View Full Version : StarOS v1.13.3b9-3904 ready for testing
Changes between v1.13.3b8 and v1.13.3b9:
Fixed: Atheros Inter-BSS relay has been improved, and solves a problem which can result in a system hang if one associated clients tries to access another, who is no longer available.
Update: Atheros station statistics are now accurate (rx and tx values), as well as the reporting of the client IP address.
New: Support has been added for the Myson MTD-8xx PCI Ethernet cards. (Router & Server Editions)
To enable Atheros support, you can purchase an Atheros-enabled key from your reseller, or online via www.license-keys.com. All Server keys include the Atheros license. Do not generate a key that is locked to an Atheros card, as the key itself determines if the Atheros support is activated.
Atheros cards tested: D-Link DWL-AB520, DWL-AG520, DWL-G520, Proxim 8482-WD
Cards reported to work: WG311 (802.11G)
Any and all comments are welcome.
DESKTOP SYSTEMS
Desktop Server Edition:
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/strs-1.13.3b9-3904.iso
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/strs-1.13.3b9-3904.bin
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/strs-1.13.3b9-3904.raw
Desktop Router Edition:
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/strr-1.13.3b9-3904.iso
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/strr-1.13.3b9-3904.bin
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/strr-1.13.3b9-3904.raw
SPECIAL PURPOSE SYSTEMS
Soekris & MODO Router Edition:
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/strrs-1.13.3b9-3904.iso
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/strrs-1.13.3b9-3904.bin
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/strrs-1.13.3b9-3904.raw
WRAP Router Edition:
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/strrw-1.13.3b9-3904.iso
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/strrw-1.13.3b9-3904.bin
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/strrw-1.13.3b9-3904.raw
Routerboard Router Edition:
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/strrb-1.13.3b9-3904.iso
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/strrb-1.13.3b9-3904.bin
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/strrb-1.13.3b9-3904.raw
CPE SYSTEMS
SBC CPE Edition:
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/cpe-1.13.3b9-3904.iso
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/cpe-1.13.3b9-3904.bin
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/cpe-1.13.3b9-3904.raw
Desktop CPE Edition:
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/cpev-1.13.3b9-3904.iso
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/cpev-1.13.3b9-3904.bin
http://www.star-os.com/downloads/oem-vnc/cpev-1.13.3b9-3904.raw
This is the last v1.13.3 BETA, please report any problems you find with this release.
Thanks!
bobbyc
12-08-2003, 06:37 PM
Agere AP functions look good, I associated a orinoco client card, and a new "ciscoized" WET11 v2; which has a agere chipset as well. Speedtests showed up as expected. (600KB rx, 500 tx)
I then took the agere card out of the starOS, and inserted my AG520. Set it to 802.11b, channel 11, rate 11, country code US, and left ACK and TX power to 0.
The WET11 v2 and orinoco client card (XP) showed up on the association list, but the WLAN light on the WET11 v2 did not light up. On the XP laptop, XP showed a wireless connection was present (network connection symbol was not X'd out), but the orinoco client manager still showed "searching for network"
Are you guys not finished with the 802.11b portion of the driver?
I also tried setting TX power to 30 and ACK to 200.
Going to setup a 2nd starOS box now and test 802.11a.
Bob C
The 802.11b portions are complete, however some of the client devices may not like the extended capability information provided by the AP (such as region, country, extended rates, etc.).
The cards we've tested are many Generic Prism 2, DWL-520 Prism 2.5 (StarOS and Windows), and ORiNOCO Ruby and Hermes cards in StarOS as clients.
bobbyc
12-08-2003, 06:48 PM
Cool well then I'll try associating a 1st gen WET11 (bromax prism 2.5) and see if it likes it.
Bob C
What firmware version does your ORiNOCO client card use? Can you upgrade the firmware to see if it helps?
bobbyc
12-08-2003, 08:17 PM
Wow, I've never seen such speeds! Goodbye TrangoLink10, you are coming off the tower. I can't wait to get this .a stuff outdoors.
Tony, my orinoco pcmcia already has 8.72 on it, along with the latest client manager/drivers...
Bob C
bobbyc
12-08-2003, 08:28 PM
I tried the ydi ruby pcmcia card I have too, same thing.
