Documentation/networking/README.ipw2100

   1
   2 ===========================
   3 Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2100 Network Connection Driver for Linux
   4 README.ipw2100
   5
   6 March 14, 2005
   7
   8 ===========================
   9 Index
  10 ---------------------------
  11 0. Introduction
  12 1. Release 1.1.0 Current Features
  13 2. Command Line Parameters
  14 3. Sysfs Helper Files
  15 4. Radio Kill Switch
  16 5. Dynamic Firmware
  17 6. Power Management
  18 7. Support
  19 8. License
  20
  21
  22 ===========================
  23 0. Introduction
  24 ------------ -----   -----       ----       ---       --         -
  25
  26 This document provides a brief overview of the features supported by the
  27 IPW2100 driver project.  The main project website, where the latest
  28 development version of the driver can be found, is:
  29
  30         http://ipw2100.sourceforge.net
  31
  32 There you can find the not only the latest releases, but also information about
  33 potential fixes and patches, as well as links to the development mailing list
  34 for the driver project.
  35
  36
  37 ===========================
  38 1. Release 1.1.0 Current Supported Features
  39 ---------------------------
  40 - Managed (BSS) and Ad-Hoc (IBSS)
  41 - WEP (shared key and open)
  42 - Wireless Tools support
  43 - 802.1x (tested with XSupplicant 1.0.1)
  44
  45 Enabled (but not supported) features:
  46 - Monitor/RFMon mode
  47 - WPA/WPA2
  48
  49 The distinction between officially supported and enabled is a reflection
  50 on the amount of validation and interoperability testing that has been
  51 performed on a given feature.
  52
  53
  54 ===========================
  55 2. Command Line Parameters
  56 ---------------------------
  57
  58 If the driver is built as a module, the following optional parameters are used
  59 by entering them on the command line with the modprobe command using this
  60 syntax:
  61
  62         modprobe ipw2100 [<option>=<VAL1><,VAL2>...]
  63
  64 For example, to disable the radio on driver loading, enter:
  65
  66         modprobe ipw2100 disable=1
  67
  68 The ipw2100 driver supports the following module parameters:
  69
  70 Name            Value           Example:
  71 debug           0x0-0xffffffff  debug=1024
  72 mode            0,1,2           mode=1   /* AdHoc */
  73 channel         int             channel=3 /* Only valid in AdHoc or Monitor */
  74 associate       boolean         associate=0 /* Do NOT auto associate */
  75 disable         boolean         disable=1 /* Do not power the HW */
  76
  77
  78 ===========================
  79 3. Sysfs Helper Files
  80 ---------------------------
  81
  82 There are several ways to control the behavior of the driver.  Many of the
  83 general capabilities are exposed through the Wireless Tools (iwconfig).  There
  84 are a few capabilities that are exposed through entries in the Linux Sysfs.
  85
  86
  87 ----- Driver Level ------
  88 For the driver level files, look in /sys/bus/pci/drivers/ipw2100/
  89
  90   debug_level
  91
  92         This controls the same global as the 'debug' module parameter.  For
  93         information on the various debugging levels available, run the 'dvals'
  94         script found in the driver source directory.
  95
  96         NOTE:  'debug_level' is only enabled if CONFIG_IPW2100_DEBUG is turn
  97                on.
  98
  99 ----- Device Level ------
 100 For the device level files look in
 101
 102         /sys/bus/pci/drivers/ipw2100/{PCI-ID}/
 103
 104 For example:
 105         /sys/bus/pci/drivers/ipw2100/0000:02:01.0
 106
 107 For the device level files, see /sys/bus/pci/drivers/ipw2100:
 108
 109   rf_kill
 110         read -
 111         0 = RF kill not enabled (radio on)
 112         1 = SW based RF kill active (radio off)
 113         2 = HW based RF kill active (radio off)
 114         3 = Both HW and SW RF kill active (radio off)
 115         write -
 116         0 = If SW based RF kill active, turn the radio back on
 117         1 = If radio is on, activate SW based RF kill
 118
 119         NOTE: If you enable the SW based RF kill and then toggle the HW
 120         based RF kill from ON -> OFF -> ON, the radio will NOT come back on
 121
 122
 123 ===========================
 124 4. Radio Kill Switch
 125 ---------------------------
 126 Most laptops provide the ability for the user to physically disable the radio.
 127 Some vendors have implemented this as a physical switch that requires no
 128 software to turn the radio off and on.  On other laptops, however, the switch
 129 is controlled through a button being pressed and a software driver then making
 130 calls to turn the radio off and on.  This is referred to as a "software based
 131 RF kill switch"
 132
 133 See the Sysfs helper file 'rf_kill' for determining the state of the RF switch
 134 on your system.
