topic Re: WlanHostedNetworkQueryStatus function does not work in 11a mode in Wireless

WlanHostedNetworkQueryStatus function does not work in 11a mode

idata — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 21:49:37 GMT

Hello,

I've been testing the Centrino chipset as an AP via Microsoft's Wireless Hosted Network API (for details on the API, see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd815243(v=vs.85).aspx About the Wireless Hosted Network).

The problem that I'm having is that the http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd439493(v=vs.85).aspx WlanHostedNetworkQueryStatus function fails consistently with error 5023 - ERROR_INVALID_STATE when I have the adapter configured in 802.11a mode via Device Manager -> Properties -> Advanced -> Wireless Mode = "1. 802.11a". This does not happen when the adapter is configured to b/g, a/b/g, or a/g modes.

I suspect that this is a problem caused by the hosted network running on an 11a channel, which is what I am trying to accomplish. In any of the other modes (b/g, a/b/g, or a/g), a 11b channel is picked and the problem does not happen. Also, this problem doesn't happen on the Broadcom and Atheros chipsets I've tested, so it seems to be a problem in the Centrino driver. 6235

You can reproduce this completely with the following steps:

Use Device Manager to set the Centrino adapter to 802.11a mode.
Open an administrator command prompt
Run "netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=TestHostedNetwork key=TestPass"
Run "netsh wlan start hostednetwork"
Run "netsh wlan show hostednetwork" - the netsh utility will print the error string "The group or resource is not in the correct state to perform the requested operation."

I've tested this on the following chipsets and the issue happens consistently on all of them:

Centrino Advanced-N 6205
Centrino Advanced-N 6235
Centrino Ultimate-N 6300

I've also tested this on the following driver versions and the issue happens consistently on all of them:

15.1.1.1
15.1.0.18
14.0.0.133

Could someone from the Centrino driver team see if this is a fixable problem? It prevents us from recommending Centrino laptops to our customers who want to use their laptop as an 802.11a hotspot.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Jared

Re: WlanHostedNetworkQueryStatus function does not work in 11a mode

DHeal3 — Sun, 12 Oct 2014 19:54:43 GMT

I am also having this problem when trying to use Intel Wi-Fi cards as a soft-AccessPoint when configured in 802.11a only mode (5 GHz)

I have tried the following cards with the latest drivers Wireless_17.1.0_De164.exe using a fully patched Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit o/s:

Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200
Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6235
Intel Wireless AC-7260

All are dual-band cards. All operate correctly as a soft-AP in 802.11b, 802.11g or 802.11n modes (2.4 GHz), but none in 802.11a only mode (5 GHz).

The cards are capable of operating as a soft-AP at 5 GHz as if I configure into 802.11 a/b/g/n mode, and then manually attach as a client to a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network, then the card will operate as a 5 GHz soft-AccessPoint correctly.

Any ideas???

Re: WlanHostedNetworkQueryStatus function does not work in 11a mode

Jose_H_Intel1 — Mon, 13 Oct 2014 18:53:45 GMT

Please allow us more time to investigate this further.

As far as I could see trying to replicate this issue, the wireless adapter can only broadcast in the 2.4 GHz band (channel 6, the same as the router); so, dh29 how did you accomplish this?

Re: WlanHostedNetworkQueryStatus function does not work in 11a mode

DHeal3 — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 08:40:44 GMT

My understanding of dual-band cards acting as soft-AP is that the band that they operate on as a soft-AP is the same band that the card is on as a client. [This raises the question of what band does the soft-AP operate on if the WLAN card is not connected to any network? The answer to this appears to be that the card always generates a 2.4 GHz soft-AP if it is not connected to a Wi-Fi network.]

In other words:

If the WLAN card is connected to a 2.4 GHz network as a cliet, then the soft-AP it generates is also on 2.4 GHz.
If the WLAN card is connected to a 5 GHz network as a client, then the soft-AP it generates is also on 5 GHz.
If the WLAN card is NOT connected to a Wi-Fi network , then the soft-AP it generates is on 2.4 GHz.

