Received-SPF: pass (google.com: domain of linux-wireless-owner@vger.kernel.org designates 2620:137:e000::1:20 as permitted sender) client-ip=2620:137:e000::1:20;
Message-ID: <5fb4291c1d97f42e0d4904cd2f316326efd6003a.camel@egauge.net>
Subject: Re: wilc1000: AP mode issue
From:   David Mosberger-Tang <davidm@egauge.net>
To:     Ajay.Kathat@microchip.com
Cc:     linux-wireless@vger.kernel.org
Date:   Wed, 12 Apr 2023 13:47:12 -0600
In-Reply-To: <bdd4f49a-213a-bf55-1c29-d74e56221795@microchip.com>
References: <e4cece9076cc9a5a4e4dbfa258a828eaec97e1af.camel@egauge.net>
         <bdd4f49a-213a-bf55-1c29-d74e56221795@microchip.com>
Organization: eGauge Systems LLC
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
User-Agent: Evolution 3.44.4-0ubuntu1 
MIME-Version: 1.0
Precedence: bulk

Ajay,

OK, here is a simpler test case:

- Setup wlan0 to connect to an existing access point.
  In my case, wlan0 ends up with IP address 172.17.2.230.

- Start hostapd on wlan0tst with these commands:

---
cat > hostapd-wlan0tst.conf <<EOF
interface=3Dwlan0tst
hw_mode=3Dg
channel=3D6
ieee80211n=3D1
wmm_enabled=3D1
ssid=3DWLAN0TST
wpa=3D2
wpa_passphrase=3DSOME_PASSWORD
EOF
iw dev wlan0 interface add wlan0tst type __ap
ip link set dev wlan0tst address 12:34:56:78:9a:bc
ip addr add 10.234.193.42/24 dev wlan0tst
hostapd hostapd-wlan0tst.conf
---

- Connect another computer to WLAN0TST

When I try the above, usually WLAN0TST works fine but as soon as it starts =
up,
pings to 172.17.2.230 stop.  Sometimes, WLAN0TST starts up fine, but after =
a few
seconds, the client's connection gets shut down and WLAN0TST stops
working (or even being advertised).  When that happens, pings to 172.17.2.2=
30
start working again.

I don't think the issue is really AP-mode specific though.  I also see issu=
es
when trying to create a virtual interface that connects to another access p=
oint:

- Setup wlan0 to connect to an existing access point.
- Start a second connection to another access point:

---
iw dev wlan0 interface add wlan0tst type managed
ip link set dev wlan0tst address 12:34:56:78:9a:bc
ip addr add 10.0.0.88/24 dev wlan0tst
wpa_supplicant -s -B -Dnl80211 -i wlan0tst -c /home/eguser/wlan0tst.conf
---

In this case, too, traffic on wlan0 and WLAN0TST seem to affect each other.

Interestingly, in this case, I can bring back the non-working connection by
issuing a "wpa_cli reassociate" command.  This will bring back the non-work=
ing
connection, but break the one that had been working fine before (to bring b=
ack
the WLAN0TST connection, you'd have to use "wpa_cli -p /var/run/wpa_supplic=
ant-
wlan0tst reassociate").

  --david