 135
 136
 137 ===========================
 138 5. Dynamic Firmware
 139 ---------------------------
 140 As the firmware is licensed under a restricted use license, it can not be
 141 included within the kernel sources.  To enable the IPW2100 you will need a
 142 firmware image to load into the wireless NIC's processors.
 143
 144 You can obtain these images from <http://ipw2100.sf.net/firmware.php>.
 145
 146 See INSTALL for instructions on installing the firmware.
 147
 148
 149 ===========================
 150 6. Power Management
 151 ---------------------------
 152 The IPW2100 supports the configuration of the Power Save Protocol
 153 through a private wireless extension interface.  The IPW2100 supports
 154 the following different modes:
 155
 156         off     No power management.  Radio is always on.
 157         on      Automatic power management
 158         1-5     Different levels of power management.  The higher the
 159                 number the greater the power savings, but with an impact to
 160                 packet latencies.
 161
 162 Power management works by powering down the radio after a certain
 163 interval of time has passed where no packets are passed through the
 164 radio.  Once powered down, the radio remains in that state for a given
 165 period of time.  For higher power savings, the interval between last
 166 packet processed to sleep is shorter and the sleep period is longer.
 167
 168 When the radio is asleep, the access point sending data to the station
 169 must buffer packets at the AP until the station wakes up and requests
 170 any buffered packets.  If you have an AP that does not correctly support
 171 the PSP protocol you may experience packet loss or very poor performance
 172 while power management is enabled.  If this is the case, you will need
 173 to try and find a firmware update for your AP, or disable power
 174 management (via `iwconfig eth1 power off`)
 175
 176 To configure the power level on the IPW2100 you use a combination of
 177 iwconfig and iwpriv.  iwconfig is used to turn power management on, off,
 178 and set it to auto.
 179
 180         iwconfig eth1 power off    Disables radio power down
 181         iwconfig eth1 power on     Enables radio power management to
 182                                    last set level (defaults to AUTO)
 183         iwpriv eth1 set_power 0    Sets power level to AUTO and enables
 184                                    power management if not previously
 185                                    enabled.
 186         iwpriv eth1 set_power 1-5  Set the power level as specified,
 187                                    enabling power management if not
 188                                    previously enabled.
 189
 190 You can view the current power level setting via:
 191
 192         iwpriv eth1 get_power
 193
 194 It will return the current period or timeout that is configured as a string
 195 in the form of xxxx/yyyy (z) where xxxx is the timeout interval (amount of
 196 time after packet processing), yyyy is the period to sleep (amount of time to
 197 wait before powering the radio and querying the access point for buffered
 198 packets), and z is the 'power level'.  If power management is turned off the
 199 xxxx/yyyy will be replaced with 'off' -- the level reported will be the active
 200 level if `iwconfig eth1 power on` is invoked.
 201
 202
 203 ===========================
 204 7. Support
 205 ---------------------------
 206
 207 For general development information and support,
 208 go to:
 209
 210     http://ipw2100.sf.net/
 211
 212 The ipw2100 1.1.0 driver and firmware can be downloaded from:
 213
 214     http://support.intel.com
 215
 216 For installation support on the ipw2100 1.1.0 driver on Linux kernels
 217 2.6.8 or greater, email support is available from:
 218
 219     http://supportmail.intel.com
 220
 221 ===========================
 222 8. License
 223 ---------------------------
 224
 225   Copyright(c) 2003 - 2005 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
 226
 227   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
 228   under the terms of the GNU General Public License (version 2) as
 229   published by the Free Software Foundation.
 230
 231   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
 232   ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
 233   FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for
 234   more details.
 235
 236   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
 237   this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59
 238   Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
 239
 240   The full GNU General Public License is included in this distribution in the
 241   file called LICENSE.
 242
 243   License Contact Information:
 244   James P. Ketrenos <ipw2100-admin@linux.intel.com>
 245   Intel Corporation, 5200 N.E. Elam Young Parkway, Hillsboro, OR 97124-6497
 246