[wpa_supplicant] Ad-Hoc/IBSS with 3+ Nodes

[Dan Williams]

On Sat, 2010-07-31 at 16:22 -0400, SJB89 at Drexel.edu wrote:
> Has anyone successfully set up a WPA2-PSK Ad-Hoc network consisting of
> three or
> more nodes? I have been attempting this with four nodes and can only
> manage to
> create two isolated networks, each comprised of just two nodes.  My
> wpa_supplicant.conf is shown below, along with my system
> configuration.
> wpa_supplicant.conf was inspired by the one mentioned by Sean at [1],
> with
> which a seven node olsr mesh was allegedly achieved [2].
> 
> 
> ### wpa_supplicant.conf ###
> ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa-supplicant GROUP=wheel
> ap_scan=2
> network={
>     ssid="adhoc"
>     mode=1
>     frequency=2412
>     proto=WPA
>     key_mgmt=WPA_NONE
>     pairwise=NONE
>     group=TKIP
>     psk=1234567890
> }
> 
> 
> ### System Configuration ###
> (Identical for all systems)
> HP tc4200
> Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG Mini-PCI Adapter
>     driver: ipw2200
> Linux kernel 2.6.33.6-147
> Fedora 13 (x86)
> wpa_supplicant v0.6.8

What does 'iwconfig' say on all the nodes? Is the BSSID the same?  If
not, and if they dont' converge within a minute or so, then there's a
problem in the ipw2x00 driver and/or firmware with IBSS coalescing.

Dan

> 
> ### Launch Steps (as root) ###
> service NetworkManager stop
> [outstanding wpa_supplicant instances killed]
> wpa_supplicant -d -i eth1 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
> -D wext
> ifconfig eth1 up
> ifconfig eth1 192.168.1.xxx/24
> 
> 
> The above launch steps are run first on node A, then B, C, and D in
> that order.
> A and B have bidirectional communication - that is, A can receive
> messages from
> B and B can receive messages from A.  Similarly, C and D have
> bidirectional
> communication when they have been initialized.  However, there is no
> path of
> communication between either A or B and either C or D.  While they are
> all
> listed by iwconfig as being on the same cell, there appears to be two
> separate
> networks formed with the same ssid, encryption key, and access points
> (I use
> that term loosely because of the nature of Ad-Hoc networks).
> 
> 
> Does anyone have any ideas as to what could be causing this?
> 
> 
> References:
> [1] http://lists.shmoo.com/pipermail/hostap/2009-April/019618.html
> [2] http://lists.shmoo.com/pipermail/hostap/2009-April/019619.html
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