dhclient and wpa_supplicant

[Sam Leffler]

Eric Schuele wrote:
> Sam Leffler wrote:
> 
>> Eric Schuele wrote:
>>
> 
> <big-snip>
> 
>>> dhclient.conf contains
>>> ===========================
>>> interface "ath0" {
>>>   #send option host-name "myhost";
>>>   #send option domain-name "nxdomain.org";
>>>   send dhcp-client-identifier "myhost";
>>>
>>>   media
>>>   ### Home
>>>   "ssid <home_ssid> mode 11b channel 11 wepmode on weptxkey 1 wepkey 
>>> 0x<home_wepkey>",
>>>   ### Office
>>>   "ssid <office_ssid mode 11b channel 6 wepmode on weptxkey 1 wepkey 
>>> 0x<office_wepkey>";
>>>       request subnet-mask, broadcast-address, routers, 
>>> domain-name-servers, domain-name;
>>> }
>>
>>
>>
>> Do not use media statements to setup wireless parameters; this does 
>> not work.  You need to run wpa_supplicant and let it identify the 
>> network and setup the key parameters.
> 
> 
> How do I tell wpa_supplicant about the network media?  I had found an 
> older post of yours regarding NOT doing it in dhclient.conf.... but I've 
> found no other way to accomplish it.

The above dhclient.conf lists media settings that are all handled by 
wpa_supplicant so you don't specify any of them.  Specifically you set 
ssid, band, channel, and wep parameters; all these are handled by 
wpa_supplicant.

The intent is that dhclient deal only with the dhcp protocol and stop 
being involved in the discovery and selection of wireless networks (a 
job wpa_supplicant is better equipped to handle).

> 
>>
>>>
>>> wpa_supplicant.conf
>>> =============================
>>> ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
>>> ctrl_interface_group=wheel
>>>
>>> # Home Network
>>> network={
>>>    ssid="<home_ssid>"
>>>    scan_ssid=1
>>>    key_mgmt=NONE
>>>    wep_tx_keyidx=0
>>>    wep_key0="<home_wepkey>"
>>> }
>>>
>>> # Office Network
>>> network={
>>>    ssid="<office_ssid>"
>>>    scan_ssid=1
>>>    key_mgmt=NONE
>>>    wep_tx_keyidx=0
>>>    wep_key0="<office_wepkey>"
>>> }
>>>
>>
>> Not sure you need scan_ssid set, I'd leave it out.
>>
>> If you have problems try disabling auto-startup of ath0 and run 
>> wpa_supplicant by hand with the -d flag to see what it's doing.  Once 
>> that's going then enable startup in rc.conf.  If you continue to have 
>> problems provide the output wpa_supplicant -d -i ath0 -c 
>> /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf (or similar) when you have trouble.  There is
>> also a pending issue with locating some ap's that are setup to hide 
>> their ssid.  If one of the ap's is configured in this way contact me 
>> directly--I've been trying to collect the info I need to identify 
>> what's going on.
> 
> 
> Both my APs (home and office) hide their ssids.  One is a wrt54g (home), 
> the other is linksys as well... though I forget the model at the moment 
> (FWIW its a/b/g).  What can I do to provide the info you need?

These should work; I've had reports of problems with certain Cisco ap's. 
  Note however that configuring an ap to hide it's ssid adds no real 
security.

	Sam