This topic is for ConnectCore 6 SOMs that have an Atheros AR6233 wireless MAC. If you are using a ConnectCore 6N SOM that has a Qualcomm QCA6564 wireless MAC, see this topic for ConnectCore 6 Plus, which uses the same Wi-Fi chip.

Wi-Fi Direct

Wi-Fi Direct is a wireless standard that allows devices to connect with each other without requiring a wireless access point. Wi-Fi Direct negotiates the link with a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) system that assigns each device a limited wireless access point.

Establishing a peer-to-peer (P2P) link has the following phases:

  • P2P discovery, which allows to search for P2P devices in the vicinity

  • P2P group formation, a P2P group is formed with the identification of one of the devices as group owner. A device can either become group owner (GO) autonomously if configured to do so or it can be negotiated between devices with the exchange of GO intents.

  • P2P provisioning, which authenticates the link by using either Push Button Configuration (PBC) or PIN authentication.

  • P2P connection, when the connection between a Group Owner (GO) and a Group Client (GC) is actually established.

The QCA6574 driver on load creates a p2p0 interface that is used by the wpa supplicant for P2P group formation. Once a group is formed, virtual p2p-N interfaces are created, where N is an index starting at 0. These virtual interfaces are then used for provisioning.

  • Group additions, find and connect operations happen on the p2p0 interface.

  • Provisioning occurs on the virtual p2p-N interfaces.

  • This configuration requires MAC addresses to be different and unique. Configure the virtual interfaces before attempting to connect more than one device.

The following instructions show how to configure the device to use Wi-Fi Direct. you must create a virtual interface with the following command:

~# iw dev wlan0 interface add p2p0 type managed

Now modify the /etc/network/interfaces and change the p2p0 interface as follows:

/etc/network/interfaces

auto p2p0
iface p2p0 inet static
        address 192.168.43.30
        netmask 255.255.255.0
        wpa-driver nl80211
        wpa-conf /etc/wpa_supplicant_p2p.conf

Now bring up the interface with the following command:

~# ifup p2p0

The following examples will use two ConnectCore 6 devices to establish P2P connections. For more information about the wpa-supplicant P2P specific commands, see the wpa_supplicant and Wi-Fi P2P README.

Autonomous GO creation

In kernel v4.9, peer-to-peer Autonomous Group Owner (Autonomous GO) configuration fails due to an incompatibility in the wireless driver. Digi recommends you use the Negotiated Group Owner (Negotiated GO) method.

Create Autonomous Group Owner (GO) and join using PBC method

Peer (GO) ---- PBC --- Peer (GC)
Steps Peer CC61 Peer CC62

1

wpa_cli -ip2p0

wpa_cli -ip2p0

2

p2p_group_add

 

3

 

p2p_find

4

 

p2p_connect <CC61_go_mac_addr> pbc join

5

Ctrl-c to exit

Ctrl-c to exit

6

wpa_cli -i p2p-0 wps_pbc

 

7

ifconfig p2p-0 <CC61_ip_addr>

ifconfig p2p-0 <CC62_ip_addr>

8

ping <CC62_ip_addr>

ping <CC61_ip_addr>

Create Autonomous GO and join using PIN from GO

Peer (GO) ---- PIN --- Peer (GC)
Steps Peer CC61 Peer CC62

1

wpa_cli -ip2p0

wpa_cli -ip2p0

2

p2p_group_add

 

3

 

p2p_find

4

Ctrl-c to exit

 

5

wpa_cli -ip2p-0 wps_pin any (shows <pin>)

 

6

 

p2p_connect <CC61_go_mac_addr> <pin> join

7

 

Ctrl-c to exit

8

ifconfig p2p-0 <CC61_ip_addr>

ifconfig p2p-0 <CC62_ip_addr>

9

ping <CC62_ip_addr>

ping <CC61_ip_addr>

Create Autonomous GO and join using PIN from GC

Peer (GO) ---- PIN --- Peer (GC)
Steps Peer CC61 Peer CC62

1

wpa_cli -ip2p0

wpa_cli -ip2p0

2

p2p_group_add

 

3

 

p2p_find

4

 

p2p_connect <CC61_go_mac_addr> pin join (shows <pin>)

5

Ctrl-c to exit

Ctrl-c to exit

6

wpa_cli -ip2p-0 wps_pin any <pin>

 

7

ifconfig p2p-0 <CC61_ip_addr>

ifconfig p2p-0 <CC62_ip_addr>

8

ping <CC62_ip_addr>

ping <CC61_ip_addr>

Create Autonomous GO and invite GC using PBC

Peer (GO) ---- PBC --- Peer (GC)
Steps Peer CC61 Peer CC62

1

wpa_cli -ip2p0

wpa_cli -ip2p0

2

p2p_group_add

 

3

 

p2p_find

4

p2p_invite group=p2p-0 peer=<CC62_mac_addr>

 

5

 

p2p_connect <CC61_go_mac_addr> pbc join

6

Ctrl-c to exit

Ctrl-c to exit

7

wpa_cli -i p2p-0 wps_pbc

 

8

ifconfig p2p-0 <CC61_ip_addr>

ifconfig p2p-0 <CC62_ip_addr>

9

ping <CC62_ip_addr>

ping <CC61_ip_addr>

For any of these methods, if you want to use the 5GHz frequency, issue p2p_group_add freq=5180 in step two.

Negotiated GO

Negotiate GO and join using PIN

Peer (GO | GC) ---- PIN --- Peer (GO | GC)
Steps Peer CC61 Peer CC62

1

wpa_cli -ip2p0

wpa_cli -ip2p0

2

p2p_find

 

3

 

p2p_find

4

p2p_connect <CC62_go_mac_addr> pin go_intent=1

 

5

 

p2p_connect <CC61_go_mac_addr> <pin> go_intent=15

6

Ctrl-c to exit

Ctrl-c to exit

7

ifconfig p2p-0 <CC61_ip_addr>

ifconfig p2p-0 <CC62_ip_addr>

8

ping <CC62_ip_addr>

ping <CC61_ip_addr>

Negotiate GO and join using PBC

Peer (GO | GC) ---- PBC --- Peer (GO | GC)
Steps Peer CC61 Peer CC62

1

wpa_cli -ip2p0

wpa_cli -ip2p0

2

p2p_find

 

3

 

p2p_find

4

p2p_connect <CC62_go_mac_addr> pbc go_intent=1

 

5

 

p2p_connect <CC61_go_mac_addr> pbc go_intent=14

6

Ctrl-c to exit

Ctrl-c to exit

7

ifconfig p2p-0 <CC61_ip_addr>

ifconfig p2p-0 <CC62_ip_addr>

8

ping <CC62_ip_addr>

ping <CC61_ip_addr>