Wifi enabled - alpha test

[Kai Hendry]

Hi guys,

I've spent some time developing the localhost CGI in order to setup wireless.
http://git.debian.org/?p=users/kai-guest/nostromo/.git;a=tree;f=webc;hb=refs/heads/webc

I've tested this successfully on my Thinkpad X40. Though your mileage may vary:
http://build.webconverger.org/mini.wifi.2008-11-09.iso

The following bits of firmware were dropped in:
bnx2-06-4.0.5.fw
bnx2-09-4.0.5.fw
ipw2100-1.3.fw
ipw2100-1.3-i.fw
ipw2100-1.3-p.fw
ipw2200-bss.fw
ipw2200-ibss.fw
ipw2200-sniffer.fw
iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode
iwlwifi-4965-1.ucode
iwlwifi-4965-2.ucode
ql2100_fw.bin
ql2200_fw.bin
ql2300_fw.bin
ql2322_fw.bin
ql2400_fw.bin
ql2500_fw.bin
rt2561.bin
rt2561s.bin
rt2661.bin
rt73.bin

Do *NOT* deploy this test version as there is a /file utility for
debugging that's unsecured, making Webconverger trivial to crack once
booted.

If your wifi card is a very cheap one where you need ndiswrapper to
get it working, buy a better one. :P

I need your help testing this as it's actually quite hard to test
wireless cards.

Kind regards,

[gav...@gmail.com]

Hi Kai, I have trialled the mini-wifi iso you developed over the
weekend and it connected to my wireless AP first time if I used an
Open WiFI System with no WEP or WPA.

I then tried WPA

Security

This page allows you setup the wireless security. Turn on WEP or WPA
by using Encryption Keys could prevent any unauthorized access to your
wireless network.

I then tried it using security:

Encryption: WPA-Preshared Key
WPA Unicast Cipher Suite : WPA(TKIP)
Pre-shared Key Format : Passphrase
Pre-shared Key: ********

I then tested connection using my Windows Laptop and this connected
fine after entering the Passphrase.

I restarted Webconverger and entered the same "Interface" and "ESSID'
value and add the Passphrase to the "Key" field but this time it
failed to get an IP and connect, "NO DHCP Offers Received".

This isn't a biggy for me as I'm using an Open system and
authentication is m0n0wall but I'm sure you'd like to get this
working.

My hardware is:

AP: Edimax ew-7209apg
Webconverger WiFi Lan PCI card: ew-7128G

both are stated as having linux debian drivers hence linux compatible.

Thanks, Gavin

On Nov 10, 6:23 am, "Kai Hendry" <hen...@webconverger.com> wrote:
> Hi guys,
>

> I've spent some time developing the localhost CGI in order to setup wireless.http://git.debian.org/?p=users/kai-guest/nostromo/.git;a=tree;f=webc;...

[gav...@gmail.com]

Whoops, ignore the part between the ***'s as I accidentally copied and
pasted this.

*************************

I then tried WPA


Security


This page allows you setup the wireless security. Turn on WEP or WPA
by using Encryption Keys could prevent any unauthorized access to
your
wireless network.

*************************

> > Kind regards,- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Kai Hendry]

Thanks very much for testing. Sorry I should have mentioned that I
have not provided an interface yet for WPA.

You can only connect to unsecured or WEP networks atm. So you managed
to connect to an unsecured network?

If so, that's good start. :)

[gav...@gmail.com]

Hi Kai, yeah it connected straight up to an unsecured "Open" WiFi
network, assigned an IP and allowed me to surf without any issues.
Superb job, great work.

How do you forsee bundling this into a release of Webconverger? If you
connect to the Access Point then someone reboots the PC the WiFi
settings are lost. How would you save these settings to a read only
CD?

Thanks, Gavin

[Kai Hendry]

On Tue, Nov 11, 2008 at 9:28 PM, <gav...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Kai, yeah it connected straight up to an unsecured "Open" WiFi
> network, assigned an IP and allowed me to surf without any issues.
> Superb job, great work.

Ok, I've improved the wifi script to do WPA now. So the latest builds
(with nostromo 1.8.7-13 or greater) on
http://build.webconverger.org/

http://build.webconverger.org/mini.2008-11-11.packages

Might work. ;-)

> How do you forsee bundling this into a release of Webconverger? If you
> connect to the Access Point then someone reboots the PC the WiFi
> settings are lost. How would you save these settings to a read only
> CD?

