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2 .\" Bill Paul <wpaul@ctr.columbia.edu> All rights reserved.
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38 .Nd "configure Lucent, Intersil, and Atheros wireless devices"
46 (dump associated stations)
50 (list available access points)
53 .Ar iface Fl t Ar tx_rate
56 .Ar iface Fl n Ar network_name
59 .Ar iface Fl s Ar station_name
62 .Ar iface Fl c Cm 0 | 1
65 .Ar iface Fl q Ar SSID
68 .Ar iface Fl p Ar port_type
71 .Ar iface Fl a Ar access_point_density
74 .Ar iface Fl m Ar mac_address
77 .Ar iface Fl d Ar max_data_length
80 .Ar iface Fl e Cm 0 | 1
84 .Op Fl v Cm 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
87 .Ar iface Fl T Cm 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
90 .Ar iface Fl r Ar RTS_threshold
93 .Ar iface Fl f Ar frequency
96 .Ar iface Fl P Cm 0 | 1
99 .Ar iface Fl S Ar max_sleep_duration
107 (display signal cache)
111 utility controls the operation of Lucent, Intersil, and Atheros-based wireless
112 networking devices via
118 You should not use this program to configure IEEE 802.11 parameters.
121 instead to do those tasks (i.e., set SSID, WEP key, etc.).
125 utility can also be used to view the current settings of these parameters,
126 dump out the values of the card's statistics counters, list associated
127 stations (in HostAP mode), and scan for available access points.
133 should be the logical interface name associated with the Lucent, Intersil,
135 .Li ( wi0 , wi1 , ath0 ,
137 If none is specified then
141 The options are as follows:
142 .Bl -tag -width indent
143 .It Oo Fl i Oc Ar iface Op Fl o
144 Display the current settings of the specified wireless interface.
145 This retrieves the current card settings from the driver and prints them
151 to print out the statistics counters instead of the card settings.
152 Encryption keys are only displayed if
155 .It Oo Fl i Oc Ar iface Fl a Ar access_point_density
158 for a given interface.
166 This setting influences some of the radio modem threshold settings.
167 .It Oo Fl i Oc Ar iface Fl m Ar mac_address
168 Set the station address for the specified interface.
171 is specified as a series of six hexadecimal values separated by colons,
173 .Dq Li 00:60:1d:12:34:56 .
174 This programs the new address into the card
175 and updates the interface as well.
176 .It Oo Fl i Oc Ar iface Fl d Ar max_data_length
177 Set the maximum receive and transmit frame size for a specified interface.
180 can be any number from 350 to 2304.
182 .It Oo Fl i Oc Ar iface Fl r Ar RTS_threshold
183 Set the RTS/CTS threshold for a given interface.
185 number of bytes used for the RTS/CTS handshake boundary.
188 can be any value between 0 and 2347.
190 .It Oo Fl i Oc Ar iface Fl Z
191 Clear the signal strength cache maintained internally by the
194 .It Oo Fl i Oc Ar iface Fl C
195 Display the cached signal strength information maintained by the
198 The driver retains information about signal strength and
199 noise level for packets received from different hosts.
201 strength and noise level values are displayed in units of dBms.
202 The signal quality value is produced by subtracting the noise level
203 from the signal strength (i.e., less noise and better signal yields
204 better signal quality).
206 .Sh DEPRECATED AND OBSOLETE OPTIONS
209 utility has a number of options that are now deprecated or obsolete, as they
210 have been overtaken by extensions to
212 and changes to the driver.
213 The deprecated and obsolete options are as follows:
214 .Bl -tag -width indent
215 .It Oo Fl i Oc Ar iface Fl t Ar tx_rate
216 This flag is deprecated.
222 Set the transmit rate of the specified interface.
224 for the transmit rate vary depending on whether the interface is a
225 standard WaveLAN/IEEE or a WaveLAN/IEEE Turbo adapter.
227 NICs support a maximum transmit rate of 2Mbps while the turbo NICs
228 support a maximum speed of 6Mbps.
