README 5.5 KB

123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120121122123124125126127128129130131132133134135136137138139140141142143144145146147148149150151152153154155156157158159160161162
  1. Wireless Tools & IfRename
  2. -------------------------
  3. This package contains the Wireless tools, used to manipulate
  4. the Wireless Extensions. The Wireless Extensions is an interface
  5. allowing you to set Wireless LAN specific parameters and get the
  6. specific stats.
  7. It also contains the IfRename package, used for advance
  8. renaming of network interfaces.
  9. web page :
  10. --------
  11. You'll find a lot of useful info on :
  12. http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Jean_Tourrilhes/Linux/Tools.html
  13. http://web.hpl.hp.com/personal/Jean_Tourrilhes/Linux/
  14. Precompiled version :
  15. -------------------
  16. Most Linux distributions offer precompiled package containing
  17. these tools. And many of them preinstall them by default. On the other
  18. hand, installation of this package is (now) easy and allows you to get
  19. a more up-to-date version.
  20. INSTALL
  21. -------
  22. This file contains installation instructions and requirements.
  23. A *must*-read.
  24. DISTRIBUTION.txt
  25. ----------------
  26. This file documents how to configure wireless cards at
  27. boot time with various Linux distributions (using Wireless
  28. Extensions). Please read it carefully before asking questions.
  29. In this file, I try to collect all the specifics of Wireless
  30. Extensions integration in the most common Linux distributions. I need
  31. your help to complete this file.
  32. HOTPLUG.txt
  33. -----------
  34. This file documents how to manage and configure removable
  35. wireless cards using Hotplug. This is more advanced than the simple
  36. procedures of DISTRIBUTION.txt. This is currently mostly Debian
  37. specific, but I hope you will contribute for other distributions.
  38. PCMCIA.txt
  39. ----------
  40. This file describes how to use PCMCIA init script to configure
  41. Wireless Extensions and how to use PCMCIA schemes.
  42. man pages (iwconfig.8, iwlist.8, iwpriv.8, iwspy.8)
  43. ---------
  44. VERY IMPORTANT : I try to keep the man pages up to date, so
  45. you'd better read them before asking questions.
  46. ALSO IMPORTANT : Those man pages describe the capacities of
  47. the tools, no device implements the full range (and drivers usually
  48. implement even less).
  49. As far as I know, the man pages are the most complete, up to
  50. date and accurate documentation of the wireless tools. An update of
  51. the web page related to Wireless Extensions is long overdue. Send
  52. feedback to me.
  53. The man pages can either be copied into a location where the
  54. command "man" will find them, such as /usr/local/man/man8, or can be
  55. read locally with the command :
  56. nroff -man xxx.8 | less
  57. localised man pages (fr/*)
  58. -------------------
  59. Localised man pages are not made by me, therefore the only
  60. localisations available are those sent to me by courageous volonteers,
  61. and I expect those man pages to 'lag' compared to the english
  62. version (i.e. not have all the latest updates). Translating man pages
  63. is not a very gratifying task, especially due to my broken english,
  64. and many technical terms don't translate well to other languages, so
  65. refer to the english version when in doubt.
  66. iwconfig.c
  67. ----------
  68. The main wireless tool. Used for device configuration and to see
  69. the most common wireless parameters.
  70. iwlist.c
  71. --------
  72. Display some large chunk of information not displayed by iwconfig.
  73. For example, all bit rates, all frequencies, all keys...
  74. iwspy.c
  75. -------
  76. Mobile IP support test and allows to get stats per MAC
  77. address (instead of globally). Also, for some drivers/devices, this is
  78. the only way to get stats in Ad-Hoc mode.
  79. iwpriv.c
  80. --------
  81. Manipulate driver private ioctls : all parameters that are
  82. specific to a driver or a device and therefore not part of iwconfig.
  83. iwgetid.c
  84. ---------
  85. Output the ESSID or NWID of the specified device.
  86. Can also output it in a form that can be used as a PCMCIA Scheme.
  87. iwevent.c
  88. ---------
  89. Display Wireless Events. Most recent drivers will support this
  90. relatively new feature, but some older drivers may not support it.
  91. ifrename.c :
  92. ----------
  93. Rename network interfaces based on various selectors.
  94. iwlib.c
  95. -------
  96. The Wireless Tools helper library. May be useful if you want
  97. to create your own applications using Wireless Extensions.
  98. iwmulticall.c
  99. -------------
  100. Multicall version of the tools for embedded systems.
  101. Changelog, contributions :
  102. ------------------------
  103. See CHANGELOG.h
  104. wireless.h
  105. ----------
  106. Definition of the Wireless Extensions. Remember that the
  107. definition used by the drivers and the tools must match, otherwise
  108. funny things may happen. The tools try to check for that.
  109. Since Wireless Extensions v12, you can no longer drop this
  110. file into your kernel headers to update the Wireless Extensions, you
  111. need to use the full patches available on my web page. So, the use is
  112. more if you plan to do some cross compile or something similar.
  113. Just for your enjoyment, there are various releases of it. If
  114. your kernel/drivers are old, you may want to try the older releases...
  115. sample_xxx.c :
  116. ------------
  117. Various samples of code showing how to implement some of the
  118. more tricky features of Wireless Extensions in your driver.
  119. Note that there is no guarantee that this code compiles, let
  120. alone works, but it should point you in the proper direction.
  121. Also, have a look at existing drivers in the Linux kernel.
  122. 19-udev-ifrename.rules :
  123. ----------------------
  124. udev rules to integrate properly ifrename (udev >= 107).
  125. Other tools :
  126. -----------
  127. My web page lists many other tools using Wireless
  128. Extensions that you may find useful...
  129. http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Jean_Tourrilhes/Linux/Tools.html#links
  130. Other questions :
  131. ---------------
  132. You have the source, and it is documented. In 99% of cases,
  133. you will find your answer there.
  134. Good luck...
  135. Jean <jt@hpl.hp.com>