[MLB-WIRELESS] [Fwd: WAP11 - software 100mw output power hack]

[Drew]

Forwarding from the seattle list... for those with linksys wap11's, 
maybe this will make up for their pathetic range

-d

Ok, since this seems to be a new topic, I thought I'd start a new thread.

Step 1)
Download this:
http://www.gigafast.com/drivers/SNMPV1743.exe

(I also have it on my ftp at ftp://www.andrewhakman.dhs.org/wap11/, but the 
university's main router/firewall where my server is went down about 2 hours 
ago, and I'm not sure when it will be back up)

Step 2)
If you have ver 1.1 hardware, you can use 1.4h3, but if you only have ver 1 
hardware, you must have firmware 1.4gx to use that configuration utility 
mentioned above (the ver 1 hardware doesn't support SNMP in 1.4h3 for 
whatever reason). Make sure you use the linksys or SMC config util to setup 
SNMP (in the SMC util, there's even a program that can scan the network at 
layer 2 (MAC) to allow you to change the IP if it's on the wrong subnet 
without using the USB config util - more on the SMC util at the bottom)

Step 3)
Install above ap configurator. Once installed, go to c:\windows or c:\winnt 
(if you run nt4/2k) and find snmpmanager.ini. Edit so it looks like this:

[SNMPmanager]
AppMode=2
AppView=2

Step 4) Run the Atmel AP configurator, log into your AP using the password 
you previously set, and "Administrator" as the authority setting.

Step 5)
HAVE FUN - you have ALL the options, even the ones that the linksys software 
doesn't give you. This also gives any compatable AP (like the SMC MC2655W 
and the Netgear ME102) all the extra operating modes like briding and AP 
clinet and whatnot.

For the output power part, go to the Radio -> configuration option. All the 
textboxes that come up are the power output for each channel. The highest 
output power (100mw supposedly) is at hex value 80, and as you change the 
value (in either direction) from 80, the power output drops linearly (so 7A 
and 86 are the same power output). These settings might also explain why out 
of the box, performance isn't the same on all channels (with ver 1.1 
hardware, certain channels have lower output power by default, with ver 1 
hardware, they're all the same)!

Step 6)
Use File -> download changes to send your new settings to the AP

Step 7) (optional, but FUN FUN FUN!)
Using your Orinoco signal meter, actually see an increase in power output 
from the WAP-11 (if you have an Orinoco card that is) - you should be able 
to see signal of -30dB easily if you are close to the WAP-11, instead of the 
-50 you normally see from 30mW devices.


Other interesting things

1) There must be something else that can be changed in the .ini file to 
allow you to actually change, _and make stick_, the operational region 
setting, thus you can put it in japan region, and get all 14 channels (and 
pump them all up to 100mw) which could allow you to run bridges in channels 
that don't interfer with regular access points in a really dense network, 
etc. With this current hack, you can change the setting, but it never sticks 
in the AP - once you disconnect and reconnect to it, it's back to it's usual 
FCC domain.

After exams, and when I'm not doing the 10 million other things I want to do 
_after exams_, I'm going to see if I can reverse engineer this software and 
see if there is some other mode or line it's looking for in the .ini file. I 
also think that there may be another option besides administrator and user 
when you initally log in like OEM or something like that, and that that 
option is just hidden until you feed it the right value in the .ini file. I 
have used eXescope to take an inital look, but couldn't see the options of 
the dropdown.

2) Using the SMC config program for their MC2655W (which hardware wise is 
identical), you can (as I mentioned before) change the IP even if it's not 
on the same subnet, and do everything (including FIRMWARE UPDATES) ACROSS 
THE NETWORK via SNMP. This means that you don't need to think about USB over 
Ethernet (I've tried it by the way - works to ~60 feet - you must use all 4 
pins in USB - even though the WAP-11 is externally powered, USB uses it's 
power pins to decide if a device is connected or not) or having physical 
access to the unit's USB port to do firmware updates (like if you mount it 
in a weather proof box on your roof!).

I also have the SMC config util on my ftp, when they fix the router and it 
comes back up - ftp://www.andrewhakman.dhs.org/wap11

Have fun playing with your WAP11/SMC MC2655W/or Netgear ME102 (and others 
too) in all operating modes at 100mw on all channels now!

Andrew Hakman

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