Ad-Hoc experiment

[Bill Moss <bmoss clemson edu>]

Home Managed mode network (mosswap): AP/router/switch - server - FC3 
laptop - wife's XP laptop

Ad-Hoc network (mossadhoc): FC3 laptop - wife's XP laptop.

I switched the XP laptop to Ad-Hoc mode and then used NM to 'Create a 
new [Ad-Hoc] Wireless Network' (mossadhoc). I was able to switch back 
and forth between mosswap and mossadhoc using the panel applet on the 
FC3 laptop. What I noticed was that everytime I reconnected to 
mossadhoc, iwlist on the FC3 laptop showed a different MAC address. In 
gconf the list of addresses for mossadhoc grew. This is apparently a 
property of Ad-Hoc mode. From NetStumbler.org

An ad-hoc station will scan for an available IBSS to join. If it cannot 
find one, it will generate a random IBSSID that will be used by 
subsequent stations joining the network. Some standalone IBSS clients 
will repeatedly scan and create a new 1-member IBSS, this will appear as 
a steady stream of new networks with identical SSIDs and different 
IBSSIDs. Not all wireless devices exhibit this behavior, but it should 
be possible to replicate it with Lucent/Agere based devices.

Under the circumstances, does it make sense to accumulate MAC addresses 
in gconf for Ad-Hoc networks. The list could grow long. Just storing the 
last one used should suffice.

--
Bill Moss
Professor, Mathematical Sciences
Clemson University