[Commotion-dev] Experiences with AR7xxx based USB wifi adapter?

[Paul Gardner-Stephen]

Hello,

On a related note, I have been thinking for a couple of weeks now that
we need to start specifying what use cases we want to test against for
integration of the Serval and OpenBTS stuff into commotion.

We have been working against some informal use-cases, primarily meshed
BTS->BTS GSM calls and meshed BTS->serval phone calls.  But it would
be a good idea, I think, to try to firm up a well defined set of
use-cases that we should be testing against to make sure that
Commotion has the desired capabilities.

Paul.

On Wed, Dec 12, 2012 at 9:06 AM, Ben West <ben at gowasabi.net> wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> Part of the envisioned testing procedure Commotion involves simulating
> multiple nodes (OpenWRT or otherwise) bound together via a virtual mesh
> under one VirtualBox host.  Although the mac80211_hwsim library does show
> some promise for simulating wireless networks, that library as-is does not
> support a single (virtual) radio broadcasting both the adhoc mesh and the
> APs.  I instead had been instantiated multiple virtual radios for each
> (B)SSID and bridging that radio with a virtual wired interface.
>
> This works, but the Commotion auto-configuration tool doesn't support it,
> requiring manual configuration of the nodes, which ultimately reduces the
> usefulness of the test procedure.
>
> Other the other hand, VirtualBox is claimed to support connecting USB
> peripherals directly to VMs, which opens up the possibility of connecting
> USB wifi adapters, i.e. physical radios, to virtual nodes.  I.e. multiple
> USB wifi adapters hanging off extension cables plugged into a hub, with each
> radio turned down to minimum tx power.
>
> Does anyone on the list happen to have good experience with a particular
> brand/model inexpensive USB wifi stick based on Atheros AR72xx?  I happen to
> have a single such stick sitting around, brand SMC, but I thus far found the
> carl9170 driver that Ubuntu selects for that device kinda crappy.
>
> --
> Ben West
> http://gowasabi.net
> ben at gowasabi.net
> 314-246-9434
>
>
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