WI(4) | Device Drivers Manual | WI(4)

# NAME

`wi` — WaveLAN/IEEE, PRISM 2-3, and Spectrum24 IEEE 802.11b wireless network device

# SYNOPSIS

`# all architectures`
`wi* at pci?`
`wi* at pcmcia? function ?`
`wi* at uhub? port ?`

`# macppc extra attachment`
`wi* at macobio?`

# DESCRIPTION

The `wi` driver provides support for wireless network adapters based around the Lucent Hermes, Intersil PRISM-2, Intersil PRISM-2.5, Intersil PRISM-3, and Symbol Spectrum24 chipsets. All five chipsets provide a similar interface to the driver.

The `wi` driver encapsulates all IP and ARP traffic as 802.11 frames, though it can receive either 802.11 or 802.3 frames. Transmit speed is selectable between 1Mbps fixed, 2Mbps fixed, 2Mbps with auto fallback, 5.5Mbps, 8Mbps, or 11Mbps, depending on hardware.

These are the modes the `wi` driver can operate in:

BSS mode
  Also known as infrastructure mode, this is used when associating with an access point, through which all traffic passes. This mode is the default.
IBSS mode
  Also known as IEEE ad-hoc mode or peer-to-peer mode. This is the standardized method of operating without an access point. Stations associate with a service set. However, actual connections between stations are peer-to-peer as in ad-hoc mode. Cards with very old firmware revisions do not support this mode.
IBSS master
  Also know as Host IBSS mode. In this mode the station takes on part of the role of an access point, though traffic does not pass through it to reach the other stations. When a group of stations are operating in IBSS mode, one of them must be the master, specifying the network name of the service set.
Host AP
  In this mode the driver acts as an access point (base station) for other cards. Only cards based on the Intersil chipsets support this mode. Furthermore, this mode is not supported on USB devices.
ad-hoc mode
  More accurately known as ad-hoc demo mode. This mode does not require an access point; the adapter communicates with other ad-hoc stations within range on a peer-to-peer basis. This mode is not specified by the IEEE 802.11 standard and there may be problems interoperating with adapters manufactured by different vendors.

The `wi` driver can be configured to use both software and hardware Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). It is strongly recommended that WEP not be used as the sole mechanism to secure wireless communication, due to serious weaknesses in it.

The Lucent WaveLAN/IEEE Silver and Gold cards as well as the Intersil and Symbol cards have support for WEP encryption. The WaveLAN Gold as well as newer Intersil and Symbol cards support 104-bit keys, the others only accept 40-bit keys. The Lucent WaveLAN/IEEE Bronze cards do not support WEP at all. See also CAVEATS below.

In BSS mode, the driver supports powersave mode, which can be enabled via ifconfig(8).

The `wi` driver can be configured at runtime with ifconfig(8) or on boot with hostname.if(5).

# HARDWARE

Cards supported by the `wi` driver come in a variety of packages, though the most common are of the PCMCIA type. In many cases, the PCI version of a wireless card is simply a PCMCIA card bundled with a PCI adapter. The PCI adapters come in two flavors: true PCMCIA bridges and dumb PCMCIA bridges. A true PCMCIA bridge (such as those sold by Lucent) will attach as a real PCMCIA controller. The wireless card will then attach to the PCMCIA bus. Wireless cards in PCMCIA slots may be inserted and ejected on the fly. A dumb bridge, on the other hand, does not show up as a true PCMCIA bus. The wireless card will simply appear to the host as a normal PCI device and will not require any PCMCIA support. Cards in this type of adapter should only be removed when the machine is powered down.

The following cards are among those supported by the `wi` driver:

