=================================================================== Proxim Corp. November 2002 WaveLAN Station firmware Update utility (WSU) WSU10872 =================================================================== TABLE OF CONTENTS: 1. Software Description 2. System Requirements 3. New In This Release 4. Technical Support ------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. SOFTWARE DESCRIPTION 1.1 About this software The WaveLAN Station firmware Update utility (WSU) is a tool to update the firmware on your Agere Systems "Wireless" Card. The WSU can function on any computer running the MS-Windows 95, 98, 98-ME, 98-SE, NT, 2000 or XP Operating System, that has been equipped with a "Wireless" Card. The "Wireless" Card firmware makes the "Wireless" products: * Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) certified by the Wireless Ethernet Compatiblity Alliance (WECA). * Interoperable with any other wireless LAN system based on Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) radio technology that complies with the IEEE 802.11 and IEEE 802.11b Standards on wireless LANs. * Backwards compatible with any other previously released product of the Agere Systems "Wireless" product family. 1.2 Files The WSU comprises the following files: * WSU10842.EXE WSU * WSU.HLP WSU Help info * WSU.CNT WSU Help Contents * README.TXT this file 1.2 Versions WaveLAN Station firmware Update utility Variant 1 Version 4.54 contains: Primary Functions firmware Variant 1 Version 4.00 Station Functions firmware Variant 1 Version 8.72 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS 2.1 Operating System The WSU can function on any computer running the MS-Windows 95, 98, 98-ME, 98-SE, NT, 2000 or XP Operating System, that has been equipped with a "Wireless" Card. 2.2 Free Disk Space The installation of the WSU requires a free disk space of approximately 500 KB. 2.3 Driver Version This WSU is only compatible with Windows Miniport Drivers of Release 6.1 (v 6.14) or higher. ------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. NEW IN THIS RELEASE 3.1 Station Functions firmware v 8.72 November 2002 Addition of the following functions/features: • One of the fields in the transmit frame descriptor was not always initialised, causing FCS errors in fragmented frames. • Station would not follow when AP changes channel. The problem scenario: STA connected to an AP; AP is set to a different channel and rebooted; meanwhile STA reports out-of-range; AP in the air again, so STA would come in range again; station should take over the channel from the Probe Response, but due to a bug this channel was overwritten with the old channel. (Fixes since version 8.52:) • Encryption status of the connection with the AP got lost when Promiscuous Mode is enabled, causing frames to be sent unencrypted. The NCB 1 was erroneously not marked occupied and re-assigned to one of the STAs in the BSS due to Promiscuous Mode, causing the Encryption status to be cleared. • (# 10040) When STA is the only STA in an IBSS, it stopped beaconing after a while. This problem was introduced by the VCO band tuning fix in version 8.42. When a STA detects it’s the only STA in the IBSS it is going to scan other channels to see if the network is maybe there. Due to the bug, the scan process never completed as it kept hanging in the channel change logic. (Fixes since version 8.58:) • (# 9893) The Ruby radio needs a bit more time to wake up from sleep mode then was designed for in the firmware (was 750 µs). This sometimes caused the card to miss the Beacon that announces traffic for the STA, causing additional delay in the communication. The wake up time has now been extended to 1 ms. •(# 10138) A received CF-End frame did not properly reset the NAV, causing the STA to wait the full CFP duration announced in the Beacon. This resulted in some performance loss when associated to an AP that uses PCF. •(# 10040 continuation) When STA is the “Beacon Master” in an IBSS, it did not always respond to the Diagnostic Scan request from the host and did stop beaconing then, especially if the STA is the only STA left in the IBSS (so always “Beacon Master”). Version 8.58 did not solve this completely. A signal, between the connection control process where the “Beacon Master” status is maintained and the diagnostic control process, was missing in case the “Beacon Master” state was suspended because of the Diagnostic Scan request. •(# 10174) In environments with multiple repetitive roaming events (e.g. with heavy RF interference), the WEP encryption engine reset procedure got mixed up and kept hanging, causing all outgoing signals to be encrypted, including frame headers. This caused all further communication to fail. •(# 10285) The Promiscuous Mode fix applied in version 8.52 left a problem that multiple NCBs could be created in the STA to represent the AP. This caused information about the AP to be scattered over the NCBs and therefore wrongly interpreted. (Fixes/changes since version 8.70:) • The change in the data rate fallback algorithm, as introduced in version 8.42 (CN000120, SR02-1), turned out to cause performance problems due to the increased number of lost messages in mobile applications. The original algorithm (as in version 8.10) has been restored. Note: This may decrease the throughput performance (up to 6%) in stationary tests with multiple (5 or more) stations.) • The special fragmentation of encrypted frames transmitted at 11 Mbit/s, as introduced in version 8.10 (CN000107, Winter 2002), caused performance degradation when the STA is connected to a non-Agere (Hermes1-based) AP. In addition, it caused an interoperability issue with a LinkSys AP. Therefore, this feature has been removed. Note: This may decrease the throughput performance with WEP encryption enabled in tests against an Agere (Hermes1-based) AP. The solution for this is an upgrade of the AP to a Hermes2-based NIC. • The Ruby modem out-of-band check was continued even when the modem was asleep due to card power management. Although this check had no impact, if was superfluous and is therefore now no longer done in this state. • The configuration value for the PM Holdover Duration (RID 0xFC0D) was not used; instead always the default value of 100 (ms) was used. Note: This configuration parameter is supported in a limited number of environments only; typically under DOS only.) 3.2 Station Functions firmware v 8.42 May 2002 Addition of the following functions/features: · New batch Ruby cards showing that VCO band tuning under temperature changes is not working correctly. VCO band-tuning algorithm checks out-of-band situation, on detection the VCO band is changed. · Special LEAP authentication mode is using normal open system authentication type instead of LEAP auth. Mode 0x80. · The observation was made that access point firmware could select the wrong RF channel after the ruby radio (PHY) is powered. Disable/enable command sequence forces the radio to select the right RF channel. · WDS connection is not set-up accordingly WEP or clear text setting. No communication possible. · When two IBSS networks with different SSID’s were on the same channel it was possible to receive and transmit traffic . · Rate algorithm change removed to send last retry at 2 Mbit/s. This was resulting in wrong dynamic results in roaming environments. · Initialise command functionality change in respect to PHY power setting. After the initialise command is finalized the PHY power is turn off, this to avoid power usage when the card is running idle after the initialise command. · Performance improvement, changed fallback algorithm send last retry frame at 2 Mbit/s to avoid exhausted retry situation that need higher layer recovery. · Repaired WEP capability bit settings. · Repaired Fixed bug in AP when configuration changed from WEP to Clear text operation, capability bits were not set correct in Beacon and Auth. Frames. · Performance improvement, changed fallback-rate algorithm to fallback on retry exhausted event, Sta and AP (Functional change). · IBSS interoperability issue resolved with Cisco configured for fixed datarate , Station (Bug-fix) · Next Receive frame lost after collision, Receive buffer was not cleared. Sta and AP (Bug-fix) · IBSS not fragment WEP frames at 11Mbit/s, was resulting in USB IBSS hang-up during large file transfers, Sta (Bug-fix) · Power-LED functionality change, continuously power-LED ON during searching for connection. · Closed system AP show zero (0x0) in probe response, Windows XP zero config, AP (Functionality change) · Fixed bug in AP when configuration changed from WEP to Clear text operation, disable command was not clearing WEP enabled flag. · PAEL support for Apple prop. Authentication type. · IBSS connect events changed for Windows XP, Station (Functional change) · Apple special added LEAP support. 3.3 Station Functions firmware v 8.10 Winter 2002 Addition of the following functions/features: · Repaired capability bit setting in probe responses, to avoid interoperability issue’s (STA and AP, Bug-fix) · Tx Gain value for Ruby 4 chip changed (STA and AP, Functionality change) · Apple special added LEAP support. · Select correct synthesizer tables for type SA8026 (MFI =4) mainly used on MiniPCI cards, Station and AP (Bug-fix) · Initialise WEP engine after generated random IV, Station and AP (Bug-fix; This caused Shared Key Authentication to fail)) · Ruby 4.0 support, Gain Table loaded from PDA item 161, MFI range 6..6. (STASupRange Top := 12) · Queuing Services move Transmit scheduler / Access Control function was using context 6 resources, change into context 4 resources ( AP, Bug-fix) · Linktest response changed for power management bits to comply with documented format. · Repaired write DesiredSSID copy to ScanSSID with “ANY” resulting in memory overwrite, non-functional card. · Support for Cards with Ruby-based Radio. In addition to support for the previously developed RF Modems, the firmware now also supports the Ruby based RF Modems. · WEP Weak Key Avoidance. The key that is input to the WEP RC4 encryption algorithm consists of the secret key configured by the user (or via 802.1x) concatenated with the IV (Initialization Vector). The IV is determined by the transmitting station. By excluding certain IV values that would create so-called "weak keys", the weakness of WEP as described in "Weaknesses in the Key Scheduling Algorithm of RC4" by Scott Fluhrer, Itsik Mantin and Adi Shamir, and demonstrated through the AirSnort program, are avoided. Note that, as the IV is always determined by the transmitting station, there is no impact on interoperability. Stations/APs with weak key avoidance implemented can interoperate with stations/APs that do not have this. Of course, protection against this attack is provided only if all stations and APs implement this new scheme. · Product Differentiation for "Personal" Card. A new ORiNOCO card is in development: the "Personal Card". The Station Functions firmware applies restrictions when running on such card. Currently identified restriction is: * WakeOnLAN is not supported. Additional features may be restricted on this card. · Encrypted Frames at 11 Mbit/s are now Fragmented. Frames to be transmitted encrypted at 11 Mbit/s are now fragmented into fragments of maximum 540 bytes. This is a workaround to reduce the performance impact on the AP when multiple stations are transmitting encrypted frames at 11 Mbit/s to the AP. Correction of the following problems: · The firmware did not pass through the WaveLAN-II Management Protocol frames for the APList protocol (WMP PDU-Types 2 and 3). Now it does. · In RF monitor mode a hang-up could occur due to received CF End or CF-End+CF-Ack frames. 3.4 Station Functions firmware v 7.52 Summer 2001 Addition of the following functions/features: · Tertiary firmware. The Station Functions firmware is now provided in two variants: * Variant 1, Secondary firmware; stored in the non-volatile memory (FlashROM) of the card, and during the initialization of the card copied to the volatile memory (RAM) for execution. This is loaded on the card during production and can be updated in the field (e.g. by means of the WSU). * Variant 2, Tertiary firmware; during the initialization of the card the host software (e.g. driver) downloads this firmware into the card's volatile memory (RAM) for execution. (The Secondary firmware in the card's FlashROM is then not updated and not used.) Both these variants provide the same functionality. · CF Awareness. CF (Contention Free) Awareness makes that our (client) stations are coexistent with systems that use the PCF (Point Coordination Function) mode of operation. This is an 802.11 requirement, and proposed (but probably not pursued) as an upcoming Wi-Fi requirement. · Enhanced Power Management. Enhanced Power Management (EPM) is now made available. EPM toggles the card between Power Management mode and Continuous Active mode, dependent on communications activity. When the card has not done a transmit or receive for a certain period, it will go into Power Management mode. · WEP IV starts at random value. The Initialization Vector (IV) for the WEP encryption now starts at a random value. This is considered more secure. · Basic Rate settings during IBSS mode. The Basic Rates are now also implemented in the IBSS (Peer-to- Peer) mode. 3.5 Station Functions firmware v 7.28 Spring 2001 The following functionality has been added: - Microwave Oven Robustness changed to use fragmentation. In order to keep frames short (in time) to get them transmitted during the transmit gaps of a (domestic) microwave oven, the MAC will fragment long frames. - Station adaptation of cell thresholds. The Station adapts itself to the settings of the Access Point it associates with. This applies to the following parameters: * Distance between APs, * RTS/CTS Medium Reservation, * Microwave Oven Robustness. These parameters are passed to the Station by the Access Point, and overrule the settings in the Station. Hence this feature functions only if the Access Point(s) support it. - Load balancing. This feature attempts to balance the load over the available overlapping cells. The Access Point maintains measurement of the load in its cell and provides that to the Stations. Stations use this information in their roaming decisions. The better the comms quality to potential Access Points, the bigger the impact of the load is. This feature functions only if the Access Points support it. The following problem has been solved: - The power LED is turned off when the radio's modem is disabled through the Disable Radio function. 3.6 Station Functions firmware v 6.16 Winter 2001 The following problems have been solved: - Problems with Network Name ANY in Peer-to-Peer (IBSS) mode have been corrected. - Security with encryption in Peer-to-Peer (IBSS) mode has been improved. Previously, a connection could be set up between a station with encryption enabled and a station with encryption disabled and these stations would communicate in the clear. Note that a station that did not have encryption enabled with the correct key, could not intercept the (encrypted) data exchanged between stations with encryption enabled. Now the implementation is such that, with encryption enabled, the station will always encrypt the data. All stations need to have encryption enabled with the same key to be able to communicate in the same Peer-to-Peer (IBSS) network. ------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Technical Support 4.1 Finding Information On the ORiNOCO Web Site you can find the most recent device drivers, bridge firmware, software updates and user documentation. World Wide Web: HTTP://WWW.ORINOCOWIRELESS.COM or FTP://FTP.ORINOCOWIRELESS.COM 4.2 Contact Technical Support If you encounter problems when installing or using this product, or would like information about our other "ORiNOCO" products, please contact your local Authorized "ORiNOCO" Reseller or Proxim Corp. Sales office. Addresses and telephone numbers of the Proxim Corp. Sales offices are listed on our Proxim Corp. Web Site. Help us Helping you! When contacting Technical Support, please use the Problem Report (report.txt) and send it to us by Fax or E-Mail. A completed Problem Report Form that includes the details about your "ORiNOCO" product and its host environment will help us helping you to solve your problems. =================================================================== END OF FILE