hostapd changes (configuration file and RADIUS without 802.1X)

Jouni Malinen jkmaline at cc.hut.fi
Sun Jan 12 14:28:04 EST 2003


I changed hostapd to use a configuration file instead of command line
arguments. Debug and daemonize options can still be modified from
command line, but everything else is read from a file.
hostapd/hostapd.conf is an example configuration file with all available
configuration items.

Current code supports configuration reloading partially. If the process
is signaled with HUP signal, hostapd will reread the configuration file
and replaces the old configuration with new one. All dynamic data is not
yet updated, so some changes are not taken into use without restarting
the program. However, at least accept/deny lists for 802.11
authentication and RADIUS passwords can be changed without stopping the
process (i.e., without losing data about associated stations). Please
use full path to the configuration file when starting hostapd since
working directory will be changed if the process is daemonized.

I added support for using MAC address -based lists to accept/deny 802.11
authentication. In addition, external RADIUS server can be used to
contain this information in a centralized (shared by multiple APs)
location. With macaddr_acl=2, hostapd will query RADIUS server with
Access-Request (User-Name and User-Password attributes set to station
MAC address) if the MAC address is not found from accept/deny lists.

RADIUS authentication for 802.11 can be used both with and without
802.1X. Likewise, RADIUS accounting does not require 802.1X.


I'm planning to release next version of the Host AP driver, so I try to
avoid adding new features and concentrate more on testing now. I have
multiple contributed patches in my queue and I'll try to get these
processed now, but other new features can wait for some time.

-- 
Jouni Malinen                                            PGP id EFC895FA



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