Message-ID: <3FD7D7DD.2060301@2rosenthals.com>
Organization: Rosenthal & Rosenthal
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (OS/2; U; Warp 4.5; en-US; rv:1.6a) Gecko/20031103 MultiZilla/1.5.0.4e
MIME-Version: 1.0
References: <20031209125746.C1707@warpix.org> <3FD6204F.2070600@rollanet.org> <20031210135234.I1707@warpix.org> <3FD72962.5060807@2rosenthals.com> <20031210144526.K1707@warpix.org> <3FD7977F.5050007@2rosenthals.com> <20031210225604.C41728@warpix.org>
In-Reply-To: <20031210225604.C41728@warpix.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Date:  Wed, 10 Dec 2003 21:35:09 -0500
Sender: os2-wireless_users-owner <os2-wireless_users-owner@2rosenthals.com>
Reply-To: os2-wireless_users@2rosenthals.com
From:  Lewis G Rosenthal <os2-wireless_users@2rosenthals.com>
To:  os2-wireless_users@2rosenthals.com
Subject: [OS2Wireless] OS/2 Access Point

On 12/10/2003 05:56 pm, John Poltorak thus wrote :

>>BSS (Basic Service Set) defines the use of 
>>an AP to pass station-to-station traffic. in fact, the Sputnik managed 
>>access points which we are now deploying in hotspots (www.sputnik.com) 
>>specifically preclude station-to-station transport through the AP for 
>>security reasons (e.g., if I get an IP of 192.168.1.10, and you get an 
>>IP of 192.168.1.11, we cannot ping one another). 
>>    
>>
>
>Presumably they can if the AP is set as the default route...
>
>  
>
No. "Default  route" or "default router" or "default gateway" implies 
the "most direct route from this network to another." As all Wi-Fi 
clients in the hotspot are on the same network, the default route has no 
bearing whatsoever. The Sputnik AP simply does not act as a regular hub 
in its native mode. Instead, it acts as a partitioned smart hub, meaning 
it cordons off each attached client from seeing the other. In this 
manner, it appears to each client as though it (the client) is the only 
node on the network, even though all of the clients share a common 
subnet address. So, if we have five clients on the 192.168.1.0 subnet, 
numbered from 1 through 5, 192.168.1.1 cannot ping .2, .3, .4, or .5. It 
can, however, ping 4.2.2.2 (one of the root servers on the net), as that 
goes through its default gateway (say, 192.168.1.100, or whatever the 
AP's address is - the Sputnik AP actually combines a router in the same 
box as the AP).

>>>>In answer to your initial question, I would imagine that it is possible 
>>>>to build an OS/2-based AP. It would be quite an undertaking, though!
>>>>   
>>>>
>>>>        
>>>>
>>>Well, it's basically an absence of drivers. I don't think any software 
>>>exists which would enable an OS/2 system to work in Infrastruture mode, 
>>>but I would have thought it could simply be used as a router to the 
>>>Internet, if only there were OS/2 drivers for an ADSL NIC.
>>>
>>> 
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>The lack of drivers isn;t the entire issue, I don't think. Essentially, 
>>in order to function as an AP, the driver needs to be set into 
>>promiscuous mode. If Jens' drivers don't do this, implementing it 
>>shouldn't be a big deal, as this is fairly well documented. Once that's 
>>out of the way, I would guess that my initial knee-jerk response was 
>>overly pessimistic. You're right about the routing issue, though an AP - 
>>by definition - doesn't route; it bridges. This, however, shouldn't be 
>>difficult to do.
>>
>>Also, there's no such thing as an ADSL NIC, AFAIK. 
>>    
>>
>
>Really?
>
>Check this:-
>
>http://www.solwise.co.uk/adsl-pci.htm
>
>
>  
>
It's not a NIC. It's a bridge which connects directly to the PCI bus, 
instead of connecting via ethernet. (I know, I know...I'm splitting 
hairs). :-)  Seriously, though, an OS/2 box configured as an AP could 
very well do with just a NIC to go to an external bridge (and would be 
more flexible in its placement). Neat card, though. Thanks for the link!!

>>You would use a NIC 
>>to connect to an ADSL bridge, which would be considered part of the 
>>customer premise equipment. IOW, the OS/2 box would have two NICs: one 
>>wired and one 802.11. The 802.11 would have to be put into promiscuous 
>>mode, and there would need to be some facility for allowing it to beacon 
>>(announce its SSID), I would imagine (it can be done without beaconing, 
>>but every client would have to have the SSID in order to associate). 
>>security would be another consideration (WEP, WPA, 802.11i, EAP, etc.).
>>    
>>
>
>Here is something I would like to do using OS/2:-
>
>http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-wap.html
>
And you might find the following link interesting, as well:

http://www.personaltelco.net/index.cgi/LinuxAccessPoint

>
>
>But I would like to stick an ADSL-PCI card in as well.
>
>I suppose I can dream :-)....
>
>
>  
>
I don't know. I don't see the real advantage vis-à-vis using an external 
bridge.

>If I managed to build such a box I could stick all my server software on 
>it such as mail/web/ftp/dns as well as a proxy server and provide a 
>gateway to an internal network, ie a box which you can just plug into a 
>telco socket and provide instant access for a number of users. I'm sure a 
>proxy server would provide better Internet access than having several 
>users accessing the Internet individually. You could also build in some 
>access control. I don't see how you could do it otherwise.
>
> 
>
In this scenario, yes, the all-in-one ADSL bridge card would come in 
handy. I see where you're headed, now. The proxy also gives you the best 
security, even beyond NAT.

-- 
Lewis 
------------------------------------------------------------ 
Lewis G Rosenthal, CNA 
   Rosenthal & Rosenthal 
Accountants / Network Consultants 
  New York / Northern Virginia           www.2rosenthals.com
Team OS/2  / NetWare Users International      www.novell.com
------------------------------------------------------------ 
This OS/2 system (Apollo) uptime is 0 days 09:05 hours and 04 seconds

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to
steward@2rosenthals.com with the command
"unsubscribe os2-wireless_users" in the body
(omit the quotes).

For help with other commands, send a message
to steward@2rosenthals.com with the command
"help" in the body (omit the quotes).

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=