[Voyage-linux] 0.6.2 as AP with Atheros radios

[Edwin Whitelaw]

Sure, but keep in mind this config is on the 0.5.2 box since 0.6 was 
having the disappearing client problem.  The other system is still 
running 0.6 but with a Prism card (Engenius NL2511) so everything is 
wlan0 instead of ath0. 

lafayette:~# dpkg -l | grep madwi
ii  madwifi-modules-2.6.23-486-voyage 0.9.4~rc2-1+5.0-2

-------------more /var/log/dmesg
Linux version 2.6.23-486-voyage (2.6.23-2) (root at punknix-uml) (gcc 
version 4.1.2 20
061115 (prerelease) (Debian 4.1.1-21)) #1 PREEMPT Wed May 21 15:31:49 
GMT 2008
.
.
.
------------

---------interfaces on 0.5.2 box w/Ubiquiti XR2 - ALIX board
auto ath0
iface ath0 inet static
        address 172.23.2.1
        netmask 255.255.255.0
        broadcast 172.23.2.255
        madwifi-base wifi0
        wireless-mode Master
        wireless-essid nrvu-lafayette
        wireless-key s:XXXXXXXXXXXXX
        wireless-channel 1
        up iwpriv ath0 mode 3
        up iwconfig ath0 txpower 14
        up athctrl -i wifi0 -d 8000
        down wlanconfig ath0 destroy

auto ath0:0
iface ath0:0 inet static
        address 172.22.2.1
        netmask 255.255.255.0
        broadcast 172.22.2.255
------------

The ath0:0 is used for the client radios and ath0 for routers. 

This has worked w/o problems for many months.

When I had 0.6 installed, all the clients would mysteriously lose 
association and bouncing the interface(s) (ifdown ath0/ifup ath0) would 
restore them.  They might stay connected for a couple of days or only a 
few hours before dropping again so I switched back to 0.5.2

The other system was a bridged setup (eth0-ath0) where I replaced the 
Atheros radio with the Prism but left the OS version at 0.6.

Obviously no madwifi w/Prism card.

---more /var/log/dmesg..
Linux version 2.6.26-486-voyage (2.6.26-12) (root at punknix-uml) (gcc 
version 4.1.2 20061115 (prer
elease) (Debian 4.1.1-21)) #1 PREEMPT Wed Dec 24 02:58:25 GMT 2008
.
.
.
--------

---------interfaces on 0.6 w/Prism - WRAP board
auto br0
iface br0 inet static
       address 172.17.28.254
       netmask 255.255.255.0
       network 172.17.28.0
       broadcast 172.17.28.255
       gateway 172.17.28.1
       bridge_ports eth0 wlan0
       pre-up iwconfig wlan0 mode Master essid redhawk2 channel 11
        up iwconfig wlan0 key s:XXXXXXXXXXXXX

auto br0:0
iface br0:0 inet static
       address 172.16.28.254
       netmask 255.255.255.0
       network 172.16.28.0
       broadcast 172.16.28.254
--------

On a possibly related note, I have both an early (0.6) and recent 
(0.6.2) load of Voyage on the _client_ end of two different PtP links 
and have not had a problem.  Not tried it on the Master end as these are 
production backhauls and I can't really risk the outage.  I had 
installed the first one of these client nodes on my backhaul before 
trying it on the AP where I then had the disconnects and subsequently 
backed off 0.6 until resolution of the problem.

You may recall a post of a couple of weeks ago trying 0.6.2 as an AP 
bridged to eth0 (very similar to the Prism setup above) with the 
recommended madwifi version 
(madwifi-modules-2.6.26-486-voyage_0.9.4~rc2-1+6.0-3_i386.deb).  This 
did *not* work.  The client, a RALink PCI card in a desktop, would 
continually connect and disconnect.  Switching back to 0.5.2 with an 
identical interfaces file worked fine.

Sure would like to put up the new OS version but until I can be sure 
it's stable I don't need it 120' up a tower in winter.  :-)

Thanks!

Edwin

Kim-man 'Punky' TSE wrote:
> Hi Edwin,
>
> Can you re-post your configuration, and the madwifi driver version?  
> Did you test 0.9.4rc2 version as well?
>
> Regards,
> Punky
>
>
> Edwin Whitelaw wrote:
>> I tried using 0.6 a while back with Atheros radios in AP mode and 
>> found it would mysteriously drop the clients after running for hours 
>> or sometimes even a few days.  Bouncing the interface would bring 
>> things back but I ended up downgrading to 0.5.2 in one case and 
>> switching to a Prism radio in the other.  Both systems have run fine 
>> since but I need to upgrade a couple of tower mounted systems before 
>> winter sets in and had hoped to use 0.6.2 and don't know if the above 
>> problem had been resolved.
>>
>> The above systems are installed on an ALIX.3Ds.
>>
>> Can anyone confirm successful long term stability using 0.6.2 
>> w/Atheros AP?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Edwin
>>
>
>

-- 
<=+=+=+==+=+=+==+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=>
Edwin Whitelaw, P.E.
New River Valley Unwired, LLC
2200 Lonesome Dove Dr
Christiansburg, VA 24073
540-239-0318