How to build a WAP with Linux and 2 wireless NIC's?

[Frank van Wensveen]

Hi, everyone,
I've got a Linux (RedHat 7.3) server and 2 Avaya Worldcard (gold)
wireless PCMCIA cards. I'd like to set up a public hotspot on the
Linux server. (I know an off-the-shelf AP is easier, but this is one
of those zero-budget projects that I do at home, hoping to learn from
it.)
I've got the most recent Linux 2.4 kernel, pcmcia and wireless
extensions etc., loaded as kernel modules, and all seems to be well:
iwconfig and other wireless tools recognize the Avaya network card and
assigns eth2, a fixed IP address and a route to it.
On my (very old) notebook computer I see the Linux server when I run
NetStumbler. The notebook runs Windows '95. (Yes, I know, I know, but
it's a P75 with 16Mb that I usually run Linux on, so Windows 95 is a
big enough load for the old clunker as it is.)

But somehow the notebook doesn't seem to be able to connect to the
Linux server. Both sides are (or should be) in peer-to-peer / Ad-Hoc
mode, and when I switch WEP on and off on the server, NetStumbler
detects this. But that's it. When I run iwconfig on the server, I get:

    Link Quality:0/92  Signal level:-102 dBm  Noise level:-102 dBm

and nothing else. The server doesn't seem to 'hear' the notebook.
Switching the cards doesn't change this. Something else that's weird:
when I switch WEP off on the server (set the key to off), NetStumbler
sees 2 (two) AP's, one with and one without WEP.

I'm confused...
Questions:
1. I'm not sure the notebook is configured correctly. How exactly
should I set the Avaya client software under Windows '95 to access a
public hotspot?
2. What's with the dual AP's that I see in NetStumbler when I fiddle
with WEP at the Linux server end?
3. Which steps should I take to set up a public wireless hotspot on
RH7.3 Linux *after* the system correctly recognizes the wireless card
when I plug it in to the server's PCMCIA slot?

All response is appreciated!




Regards,
    Frank

-- No man is an island if he's on at least one mailing list.

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Email: frankvw at euronet.nl
Homepage: http://www.vanwensveen.nl
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