I think I have the agere client manager, which is basically the same thing as the orinoco.
Once I was able to get the client managers' icon in the task bar to turn green. But when I went to test results in the client manager, it was blank (no signal/rate readings) and there were no received packets, just sent and lost.
Bob C
bobbyc
12-08-2003, 09:22 PM
Allright here's some more info to sort thru:
802.11b
Channel 11
Rate 11
ACK 200
Country Code US
TX Power 30
WET11 v2: Does not associate but every once in a while shows up in starOS association list.
WET11 v1: Associates, but rx is only about 2KB and tx is 12KB.
If I change the rate on the AP from 11 to auto,
WET11 v2: Associates and gets 600KB rx and 500KB tx
WET11 v1: same behavior as when AP is set to 11mbps... (very very slow)
If you want me to test anything else, let me know.
Bob C
edit: after reading the sticky posts here I set ACK and TX Power back to 0 which resulted in the same results. The ruby and orinoco card now associates to the AP when the AP rate is set to auto... but sometimes the client card does need to be ejected and reinserted into the laptop for the client manager to find the AP. Otherwise XP finds the AP, but I can't ping it until the client manager finds it and turns green. Linktest is grayed out, but at least I can ping and my tx/rx are around 500-600KB.
Thank you for the testing information. Have you tried a standard Prism 2.xx, or WET11's Prism 2.5 card in a Windows and / or StarOS client?
Thanks!
bobbyc
12-08-2003, 11:50 PM
Not yet.
When I saw the dismal speed results from the WET11 v1 I pulled the AG520 out of the starOS and put in a ricoh/orinoco to test the WET11 v1 associated to something that is known to work and got ~600/500KB... so I know that the AG520 is having trouble with the WET11 v1 whether the AG520 is in 11mb or auto rate mode.
I will test for you the following associated to the AG520 in 11mb and auto rate modes:
bromax 2.5 pcmcia in winXP laptop
" in starOS client
CB3 (senao 2.5 200mw) ethernet bridge
Bob C
bobbyc
12-09-2003, 12:24 AM
bromax/XP: behaved normally (rate jumped around a bit but I couldn't lock bromax rate in it's client manager. Didn't work when AP was set to 11mbps, only auto. What's weird is that just like the orinoco card in XP, when the AP is set to 11mbps, the client will show up in the association list, but the client manager on XP will not show it as associated and there is no IP information in the association list.
CB3: behaved just like the WET11 v1; real bad speeds (2-25KB) regardless of rate of AP.
starOS client w/ bromax and senao 2.5 cards: pending.
Bob C
Thank you for the information. Will be looking forward to your other test results.
bobbyc
12-09-2003, 05:10 PM
Do you think the 11/auto problem is with just the AG520 or all atheros cards? Do you think it will be able to be fixed by the driver or is it something atheros has to fix?
Bob C
We use the AG520 during testing, and will be doing some testing shortly to see why you are unable to associate if it's locked to 11Mbps.
Thanks!
bobbyc
12-09-2003, 05:46 PM
Cool. I'll try to get that last starOS to starOS association testing done tonight; I had to go take a ride in a snow cat to one of our towers today :)
Bob C
mlarsen
12-11-2003, 01:19 PM
I put a 2.4 grid on the Atheros card, hooked up to connector G1 and finally got a link to a North pointing 11db sector at the other end (hooked up to a Lucent 802.11b card and YDI 500mw amp).
I was surprised to see this work, because my first attempt to link this site was with a Lucent card and YDI amp going through the same antenna. That didn't work at all, surprisingly enough. However, the Atheros card linked up and showed a decent signal. I left the site and the Atheros card is in full AUTO mode, auto channel, auto transmit rate, 500 ACK adjustment - even Auto operating mode.
Knowing that it would work ok in 2.4Ghz/802.11b mode, I headed to the AP side of the connection to see if I could get it to work in 802.11g mode unamped with a 19db flat panel, instead of the amped 11db sector. When I put the Atheros card there into G mode, gave it the correct ESSID and reset. I waited over five minutes for the remote side to link up, but it never did. So I set the Atheros card to 802.11b mode and waited. No link. I put the amp inline to the 19db antenna. Again, no link. I plugged the Lucent card in AP mode into the amp and 19db flat panel antenna. Fired right up.