Well for live CDs (I thought you were a hard drive install user) I
should be able to setup some boot options, since I have a good idea
how to configure wireless devices from my http://localhost/wifi cgi
experiments.

So I propose new boot options like:

homepage=http://portal.webconverger.com essid="mywlan" key="secret"

Of course the image BOOT_APPEND would have to set to this, i.e. you
need to build it. If it's a USB image you can simply edit the image.

Alternatively if you use http://localhost/wifi and setup you wifi
there on a hard drive install, the settings would be saved.

Still unsure about the http://localhost services. Is a good direction
to go down? What happens if Joe Public alters the wireless settings? I
could password protect http://localhost & set some password from the
boot option, but that's too easy to "hack" with file:///proc/cmdline

hmmmm... lots to think about still before a release. nn,

[gav...@gmail.com]

Hi Kai, I'll test out the WPA option and see if this works.

Sorry if I wasn't clear but i'm using Live CD because i thought this
sounded the most secure.

Boot options sound great to me. Let me know when this is available and
I'll test it out. As I said I'm not using security but I'm more than
happy to test WEP and WPA if you bundle this in.

Just as a side note, I've found a work around for getting WiFi working
with Webconverger in its current state. I'd prefer Boot options to be
built in but it'll do until you've finished setting up Webconverger
with Boot commands for WiFi. I'm already running an Edimax ew-7209apg
Access Point and after reading the manual for this i found out that
you can peer multiple of these Access Points together to achieve
differing results. What I've done is purchased a second Edimax
ew-7209apg, which at 70 New Zealand Dollars isn't as cost effective as
a Wireless PCI card at around $30 but it works.

The first Access Point is connected to the DSL Modem and broadcasts
the wireless signal. I then setup the second AP in Station-
Infrastucture mode (i think this is also know by varying terms such as
Adhoc-Infrastructure, Adhoc-Station etc). In this mode the second AP
doesn't allow any wireless devices to peer to it but will allow
devices via it's spare LAN ports to physically connect. I connected
the Webconverger PC to the second access point and it sees the second
access point as a standard LAN connection so no additional configation
is required. There is a little mucking around in getting the second
access point setup as I didn't know what I was doing. They need to use
the same ESSID.

Thanks, Gavin

On Nov 12, 11:25 am, "Kai Hendry" <hen...@webconverger.com> wrote:
> On Tue, Nov 11, 2008 at 9:28 PM,  <gav...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hi Kai, yeah it connected straight up to an unsecured "Open" WiFi
> > network, assigned an IP and allowed me to surf without any issues.
> > Superb job, great work.
>
> Ok, I've improved the wifi script to do WPA now. So the latest builds

> (with nostromo 1.8.7-13 or greater) onhttp://build.webconverger.org/

>
> http://build.webconverger.org/mini.2008-11-11.packages
>
> Might work. ;-)
>
> > How do you forsee bundling this into a release of Webconverger? If you
> > connect to the Access Point then someone reboots the PC the WiFi
> > settings are lost. How would you save these settings to a read only
> > CD?
>
> Well for live CDs (I thought you were a hard drive install user) I
> should be able to setup some boot options, since I have a good idea
> how to configure wireless devices from myhttp://localhost/wificgi
> experiments.
>
> So I propose new boot options like:
>

> homepage=http://portal.webconverger.comessid="mywlan" key="secret"

>
> Of course the image BOOT_APPEND would have to set to this, i.e. you
> need to build it. If it's a USB image you can simply edit the image.
>

> Alternatively if you usehttp://localhost/wifiand setup you wifi

> there on a hard drive install, the settings would be saved.
>

> Still unsure about thehttp://localhostservices. Is a good direction

> to go down? What happens if Joe Public alters the wireless settings? I

> could password protecthttp://localhost& set some password from the

[Kai Hendry]

On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 4:06 AM, <gav...@gmail.com> wrote:
> The first Access Point is connected to the DSL Modem and broadcasts
> the wireless signal. I then setup the second AP in Station-
> Infrastucture mode (i think this is also know by varying terms such as
> Adhoc-Infrastructure, Adhoc-Station etc). In this mode the second AP
> doesn't allow any wireless devices to peer to it but will allow
> devices via it's spare LAN ports to physically connect. I connected
> the Webconverger PC to the second access point and it sees the second
> access point as a standard LAN connection so no additional configation
> is required. There is a little mucking around in getting the second
> access point setup as I didn't know what I was doing. They need to use
> the same ESSID.

