 Message-ID: <4D710ADB.4060001@candelatech.com> Date: Fri, 04 Mar 2011 07:52:59 -0800 From: Ben Greear MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Stanislaw Gruszka CC: jpo234 , linux-wireless@vger.kernel.org, ath5k-devel@venema.h4ckr.net Subject: Re: [PATCH] ath5k: Put hardware in PROMISC mode if there is more than 1 stations. References: <1299191945-13257-1-git-send-email-greearb@candelatech.com> <4D70F3CD.3040009@candelatech.com> <20110304142814.GA3899@redhat.com> In-Reply-To: <20110304142814.GA3899@redhat.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Sender: linux-wireless-owner@vger.kernel.org List-ID: 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 >>> | >>> | 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 Candela Technologies Inc http://www.candelatech.com