Generic driver interface API for latest version of hostapd (0.3.7 or devel CVS snapshot)

[Jouni Malinen]

On Thu, Feb 17, 2005 at 09:34:24AM +0000, Dan Searle wrote:

> I'm trying to get hostapd 0.3.7 to integrate with a closed source
> 802.11a/b/g WiFi driver written by a third party. The third party are
> sure that all they need to do to provide the necessary API for a stock
> (out-of-the-box) hostapd to work with their driver is for them to
> implement the Linux Wireless Extensions v.18 API in their driver.

Well, first of all, Linux Wireless Extensions v18 has not been released
and is subject to change. In addition, the current proposal for v18 does
not probably include all the functionality needed for access point mode,
but many parts of it could be used to get partial functionality with
whatever remains to be filled either as private extensions or an updated
proposal for WE v18.

> I fail to see this. From what I can see from the hostapd sources there
> are specific driver modules written to interface with specific WiFi
> drivers.

Well, I would say specific to a driver interface, not to a driver, i.e.,
more than one driver can share the same interface for interaction with
user space.

> The only possible common ground seems to be the Free BSD
> driver module, does this module (driver_bsd.c) have anything to do
> with version 18 of the Wireless Extensions API?

No.

>  I.e. If I have a Linux
> WiFi driver which implements all functions of the version 18 WE API,
> does this make it any easier for me to integrate it with hostapd? Or
> am I going to have to write another driver_mywifi.c abstraction layer?

There is no v18 WE API implementation in hostapd, so no, that would not
make it easier for you. However, implementing a new driver_wext.c
interface (in the same way as in wpa_supplicant) would help people doing
the same thing in the future.

-- 
Jouni Malinen                                            PGP id EFC895FA