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List:       openmoko-community
Subject:    Re: Neo as cellular modem?
From:       Joachim Steiger <roh () openmoko ! org>
Date:       2008-05-29 5:49:58
Message-ID: 483E4406.1040403 () openmoko ! org
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Michael Shiloh wrote:
> 
> 
> Alexey Feldgendler wrote:
>> On Wed, 28 May 2008 02:15:16 +0200, Matt Mets
>> <matt.mets@cibomahto.com> wrote:
>>
>>> It might also be cool to have the Freerunner act as a wireless
>>> router!  Instant (slow) internet anywhere...
>>
>> In ad-hoc network mode only. AFAIK the WiFi chip used in the
>> Freerunner doesn't support AP mode.
> 
> 
> Please someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the WiFi chip in
> fact _can_ do AP mode, but that mode is not allowed in the open source
> driver.

its a firmware. the wifi module has its own firmware and does the 802.11
handling there autonomous.
that concept is called hardmac and was there earlier, e.g on the old
'orinoco silver' aka hermes pcmcia cards.

that firmware can currently do client mode and ad-hoc.
_in theory_ every wifi radio can do ap-mode, its just a question if you
can send packets at a low-enough layer in the right format.
this is controlled by firmware on the wifi module in this specific case.

=> ap mode would need another firmware which we do not have and not know
if it exists at all from atheros to be loaded into the wifi module.

so there is nothing we could do on the driver front to change that.

-- 

Joachim Steiger
Openmoko Central Services

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