Yes, I think this is the approach I attempt to describe at the bottom of:
http://webconverger.org/networking/

I think the generic term is called
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_Distribution_System

I didn't know of any users who have ever pulled this off (besides
myself) until now. :-)

Kind regards,

[Guttorm Flatabø]

> Well for live CDs (I thought you were a hard drive install
> user) I
> should be able to setup some boot options, since I have a
> good idea
> how to configure wireless devices from my
> http://localhost/wifi cgi
> experiments.
>
> So I propose new boot options like:
>
> homepage=http://portal.webconverger.com
> essid="mywlan" key="secret"

Great! Exactly what I've been waiting for (for USB), this will make Webconverger so much more useable.

> Still unsure about the http://localhost services. Is a good
> direction
> to go down? What happens if Joe Public alters the wireless
> settings? I
> could password protect http://localhost & set some
> password from the
> boot option, but that's too easy to "hack"
> with file:///proc/cmdline
>
> hmmmm... lots to think about still before a release. nn,

To me, many good boot options are most important. For USB and harddrive they are very easy to change permanently and I wouldn't really want my harddrive installation to save anything anyway.

For wireless, an option to choose the best open network available would be great.

[Guttorm Flatabø]

> Yes, I think this is the approach I attempt to describe at
> the bottom of:
> http://webconverger.org/networking/
>
> I think the generic term is called
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_Distribution_System
>
> I didn't know of any users who have ever pulled this
> off (besides
> myself) until now. :-)

I made a small "mesh network" consisting of one open-mesh.com node connected to the internet and another connected to the client pc. Thus I put up a public wireless lan at the same time as I connected the public internet pc to the internet.

Best regards,

Guttorm

[gav...@gmail.com]

Hi Kai, does the Live CD currently cater for WiFi Boot Commands or do
you still need to build this in?

Thanks, Gavin

On Nov 12, 9:17 pm, "Kai Hendry" <hen...@iki.fi> wrote:
> On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 4:06 AM,  <gav...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > The first Access Point is connected to the DSL Modem and broadcasts
> > the wireless signal. I then setup the second AP in Station-
> > Infrastucture mode (i think this is also know by varying terms such as
> > Adhoc-Infrastructure, Adhoc-Station etc). In this mode the second AP
> > doesn't allow any wireless devices to peer to it but will allow
> > devices via it's spare LAN ports to physically connect. I connected
> > the Webconverger PC to the second access point and it sees the second
> > access point as a standard LAN connection so no additional configation
> > is required. There is a little mucking around in getting the second
> > access point setup as I didn't know what I was doing. They need to use
> > the same ESSID.
>
> Yes, I think this is the approach I attempt to describe at the bottom of:http://webconverger.org/networking/
>

> I think the generic term is calledhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_Distribution_System

[Kai Hendry]

Still need to build this in. Might be able to do it tomorrow evening.

Sent from a mobile on-the-go

On 15 Nov 2008, 9:36 AM, <gav...@gmail.com> wrote:


Hi Kai, does the Live CD currently cater for WiFi Boot Commands or do
you still need to build this in?

Thanks, Gavin

On Nov 12, 9:17 pm, "Kai Hendry" <hen...@iki.fi> wrote:

> On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 4:06 AM,  <gav...@gmail.com> wrote: > > The first Access Point is connecte...

> I think the generic term is calledhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_Distribution_System

> > I didn't know of any users who have ever pulled this off (besides > myself) until now. :-) > > K...

--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subs...

[Kai Hendry]

On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 11:18 AM, Kai Hendry <hen...@iki.fi> wrote:
> Still need to build this in. Might be able to do it tomorrow evening.

Sorry, I didn't find time yesterday for this. Will hopefully get time this week.

[gav...@gmail.com]

no problem. thanks

[Gav]

Where do I download the WiFi iso with the WPA functionality built in?
Although I'm going to use LiveCD I'll download and test on this end
for you.

