No reception of new action frame type in wpa_supplicant

Ronald Linders r.f.a.linders at gmail.com
Mon Mar 27 00:54:34 PDT 2017


Dear list,

Currently, I'm working on extending the wpa_supplicant code with a new
Wi-Fi standard, still in draft, regarding device provisioning. In this
protocol an authentication request has been defined, which is sent
from one device to another. The receiving device reacts on this
request with an authentication response.  Action frames are used for
both the request and response. A new value for the OUI type has been
designated for this protocol, which is the value 0x1a.
It is no problem sending an action frame with this new OUI type
(checked with a sniffer), but at the receiving side wpa_supplicant is
not notified of receiving such an action frame from the kernel driver.
However, when I change the OUI type of this action frame into a known
value, for instance 9 (P2P action frame), the wpa_supplicant does get
notified by the kernel driver of the reception of this frame.
I'm aware that I have to register this new action frame type by adding
in driver_nl80211.c:
    nl80211_register_action_frame(bss,(u8 *) "\x04\x09\x50\x6f\x9a\x1a",6)
but this is not sufficient to let the kernel driver pass this frame to
wpa_supplicant.
I have the feeling that the kernel driver is discarding action frames
with unknown OUI types, but for the new Wi-Fi standard it is required
that wpa_supplicant can handle these action frames.
Is there anyone who can point me in the right direction how I can
direct the kernel driver to pass me these new typed action frames to
wpa_supplicant?
I have used the new action frames types in a simulated environment
(hwsim) and there I have not encountered any problems in sending and
receiving these action frames. But only real hardware (one smartphone
to another) reception fails.
I'm using the Android 7.1.1 AOSP for a Nexus 5X smartphone. This
device has a Qualcomm QCA6174 Wi-Fi chip.
Any suggestions which helps me solving this problem would be must appreciated.

With kind regards,
Ronald Linders



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