[Linux-disciples] Re: Continuing name-resolution weirdness

[Stephen R Laniel]

On Fri, Jan 14, 2005 at 01:35:36PM -0500, Adam Rosi-Kessel wrote:
> There are a number of packages that autodetect your environment and 
> bring up the proper interface based on that--for example, if you have 
> a client you visit repeatedly with a nonbroadcast essid, you could put 
> in some test with one of the packages that checked to see if it can 
> ping the server with that essid and if so it will know that is where 
> it is.

Very interesting, and thank you for the description of the
various configurations. I had no idea about all the
'wireless-' options within /etc/network/interfaces. A little
digging points to
/usr/share/doc/wireless-tools/README.Debian, which nicely
explains that putting 'wireless_<function> <value>'
within one of the /etc/network/interfaces stanzas will
result -- before the interface is brought up -- in a call
to

iwconfig <interface> <function> <value>

Straightforward enough.

Now, as to the nonbroadcast ESSID bit: can you suggest a
specific package that will ping a router with a given ESSID?
A little googling doesn't point out any obvious candidates.
(Bonus points if you know the technical details behind how
the app will figure out whether the nonbroadcast ESSID is
nearby. Is there some way to query any WiFi router whose
ESSID is marked '<hidden>' to ask, "Is <thus and so> your
ESSID?")

-- 
Stephen R. Laniel
steve at laniels.org
+(617) 308-5571
http://laniels.org/
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 189 bytes
Desc: Digital signature
Url : http://lists.bostoncoop.net/pipermail/linux-disciples/attachments/20050115/05ed990e/attachment.pgp