Thanks, Gavin

On Nov 12, 11:25 am, "Kai Hendry" <hen...@webconverger.com> wrote:
> On Tue, Nov 11, 2008 at 9:28 PM,  <gav...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hi Kai, yeah it connected straight up to an unsecured "Open" WiFi
> > network, assigned an IP and allowed me to surf without any issues.
> > Superb job, great work.
>
> Ok, I've improved the wifi script to do WPA now. So the latest builds

> (with nostromo 1.8.7-13 or greater) onhttp://build.webconverger.org/

>
> http://build.webconverger.org/mini.2008-11-11.packages
>
> Might work. ;-)
>
> > How do you forsee bundling this into a release of Webconverger? If you
> > connect to the Access Point then someone reboots the PC the WiFi
> > settings are lost. How would you save these settings to a read only
> > CD?
>
> Well for live CDs (I thought you were a hard drive install user) I
> should be able to setup some boot options, since I have a good idea
> how to configure wireless devices from myhttp://localhost/wificgi
> experiments.
>
> So I propose new boot options like:
>

> homepage=http://portal.webconverger.comessid="mywlan" key="secret"

>
> Of course the image BOOT_APPEND would have to set to this, i.e. you
> need to build it. If it's a USB image you can simply edit the image.
>

> Alternatively if you usehttp://localhost/wifiand setup you wifi

> there on a hard drive install, the settings would be saved.
>

> Still unsure about thehttp://localhostservices. Is a good direction

> to go down? What happens if Joe Public alters the wireless settings? I

> could password protecthttp://localhost& set some password from the

[Kai Hendry]

http://build.webconverger.org/ are the bleeding edge. :-)

[Kai Hendry]

Eeek, I just tried http://build.webconverger.org/mini.2008-11-16.iso
and it seems broken. So I'll get back to you. I'm working on it.

[Kai Hendry]

http://build.webconverger.org/2008-11-19-wlan.iso

So I added a wlan= boot option described in:
http://webconverger.org/networking/

It surprisingly worked first time on my X40. Code that works first
time... I must be getting good. ;-)

Let me know how it goes for you.

Kind regards,

[Gav]

Hi Kai, superb job. I'll test this out on Monday when I get into work.
This will be great for setting up wireless Internet Kiosks.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Cheers, Gavin

[Gav]

Hi Kai, for the Wireless Boot Commands what do I enter for iface?

I use an Open Network (no WEP or WPA), the ESSID is 'theplayhouse' and
so I added the following Boot Commands:

wlan=wlan0,theplayhouse

Unfortunately it didn't work when I booted up. Have I used the wrong
value for iface or do I need to add a value for 'key'?

I also use a Boot Command xvideomode=1024x768 which had worked fine in
a previous release but popped an error message when booting using the
new WiFi release. Any idea why this might have happened?

Thanks, Gavin

[Kai Hendry]

On Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 8:04 AM, Gav <gav...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Unfortunately it didn't work when I booted up. Have I used the wrong
> value for iface or do I need to add a value for 'key'?

Sorry I have changed everything again last weekend and I had trouble
with corrupt uploads to the repo. I'll let you know when its more sane
to test wlan. :/

> I also use a Boot Command xvideomode=1024x768 which had worked fine in
> a previous release but popped an error message when booting using the
> new WiFi release. Any idea why this might have happened?

This happened:
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=499304

Kind regards,

[Gav]

Was I using the correct Boot Commands though? I just looked at the
Networking page and see that you used "wlan=eth1.w". Should I have
used "wlan=eth1.w,theplayhouse" or was "wlan=wlan0,theplayhouse"
correct?

Thanks.

[Kai Hendry]

On Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 8:17 AM, Gav <gav...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Was I using the correct Boot Commands though? I just looked at the
> Networking page and see that you used "wlan=eth1.w". Should I have
> used "wlan=eth1.w,theplayhouse" or was "wlan=wlan0,theplayhouse"
> correct?

I changed it last weekend though the daily builds are broken now.

The new syntax will look like:
wlan=essid,key

This should work for WEP & WPA secured WLAN.

In case the essid is unencrypted:
wlan=essid,

So no interface part. Will let you know when daily builds resume ...

[Guttorm Flatabø]

> The new syntax will look like:
> wlan=essid,key
>
> This should work for WEP & WPA secured WLAN.
>
> In case the essid is unencrypted:
> wlan=essid,
>
> So no interface part. Will let you know when daily builds
> resume ...

I am planning to demonstrate Webconverger on a conference for IT-managers from schools of the county the coming Monday. A build with working wireless boot commands would be great.

Hopefully the computers I have to demonstrate have the supported chips.

A command to just connect to the best available open network would be cool:)

[Gav]

Ok great, thanks. I'll look out for the next release.