Help needed in understanding hostapd design

[David Goodenough]

On Wednesday 28 May 2014 09:26:08 Balaramulu Paduchuri wrote:
> Hostapd experts, please help
> 
> Thanks
> 
> 
> On Mon, May 26, 2014 at 6:55 PM, Balaramulu Paduchuri <
> 
> p.balaramulu at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hi all,
> > 
> >  I am trying to understand hostapd source code since some days and i
> > 
> > struck with following questions in my mind. I checked the developer
> > documentation before coming here. Also i don't have driver experience
> > before.
> > 
> >    1. I learnt that, driver specific functionality will be written in
> >    driver_xxx.c in src/drivers directory. But what is the difference
> >    between
> >    driver_nl80211.c( This is for configuring wireless adapter using
> >    netlink)
> >    and driver_hostap.c Do we have to use both for a wireless adapter ?
> >    Suppose
> >    if device supports cfg80211, then also do we need driver_hostap.c
> >    2. How driver_nl802.11.c functions will be triggered ?
> >    3. How the config information from hostapd.conf will be passed to
> >    wireless driver stack ?
> > 
> > Thanks in advance,
> > 
> > PBR
I think you are being confused by the names hostapd and hostap.  The latter is 
an old device driver for prism 802.11b wireless cards and is not a part of 
hostapd.

Normal operations these days with modern drivers use nl80211.  As to question
two its functions are used by device drivers (such as the ath9k) and by the
bit of the kernel that get invoked when you use the iw command.  As for 
question three, no idea I am afraid.

David

David