Re: Possible GSOC project ideas

[todd rme <toddrme2178 gmail com>]

On Tue, Feb 26, 2013 at 1:14 AM, Pavel Simerda <psimerda redhat com> wrote:
> ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "todd rme" <toddrme2178 gmail com>
> > http://www.wi-fi.org/discover-and-learn/wi-fi-direct
>
> Thanks.
>
> > It is normally something built into the network card.  The wireless
> > chipset needs to have support for it.  As I said, it is already being
> > implemented in wpa supplicant.
> >
> > From wikipedia:
> >
> > Wi-Fi Direct, previously known as Wi-Fi P2P, is a standard that
> > allows Wi-Fi devices to connect to each other without the need for a
> > wireless access point.
>
> Is it just that someone failed to realize there is ad-hoc wifi mode?

The difference between wifi direct and ad-hoc mode is that wifi direct
allows a pair of devices to negotiate a connection between themselves
directly, rather than just having a standard ad-hoc network that many
devices can connect to.

In terms of how it behaves in practice, imagine a bluetooth connection
running over a wifi connection at wifi speeds.  Of course it doesn't
support bluetooth protocols, but in terms of how you set up the
connection it is similar.

To clarify: this is a standard established by the wifi alliance, the
same group in charge of all other wifi standards, including the ad-hoc
network standard.

> > This allows Wi-Fi Direct devices to directly transfer
> > data between each other with greatly reduced setup. Wi-Fi Direct
> > works
> > by embedding a limited wireless access point into the devices, and
> > using Wi-Fi Protected Setup system to negotiate a link.
>
> The only think I heard about WPS is that it is insecure. Sorry for that. Maybe I'm just commenting on 
> something I don't have enough information on.

WPS PIN mode is insecure, but although WIFI direct supports that the
implementations I have seen all use the push-button mode, which as far
as I am aware is reasonably secure.