[pkg-wpa-devel] A challenge: wpa_supplicant + wlan button + zeroconf

[Felix Homann]

Hi again,

here's a challenge:

Show me how this will work with the new approach:

1. I've got one wpa-psk network configured in my wpa_supplicant.conf (the 
default/home network)
2. I've got a second entry to connect to any open access point.
3. I want to get an IP by DHCP by default.
4. I want to have zeroconf as a fallback (if DHCP fails).
5. I want to be able to switch the network on/off with my notebook's wlan 
button even without logging in and manually ifupping the interface first.
6. I don't want to wait on boot for a minute or so if there is no AP or the 
radio is switched off.

This has been working before (and is again) with the "mode 3"-daemon together 
with ifplugd.

As I've written in another thread I have solved the main issues, but I have to 
disable the zeroconf fallback. While I first thought this was not that 
important it is actually a step back.

Here's the preliminary solution:

/etc/network/interfaces:
==============

auto lo wlan
iface lo inet loopback
iface wlan inet manual
       wpa-conf /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
       wpa-action-timeout -1
       # the example wpacli-action-dhclient script:
       wpa-action /etc/wpa_supplicant/roaming.sh 
       wireless-powerperiod 4

/etc/default/zeroconf:
=============

#IFBLACKLIST="wlan"
FALLBACK=yes

-----------------------

Here are the problems:

1.  With this setup zeroconf will run on the interface. I won't get an IP via 
DHCP. I have to increase wpa-action-timeout to prevent this.
2. If I increase wpa-action-timeout boot will hang for the given time if the 
radio is switched off or there is no configured AP.
3. If I don't set wlan to auto I have to manually ifup the interface, i.e. I 
have to login.

My temporary non-solution is to uncomment the IFBLACKLIST line 
in /etc/default/zeroconf. My only solution so far is to get back to the init 
script + ifplugd.

So, those of you who dislike the init script, show me how this will work in 
the new order.

Kind regards,

Felix