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

[Felix Homann]

On Tuesday 11 April 2006 23:05, Kel Modderman wrote:
> Could you please briefly explain what zeroconf is, why it is required,
> and what does it do? (I've never heard of it before).

Sure, here's an excerpt of the Debian package's README:

"Zeroconf is a program that you can use to claim IPv4 link-local (LL)
addresses.  IPv4 LL addresses are useful if you wish to setup ad-hoc
networking between devices without the involvement of a either a DHCP
server or your (very busy) network administrator.

These addresses are allocated from the 169.254.0.0/16 address range
and are normally attached to each Ethernet device in your computer.
Addresses are assigned randomly by each host and, in case of
collision, both hosts (are supposed to) renumber.

IPv4 LL networking, coupled with DNS Service Discovery (DNS-SD),
allows you to connect printers, cameras and, of course, other
computers together and things will "Just Work".  All without a
centralised DHCP or DNS server.

That means making it possible to take two laptop computers, and
connect them with a crossover Ethernet cable, and have them
communicate usefully using IP, without needing a man in a white lab
coat to set it all up for you."

For more details see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeroconf

Regards,

Felix