Wireless Tools -------------- This package contains the Wireless tools, used to manipulate the Wireless Extensions. The Wireless Extensions is an interface allowing you to set Wireless LAN specific parameters and get the specific stats. web page : -------- You'll find a lot of useful info on : http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Jean_Tourrilhes/Linux/Tools.html http://web.hpl.hp.com/personal/Jean_Tourrilhes/Linux/ Precompiled version : ------------------- Most Linux distributions offer precompiled package containing these tools. And many of them preinstall them by default. On the other hand, installation of this package is (now) easy and allow you to get a more up-to-date version. INSTALL ------- This file contains installation instructions and requirements. A *must*-read. DISTRIBUTION.txt ---------------- This file will document how to configure wireless cards at boot time with various Linux distributions (using Wireless Extensions). Please read it carefully before asking questions. In this file, I try to collect all the specifics of Wireless Extensions integration in the most common Linux distributions. I need your help to complete this file. HOTPLUG.txt ----------- This file document how to manage and configure removable wireless cards using Hotplug. This is more advanced than the simple procedures of DISTRIBUTION.txt. This is currently mostly Debian specific, but I hope you will contribute for other distributions. PCMCIA.txt ---------- This file describes how to use PCMCIA init script to configure Wireless Extensions and how to use PCMCIA schemes. man pages (iwconfig.8, iwlist.8, iwpriv.8, iwspy.8) --------- VERY IMPORTANT : I try to keep the man pages up to date, so you'd better read them before asking questions. ALSO IMPORTANT : Those man pages describe the capacities of the tools, no device implements the full range (and drivers usually implement even less). As far as I know, the man pages are the most complete, up to date and accurate documentation of the wireless tools. An update of the web page related to Wireless Extensions is long overdue. Send feedback to me. The man pages can either be copied into a location where the command "man" will find them, such as /usr/local/man/man8, or can be read locally with the command : nroff -man xxx.8 | less localised man pages (fr/*) ------------------- Localised man pages are not made by me, therefore the only localisations available are those sent to me by courageous volonteers and are expect those man pages to 'lag' compared to the english version (i.e. not have all the latest updates). Translating man pages is not a very gratifying task, especially due to my broken english, and many technical terms don't translate well to other languages, so refer to the english version when in doubt. iwconfig.c ---------- The main wireless tool. Used for device configuration and to see the most common wireless parameters. iwlist.c -------- Display some large chunk of information not displayed by iwconfig. For example, all bit rates, all frequencies, all keys... iwspy.c ------- Mobile IP support test and allows get get stats per MAC address (instead of globally). Also, for some drivers/devices, this is the only way to get stats in Ad-Hoc mode. iwpriv.c -------- Manipulate driver private ioctls : all parameters that are specific to a driver or a device and therefore not part of iwconfig. iwgetid.c --------- Output the ESSID or NWID of the specified device. Can also output it in a form that can be used as a PCMCIA Scheme. iwevent.c --------- Display Wireless Events. This is new, so there is not much support in drivers for it yet... ifrename.c : ---------- Rename network interfaces based on various selectors. iwlib.c ------- The Wireless Tools helper library. May be useful if you want to create your own applications using Wireless Extensions. Changelog, contributions : ------------------------ See CHANGELOG.h wireless.h ---------- Definition of the Wireless Extensions. Remember that the definition used by the drivers and the tools must match, otherwise funny things may happen. The tools try to check for that. Since Wireless Extensions v12, you can no longer drop this file into your kernel headers to update the Wireless Extensions, you need to use the full patches available on my web page. So, the use is more if you plan to do some cross compile or something similar. Just for your enjoyment, there are various releases of it. If your kernel/drivers are old, you may want to try the older releases... sample_xxx.c : ------------ Various samples of code showing how to implement some of the more tricky feature of Wireless Extensions in your driver. Note that there is no guarantee that this code compiles, let alone works, but it should point you in the proper direction. Also, have a look at existing drivers in the Linux kernel. Other tools : ----------- My web page lists many other tools using Wireless Extensions that you may find useful... http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Jean_Tourrilhes/Linux/Tools.html#links Other questions : --------------- You have the source, and it is documented. In 99% of cases, you will find your answer there. Good luck... Jean