To: James Prestwood <james.prestwood@linux.intel.com>,
        linux-wireless@vger.kernel.org
References: <11bae1aa8b935a170b97650ae61ce236243c1c90.camel@linux.intel.com>
From: Nicolas Cavallari <Nicolas.Cavallari@green-communications.fr>
Subject: Re: IBSS timeouts
Message-ID: <9efa23eb-96e8-12e0-990e-5ee0da62742f@green-communications.fr> (sfid-20180717_095758_141459_478B5B64)
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2018 09:57:37 +0200
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In-Reply-To: <11bae1aa8b935a170b97650ae61ce236243c1c90.camel@linux.intel.com>
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Sender: linux-wireless-owner@vger.kernel.org

On 16/07/2018 21:31, James Prestwood wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I am a developer for IWD and trying to implement IBSS networks. The
> initial IBSS_JOIN, 4-way, and setting the keys all works and I am able
> to connect two stations. The problem is that I am hitting a timeout in
> the kernel once the connection has succeeded and there are no more
> frames flowing between stations. I dug around in the kernel and saw
> there is a 60 second inactivity timeout which is precicely what is
> happening. After setting the keys 60 seconds go by and I recieve a
> DEL_STATION (log attached).
> 
> My question is: is this timeout expected after the station has been
> added and the keys are set? If so how does one reset this timeout so
> the connection can remain alive even if no data is being sent?
> heartbeat of some kind?

This is not normal, but it isn't your fault. It's more a problem with your card
firmware/driver. What card/driver do you have ?

In IBSS mode, all stations are required to send beacons. The protocol is a bit
complex to arrange that, every 102.4ms, a station is chosen to emit the beacon.

Receiving beacons from a station is enough to reset its timer, so with a
properly functioning station, this timer does not expire.

Unfortunately, in the wild, nobody test that IBSS beacons are generated, because
without them, an open IBSS still appear to work...