Card | Chip | Bus
3Com AirConnect 3CRWE737A | Spectrum24 | PCMCIA
3Com AirConnect 3CRWE777A | Prism-2 | PCI
Acer Warplink USB-400 | Prism-3 | USB
Actiontec HWC01170 | Prism-2.5 | PCMCIA
Actiontec HWU01170 | Prism-3 | USB
Adaptec AWN-8030 | Prism-2.5 | PCMCIA
Addtron AWA-100 | Prism-2 | PCI
Addtron AWP-100 | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Agere ORiNOCO | Hermes | PCMCIA
AirVast WM168b | Prism-3 | USB
AmbiCom WL1100C-CF | Prism-3 | CF
Ambit WLAN | Prism-3 | USB
Apacer Wireless Steno MB112 | Prism-3 | USB
Apple Airport | Hermes | macobio
ARtem Onair | Hermes | PCMCIA
ASUS SpaceLink WL-100 | Prism-2.5 | PCMCIA
ASUS SpaceLink WL-110 | Prism-2.5 | CF
ASUS WL-140 | Prism-3 | USB
Belkin F5D6020 (version 1 only) | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Belkin F5D6001 (version 1 only) | Prism-2 | PCI
Belkin F5D6060 (version 1 only) | Prism-2.5 | CF
Buffalo AirStation | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Buffalo AirStation | Prism-2 | CF
Cabletron RoamAbout | Hermes | PCMCIA
Compaq Agency NC5004 | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Compaq W100 | Prism-3 | USB
Contec FLEXLAN/FX-DS110-PCC | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Corega PCC-11 | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Corega PCCA-11 | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Corega PCCB-11 | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Corega CGWLPCIA11 | Prism-2 | PCI
Corega WLUSB-11 | Prism-3 | USB
Corega WLUSB-11 Key | Prism-3 | USB
D-Link DCF-660W | Prism-2 | CF
D-Link DWL-120 (rev F) | Prism-3 | USB
D-Link DWL-122 | Prism-3 | USB
D-Link DWL-520 (rev A and B only) | Prism-2.5 | PCI
D-Link DWL-650 (rev A1-J3 only) | Prism-2.5 | PCMCIA
ELSA XI300 | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
ELSA XI325 | Prism-2.5 | PCMCIA
ELSA XI325H | Prism-2.5 | PCMCIA
ELSA XI800 | Prism-2 | CF
EMTAC A2424i | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Ericsson Wireless LAN CARD C11 | Spectrum24 | PCMCIA
Gemtek WL-311 | Prism-2.5 | PCMCIA
Hawking Technology WE110P | Prism-2.5 | PCMCIA
I-O DATA WN-B11/PCM | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
I-O DATA WN-B11/USB | Prism-3 | USB
Intel PRO/Wireless 2011 | Spectrum24 | PCMCIA
Intel PRO/Wireless 2011B | Prism-3 | USB
Intersil Prism II | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Intersil Mini PCI | Prism-2.5 | PCI
Intersil ISL3872 | Prism-3 | PCI
Intersil Prism 2X | Prism-3 | USB
JVC MP-XP7250 | Prism-3 | USB
Linksys WCF12 | Prism-3 | CF
Linksys Instant Wireless WPC11 | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Linksys Instant Wireless WPC11 2.5 | Prism-2.5 | PCMCIA
Linksys Instant Wireless WPC11 3.0 | Prism-3 | PCMCIA
Linksys WUSB11 v3.0 | Prism-3 | USB
Linksys WUSB12 | Prism-3 | USB
Longshine 8301 | Prism-2 | PCI
Lucent WaveLAN | Hermes | PCMCIA
Melco WLI-USB-KB11 | Prism-3 | USB
Melco WLI-USB-KS11G | Prism-3 | USB
Melco WLI-USB-S11 | Prism-3 | USB
Microsoft MN510 | Prism-3 | USB
Microsoft MN520 | Prism-2.5 | PCMCIA
NANOSPEED ROOT-RZ2000 | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
NDC/Sohoware NCP130 | Prism-2 | PCI
NEC CMZ-RT-WP | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Netgear MA111 (version 1 only) | Prism-3 | USB
Netgear MA311 | Prism-2.5 | PCI
Netgear MA401 | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Netgear MA401RA | Prism-2.5 | PCMCIA
Netgear MA701 | Prism-2.5 | CF
Nokia C020 Wireless LAN | Prism-I | PCMCIA
Nokia C110/C111 Wireless LAN | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Nortel E-mobility 211818-A | Spectrum24 | PCI
NTT-ME 11Mbps Wireless LAN | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Pheenet WL-503IA | Prism-3 | USB
Planex GW-NS11H | Prism-3 | PCMCIA
Planex GW-US11H | Prism-3 | USB
Pretec Compact WLAN OC-WLBXX-A | Prism-2.5 | CF
Proxim Harmony | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Proxim RangeLAN-DS | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Samsung MagicLAN SWL-2000N | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Samsung MagicLAN SWL-2210P | Prism-2 | PCI
Senao NL-2511CF | Prism-3 | CF
Senao NL-2511MP | Prism-2.5 | PCI
Siemens SpeedStream SS1021 | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Siemens SpeedStream SS1022 | Prism-3 | USB
Sitecom WL-022 | Prism-3 | USB
SMC 2632 EZ Connect | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
Symbol Spectrum24 | Spectrum24 | PCMCIA
Symbol LA4123 | Spectrum24 | PCI
Syntax USB-400 | Prism-3 | USB
TDK LAK-CD011WL | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
US Robotics 1120 | Prism-3 | USB
US Robotics 2410 | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
US Robotics 2445 | Prism-2 | PCMCIA
ViewSonic Airsync | Prism-2.5 | USB
Z-Com XI-725/726 | Prism-2.5 | USB
Z-Com XI-735 | Prism-3 | USB
ZyXEL ZyAIR B-200 | Prism-3 | USB