229 The following table shows the
230 legal transmit rate settings and the corresponding transmit speeds:
231 .Bl -column ".Em TX\ rate" ".Em NIC\ speed" -offset indent
232 .Em "TX rate NIC speed"
233 .It Cm 1 Ta "Fixed Low (1Mbps)"
234 .It Cm 2 Ta "Fixed Standard (2Mbps)"
235 .It Cm 3 Ta "Auto Rate Select (High)"
236 .It Cm 4 Ta "Fixed Medium (4Mbps)"
237 .It Cm 5 Ta "Fixed High (6Mbps)"
238 .It Cm 6 Ta "Auto Rate Select (Standard)"
239 .It Cm 7 Ta "Auto Rate Select (Medium)"
242 The default driver setting is
245 The numbers vary from card to card.
246 .It Oo Fl i Oc Ar iface Fl n Ar network_name
247 This flag is deprecated.
255 Set the name of the service set (IBSS) that this station wishes to
259 can be any text string up to 30 characters in length.
263 which should allow the station to connect to the first
264 available access point.
265 The interface should be set for BSS mode using
268 flag in order for this to work.
270 Note: the WaveLAN manual indicates that an empty string will allow the
271 host to connect to any access point, however I have also seen a reference
272 in another driver which indicates that the
274 string works as well.
275 .It Oo Fl i Oc Ar iface Fl s Ar station_name
276 This flag is deprecated.
286 for the specified interface.
289 is used for diagnostic purposes.
291 .Tn "Lucent WaveMANAGER"
293 poll the names of remote hosts.
294 .It Oo Fl i Oc Ar iface Fl c Cm 0 | 1
295 This flag is deprecated.
296 IBSS networks are automatically created on those cards whose firmware
297 supports it while in IBSS mode.
299 Allow the station to create a service set (IBSS).
302 (don't create IBSS) and
304 (enable creation of IBSS).
308 Only newer versions of the Lucent firmware support this.
309 .It Oo Fl i Oc Ar iface Fl q Ar SSID
310 This flag is deprecated.
315 is the current preferred way of setting this parameter.
317 Specify the name of an IBSS (SSID) to create on a given interface.
320 can be any text string up to 30 characters long.
322 Note: this option is provided for experimental purposes only: enabling
323 the creation of an IBSS on a host system doesn't appear to actually work.
324 .It Oo Fl i Oc Ar iface Fl p Ar port_type
325 This flag is deprecated.
326 It should never be used.
327 Do not use this flag.
328 Its meaning depends on the type of card you are using, as well as the
329 firmware you have installed in the card in some cases.
342 for a specified interface.
350 In ad-hoc mode, the station can
351 communicate directly with any other stations within direct radio range
352 (provided that they are also operating in ad-hoc mode).
354 hosts must associate with a service set controlled by an access point,
355 which relays traffic between end stations.
356 The default setting is
359 Lucent cards have one set of meanings.
360 Prism cards have another.
361 Symbol cards have a third.
362 Do not use this flag.
363 .It Oo Fl i Oc Ar iface Fl e Cm 0 | 1
364 This flag is deprecated.
365 It has been replaced by the
370 Enable or disable WEP encryption.
373 (encryption disabled) or
375 (encryption enabled).
376 Encryption is off by default.
378 Both 128-bit and 64-bit WEP have been broken.
382 .It Oo Fl i Oc Ar iface Fl k Ar key Op Fl v Cm 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
383 This flag is obsolete.
387 should be used instead.
389 Set WEP encryption keys.
390 There are four default encryption keys
391 that can be programmed.
392 A specific key can be set using
398 flag is not specified, the first key will be set.
400 can either be normal text (i.e.,
402 or a series of hexadecimal digits (i.e.,
403 .Dq Li 0x1234512345 ) .
405 WaveLAN Turbo Silver cards, the key is restricted to 40 bits, hence
406 the key can be either a 5 character text string or 10 hex digits.
407 For WaveLAN Turbo Gold cards, the key can also be 104 bits,
408 which means the key can be specified as either a 13 character text
409 string or 26 hex digits in addition to the formats supported by the
412 For maximum portability, hex keys are recommended;
413 the mapping of text keys to WEP encryption is usually driver-specific.
416 drivers do this mapping differently to
419 Note: Both 128-bit and 64-bit WEP encryption have been broken.
423 .It Oo Fl i Oc Ar iface Fl T Cm 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
424 This flag is obsolete.
428 should be used instead.
430 Specify which of the four WEP encryption keys will be used to
431 encrypt transmitted packets.
433 Note: Both 128-bit and 64-bit WEP have been broken.
437 .It Oo Fl i Oc Ar iface Fl f Ar frequency
438 This flag is deprecated.
444 Set the radio frequency of a given interface.
447 should be specified as a channel ID as shown in the table below.
