hostap (on madwifi) initalization problem

[Jouni Malinen]

On Fri, Aug 18, 2006 at 09:29:02AM -0700, David wrote:

> On debian stable (2.6.17.7 with appropriate wireless and hostap modules compiled
> in), madwifi-0.9.2, hostap 0.5.4 (also tried with hostap 0.4.9) when I set up a
> master-mode interface with madwifi and try to run hostap as an access point I get:

> # wlanconfig ath0 destroy
> # wlanconfig ath0 create wlandev wifi0 wlanmode ap
> # ./hostapd -dd /etc/hostap.conf
> Configuration file: /etc/hostap.conf
> ctrl_interface_group=0
> madwifi_set_iface_flags: dev_up=0
> Using interface ath0 with hwaddr 00:15:6d:50:10:e2 and ssid 'test_ap'
> ioctl[IEEE80211_IOCTL_SETMLME]: Invalid argument
> Could not connect to kernel driver.

This is a known issue with plaintext mode configuration.

> I saw a similar problem referenced in madwifi ticket 552
> http://madwifi.org/ticket/552) but there didn't seem to be a consensus on what
> to do or who (madwifi or hostap) was at "fault".  I want to be able to run a
> simple AP from a madwifi card - I'll set up encryption and other bells and
> whistles later.  What can I do to get this to work?

I would recommend starting with the bells and whistles first.. The
plaintext mode is not working with the current hostapd version. The
driver interface for madwifi was designed with the view of no one using
hostapd in case of plaintext mode (which is something I do not agree
with) and because of this, only the WPA (and maybe non-WPA IEEE 802.1X)
modes set up the driver properly.

-- 
Jouni Malinen                                            PGP id EFC895FA