I must stae that I am not an expert in the area of Windows7/8/8.1 generation of a soft-AP using a mini-PCIe WLAN card. The above statements are from a bit of information from Microsoft, and some pratical tests.

To answer your question of how did I get the card acting as a 5 GHz soft-AP:

The Intel WLAN card is configured into 802.11 a/b/g mode. (DeviceManager -> AdvancedSettings)
First ensure that there is a 5 GHz AccessPoint available. Lets call it SSID: FULL_AP5.
Connect to this 5 GHz (FULL_AP5). So at this stage the Intel WLAN card is acting as a client on FULL_AP5 network and is operating in the 5 GHz band.
Now start a soft-AP e.g. SSID: SOFT_AP5. You can do this manually using the various 'netsh wlan ... hostednetwork' or use a 3rd party application like Connectify. As the Intel WLAN card was already connected onto FULL_AP5 operating in the 5 GHz band, then SOFT-AP5 will also be in the 5 GHz band.

Back to the original problem.... If I have the Intel WLAN card configured in 802.11a mode (i.e. 5 GHz ONLY) then following the same procedure above, fails at Step (4) !!

Re: WlanHostedNetworkQueryStatus function does not work in 11a mode

Jose_H_Intel1 — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 21:23:46 GMT

Then, you can start the hosted network by setting the hotspot machine's and clients' adapters Preferred Band to 5 GHz and mixed mode (802.11 a/b/g).

Re: WlanHostedNetworkQueryStatus function does not work in 11a mode

DHeal3 — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 07:58:08 GMT

Setting the adapter's Preferred Band to 5 GHz makes no difference to the band that the soft-AP is started on. My understanding of the Preferred Band setting is used when 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz networks with the same SSID can be seen - in this case 5 GHz would be the preferred choice. My problem is that I cannot start a 5 GHz soft-AP when there are no other Wi-Fi networks.

Re: WlanHostedNetworkQueryStatus function does not work in 11a mode

Jose_H_Intel1 — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 21:17:43 GMT

We have confirmed that this behavior is expected based on the configuration used.

I am truly sorry for the inconvenience.

Re: WlanHostedNetworkQueryStatus function does not work in 11a mode

DHeal3 — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 10:07:50 GMT

Just to clarify...

Are you stating that it is NOT possible to have a soft-AP when the adapter is configured to "802.11a" mode in DeviceManager->NetworkAdapter->Advanced->WirelessMode.
That this 'feature' is how INTEL intended it to be, therefore it is is NOT a bug?

Re: WlanHostedNetworkQueryStatus function does not work in 11a mode

tvete — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 16:17:01 GMT

I'm not an Intel rep but I can assure you that it is NOT a bug. When you select the 802.11a mode, the adapter turns off the 2.4 GHz band. Intel had configured to not use the 5 GHz frequence for wireless hosted networks as part of the FCC regulation. As such you can't set a hosted network when the 2.4 GHz radio is off. However, you can change the channel of the hosted network on the Ad hoc channel 802.11 b/g setting in device manager. You can purchase a non-FCC regulated card such as the ASUS PCIE cards that allows you to not only use 5 GHz band but also select DFS channels as the channel for your hosted network.

Re: WlanHostedNetworkQueryStatus function does not work in 11a mode

DHeal3 — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 16:58:26 GMT

Thanks 'theveterans'. I suspected as much, but wanted confirmation from Intel so that I can definitively state in our product design meeting that a soft-AP is not possible when in 802.11a only mode.

I also had a support request into Intel's 'official' support channel asking the same question. So far that has resulted in an Intel 'support' person constantly asking about the manufacturer of the PC I am using or whether I'm using Win7 or Win8. Not exactly relevant when it seems the adapter is doing what it was designed to do. I can't understand why it takes Intel so long to state the facts about its own products!!!

Thanks again 'theveterans'.

Re: WlanHostedNetworkQueryStatus function does not work in 11a mode

Jose_H_Intel1 — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 16:55:17 GMT

This is not a bug and it is not possible to accomplish unless the wireless adapter is setup as described in post number 4 while it is connected to a 5 GHz AP.