449 list of available frequencies is dependent on radio regulations specified
450 by regional authorities.
451 Recognized regulatory authorities include
452 the FCC (United States), ETSI (Europe), France and Japan.
454 in the table are specified in MHz.
455 .Bl -column ".Em Channel\ ID" ".Em FCC" ".Em ETSI" ".Em France" ".Em Japan" -offset indent
456 .Em "Channel ID FCC ETSI France Japan"
457 .It Cm 1 Ta "2412 2412 - 2412"
458 .It Cm 2 Ta "2417 2417 - 2417"
459 .It Cm 3 Ta "2422 2422 - 2422"
460 .It Cm 4 Ta "2427 2427 - 2427"
461 .It Cm 5 Ta "2432 2432 - 2432"
462 .It Cm 6 Ta "2437 2437 - 2437"
463 .It Cm 7 Ta "2442 2442 - 2442"
464 .It Cm 8 Ta "2447 2447 - 2447"
465 .It Cm 9 Ta "2452 2452 - 2452"
466 .It Cm 10 Ta "2457 2457 2457 2457"
467 .It Cm 11 Ta "2462 2462 2462 2462"
468 .It Cm 12 Ta "- 2467 2467 2467"
469 .It Cm 13 Ta "- 2472 2472 2472"
470 .It Cm 14 Ta "- - - 2484"
473 If an illegal channel is specified, the
474 NIC will revert to its default channel.
475 For NICs sold in the United States
476 and Europe, the default channel is
478 For NICs sold in France, the default channel is
480 For NICs sold in Japan, the default channel is
482 and it is the only available channel for pre-11Mbps NICs.
483 Note that two stations must be set to the same channel in order to
485 .It Oo Fl i Oc Ar iface Fl P Cm 0 | 1
486 This flag is obsolete.
490 should be used instead.
492 Enable or disable power management on a given interface.
494 power management uses an alternating sleep/wake protocol to help
495 conserve power on mobile stations, at the cost of some increased
497 Power management is off by default.
499 management requires the cooperation of an access point in order to
500 function; it is not functional in ad-hoc mode.
501 Also, power management
502 is only implemented in Lucent WavePOINT firmware version 2.03 or
503 later, and in WaveLAN PCMCIA adapter firmware 2.00 or later.
505 revisions will silently ignore the power management setting.
507 values for this parameter are
512 .It Oo Fl i Oc Ar iface Fl S Ar max_sleep_interval
513 This flag is obsolete.
517 should be used instead.
519 Specify the sleep interval to use when power management is enabled.
521 .Ar max_sleep_interval
522 is specified in milliseconds.
532 There are deprecated flags here that duplicate functionality of
534 These flags were deprecated in
536 and will be removed in a future release.
538 The WEP encryption method has been broken so that third parties
539 can recover the keys in use relatively quickly at distances that are
540 surprising to most people.
541 Do not rely on WEP for anything but the most basic, remedial security.
542 IPSEC will give you a higher level of security and should be used
544 Do not trust access points or wireless machines that connect through
545 them as they can provide no assurance that the traffic is legitimate.
546 MAC addresses can easily be forged and should therefore not be used as
547 the only access control.
549 The attack on WEP is a passive attack, requiring only the ability to
550 sniff packets on the network.
551 The passive attack can be launched at a distance larger, up to many
552 miles, than one might otherwise expect given a specialized antenna
553 used in point to point applications.
554 The attacker can recover the keys from a 128-bit WEP network with only
555 5,000,000 to 6,000,000 packets.
556 While this may sound like a large number of packets, empirical
557 evidence suggests that this amount of traffic is generated in a few
558 hours on a partially loaded network.
559 Once a key has been compromised, the only remedial action is to
560 discontinue it and use a new key.
563 .Pa http://www.cs.rice.edu/~astubble/wep/wep_attack.html
564 for details of the attack.
565 Many programs to assist in cracking WEP keys are widely available.
567 If you must use WEP, you are strongly encouraged to pick keys whose
568 bytes are random and not confined to
571 Brute force attacks on WEP keys are also possible.
572 Experience has showns that
574 keys can be cracked in less than a day.
575 Even random bytes can be cracked in less than two weeks.
577 Signal cache is broken right now.
581 utility first appeared in
586 utility was written by
587 .An Bill Paul Aq wpaul@ctr.columbia.edu .