Note that some of the PRISM-II adapters only work at 3.3V, hence cardbus(4) support is required for those cards to set VCC correctly, even though they are really 16-bit cards.

USB support is still experimental and the device may stop functioning during normal use. Resetting the device by configuring the interface down and back up again will normally reactivate it.

Several vendors sell PCI adapters built around the PLX Technology 9050 or 9052 chip. The following such adapters are supported or expected to work:

3Com AirConnect 3CRWE777A (3.3V)
Addtron AWA-100
Belkin F5D6000 (a rebadged WL11000P)
Eumitcom WL11000P
Global Sun Technology GL24110P (untested)
Global Sun Technology GL24110P02
Linksys WDT11 (a rebadged GL24110P02)
Longshine 8031
Netgear MA301
Siemens/Efficient Networks SpeedStream 1023
US Robotics 2415 (rebadged WL11000P)

# EXAMPLES

The following example scans for available networks:

`# ifconfig wi0 scan`

The following hostname.if(5) example configures wi0 to join network “mynwid”, using WEP key “mywepkey”, obtaining an IP address using DHCP:

    nwid mynwid nwkey mywepkey
    inet autoconf

The following hostname.if(5) example creates a host-based access point on boot:

    inet 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0
    mediaopt hostap
    nwid mynwid nwkey mywepkey

# DIAGNOSTICS

wi0: init failed
  The WaveLAN card failed to come ready after an initialization command was issued.
wi0: failed to allocate N bytes on NIC
  The driver was unable to allocate memory for transmit frames in the NIC's on-board RAM.
wi0: device timeout
  The WaveLAN failed to generate an interrupt to acknowledge a transmit command.

# SEE ALSO

arp(4), ifmedia(4), intro(4), netintro(4), pci(4), pcmcia(4), usb(4), hostname.if(5), ifconfig(8)

HCF Light programming specification.

# HISTORY

The `wi` device driver first appeared in FreeBSD 3.0. OpenBSD support was added in OpenBSD 2.6.

# AUTHORS

The `wi` driver was written by Bill Paul <wpaul@ctr.columbia.edu> and ported to OpenBSD by Niklas Hallqvist <niklas@appli.se>.

# CAVEATS

The original Lucent WaveLAN cards usually default to channel 3; newer cards use channel 10 by default. Non-Lucent cards vary, for instance the Addtron cards use channel 11 by default. See ifconfig(8) for information on how to change the channel.

Not all 3.3V `wi` PCMCIA cards work.

IBSS creation does not currently work with Symbol cards.

The host-based access point mode on the Intersil PRISM cards has bugs when used with firmware versions prior to 0.8.3 and is completely unusable with firmware versions prior to 0.8.0 and 1.4.0-1.4.2.

Software WEP is currently only supported in Host AP and BSS modes. Furthermore, software WEP is currently incapable of decrypting fragmented frames. Lucent-based cards using firmware 8.10 and above fragment encrypted frames sent at 11Mbps. To work around this, Lucent clients with this firmware revision connecting to a Host AP server should use a 2Mbps connection or upgrade their firmware to version 8.72.

Host AP mode doesn't support WDS.

Support for USB devices is buggy. Host AP mode and AP scanning are not currently supported with USB devices.

March 27, 2025 | Debian