So now the link is up and working. On the AP side, it is a Lucent card (set to 20 miles) going into a YDI indoor amp, through four feet of coax into a Maxrad 19db antenna - in Horizontal Polarity. On the remote side, it is an Atheros card in full auto mode, unamped, going into a 24db grid dish. I have a -64 signal from the remote at the AP side and a -67 from the AP at the remote side. It has been solid so far, but I don't know why I can't get the Atheros to work on both sides or in G mode.
For fun, I went ahead and plugged the AP Atheros card into the leftover 11db sector antenna and set it up to be in G mode. We have one potential client that we were not to interested in serving because of his very large bandwidth transfer requirements, but we may revisit that just to see how the 802.11g holds up outdoors under a very, very heavy load.
Catch you later,
Matt Larsen, Managing Partner
Skybeam.net
mlarsen@skybeam.com
I'm having trouble linking a netgear ma311(802.11b) and a netgear wg311(802.11g)
With the G card in AP mode, it shows the B card in the association list, with good signal, but on the B side, the star-os reports no association. Tried various combinations of speeds and channels, no effect. So, I turned the link around, put the B card in AP mode, and the G card in client(station) mode. I got them to link and pass traffic, however the speed is horrible. Changing channels or rate settings doesn't seem to have any effect on it. It's getting around 10-20KB/s, and about 50% packet loss. Signals on both sides are -64 to -70, noise is < -95db. When I had the G card in AP mode, the version of star-os was b8, I had to take a trip to the office to switch it to Station mode. After that, I upgraded it to b9. I'm scared to switch it back to AP mode to test, I don't want to have to make another trip to the office(I'm on the B side of the link) The B side has version b8.
BTW, it seems the link works well at first, then causes trouble. Here is a ping when I activated changes on the B side. I actived changes on the first unreachable reply. The 2nd unreachable is after it alredy linked back up.
Reply from 192.168.20.10: Destination host unreachable.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from xx.xx.xx.249: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=63
Reply from xx.xx.xx.249: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=63
Reply from xx.xx.xx.249: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=63
Reply from xx.xx.xx.249: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=63
Reply from 192.168.20.10: Destination net unreachable.
Request timed out.
Reply from xx.xx.xx.249: bytes=32 time=641ms TTL=63
Reply from xx.xx.xx.249: bytes=32 time=63ms TTL=63
Reply from xx.xx.xx.249: bytes=32 time=78ms TTL=63
Reply from xx.xx.xx.249: bytes=32 time=1438ms TTL=63
Reply from xx.xx.xx.249: bytes=32 time=156ms TTL=63
Reply from xx.xx.xx.249: bytes=32 time=140ms TTL=63
Reply from xx.xx.xx.249: bytes=32 time=46ms TTL=63
Reply from xx.xx.xx.249: bytes=32 time=93ms TTL=63
Same effect when I use an Orinco card instead of the ma311(prism 2.5) in AP mode. Still scared to test the link in reverse
What mode is your wg311 card in? 802.11g or 802.11b?
If your card is in 'g' mode, most 802.11b APs that do not support the 'g' requirements will have very slow throughput, and general poor performance. (ie, very high latency while only transfering a small amount of data, etc.).
The solution is to set the Atheros client into 'b' mode, and not 'g' or Auto.
Atheros AP mode in 'g' will talk with most 802.11b clients without issues, however we are still testing and collecting user feedback.
the wg311 was first set to auto, when that didn't work, I changed it to B only mode. That didn't work either.
This is curious. I'm currently on a DWL-G520 Client card, linking to a remote tower running a Prism 2.0 AP (XI-300) and getting ~400KB/sec with a latency slightly lower than my Lucent card on the same link.
This is with the DWL-G520 set to 'B' mode. (using b9).
If I set the card to 'G' mode, I see exactly what you are seeing.
Can you verify the version number, and mode of operation on the remote end? Also, can you email me a snapsot of it's logs using the starutil utility.
Thanks!
I'll have to wait until later tonight, I replaced the B card with a G card to get it working again, I'll swap them back later tonight when the gamers have gone out or to bed.
Not a problem. Let us know how it goes.