>Number:         17939
>Category:       bin
>Synopsis:       an* (aironet) device has no wiconfig(8) equivalent
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       non-critical
>Priority:       medium
>Responsible:    bin-bug-people
>State:          open
>Class:          change-request
>Submitter-Id:   net
>Arrival-Date:   Wed Aug 14 10:13:01 PDT 2002
>Closed-Date:
>Last-Modified:
>Originator:     Alan Barrett
>Release:        NetBSD 1.6D
>Organization:
Not much
>Environment:
Machine: i386
>Description:
The /usr/sbin/wiconfig utility can be used to configure and monitor
the status of a wi* wireless network device.  There seems to be no
corresponding utility for an* wireless network devices.

>How-To-Repeat:
Connect a cisco "aironet" wireless network interface card to a
PCMCIA slot.  Notice that it attaches as "an0".  Try to use it in
an environment with multiple wireless hubs, some of which might be
misconfigured or configured with poorly chosen frequency assignments.

Wish that there were a way to check the signal strength.  Notice that
"wiconfig an0" does not work.

Wish that there were a way to force the use of a particular radio
channel.  Notice that "wiconfig an0 -f $channel" does not work.

>Fix:
sorry, no fix, but here are a few ideas:

1) Teach the "an" device driver to implement the same SIOCGWAVELAN and
   SIOCSWAVELAN ioctls that the "wi" device driver implements and that
   wiconfig(8) already knows how to use.

2) Create a new anconfig(8) utility that works a bit like wiconfig(8)
   but uses the SIOCGAIRONET and SIOCSAIRONET ioctls that the "an"
   device driver already implements.

3) Create a new utility that knows how to use all the
   SIOC{G,S}{WAVELAN,AIRONET} ioctls to manage both "wi" and "an"
   devices, or merge all this functionality into wiconfig(8).

4) Create a new set of ioctls usable with any type of wireless network
   device, make both the "an" and "wi" device drivers implement them,
   and teach wiconfig(8) and/or ifconfig(8) to use them.

>Release-Note:
>Audit-Trail:
>Unformatted: