Google Summer of Code

Improve the netcfg-package of d-i

Max Linke

Short description: Add WPA2 support and use nl80211 to search for ESSID and prompt the user with a list of available ESSID.

Name Max Linke
Contact/Email: email: max_linke-debian@gmx.de, IRC kain88, jabber enoch@jabber.org

Background: I'm enrolled as a master student for physics in Göttingen, Germany. Currently I'm studying abroad in Vienna with ERASMUS.During my studies I have written and worked with several simulations written in C/C++, so I'm familiar with it. I'm using Debian testing/unstable for over a year now and had to use bash to customize my installation and I've used it to process experimental data.

Project title Improve the netcfg-package of d-i

Project details: At the moment it is rather really userfriendly to install debian over a wifi-network. I plan to change this situation with this project. In the beginning I will add methods to scan for available ESSID, the user will then be prompted with a list showing network in reach with encryption method and signal strength. I think the best way to implement this is to add the nl80211  Once this works I should be able to reuse some code of iw to scan for ESSIDs in reach. After this is done I will add for WPA2 (AES-PSK), as far as I know with this d-i should be usable on most WiFi setup's. I have to admit that I have no clear plan on how to add WPA2, I think it should be possible to use wpa_supplicant, I've read in some old emails that Gaudenz already made some work to create a udeb for it. I guess the hardest part will be to get libnl-tiny and nl80211 into d-i.

Synopsis: netcfg will be able to look for available ESSIDs and prompt the user with a list and add support for WPA2.
Benefits to Debian Making it easier to install debian over WiFi so that more people will use it.

Deliverables: Fix #637128 and add support for WPA2 (AES-PSK) if time permits fix also #636211,#610831,#251333

Project schedule:
23.4-20.5
  • Reading Documentation. Discuss how to prompt a ESSID-List to the user. 
  • trying to rebuild some udeb packages to get familiar with packaging. 
  • setting up work environment 
  • Discuss if wpa_supplicant is the right way to add WPA2
21.5-4.6
  • add libnl-tiny to d-i
5.6-21.6 
  • add nl80211 to the netcfg udeb
22.6-26.6 
  • use nl80211 to scan fo available ESSID
27.6-3.7
  • add a prompt so that the user can choose one of the found ESSID
3.7-9.7
  • Study for exams
10.7-13.7
  • Prepare midterm evaluation
14.7-9.8
  • work on WPA2(AES-PSK) support
  • if I finish this work early I will work on #636211,#610831,#251333
4.8-24.8
  • Fix reported bugs and test my code on as many different platforms as possible 
  • write documentation 
  • prepare for final evaluation

Exams and other commitments: My term will end in June so I will have some exams in the beginning of July, most of them are oral exams so I can't give exact dates yet. Additionally I will have 2 exams at the end of May.

Other summer plans: I'll make one or two weekend trips to germany to visit my family and friends.

Why Debian?:I've started using OpenSource extensively when I started studying and use Debian for a while now. I really love Debian as a OS and encourage others to give it a try. Also I'm specially interested in a comfortable install over WiFi because that's the only working internet connection I have right now and it was really cumbersome to install debian the last time (I've installed a squeeze base system and used my other PC to download and install all the packages needed to get a WiFi-connection) and I'd really like to change that for future releases of debian.

Are you applying for other projects in SoC? Yes I will apply for another project