---
name: "wlanconfig"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "madwifi-tools"
version: "1:0.9.4+r3685.20080531+dfsg-1"
release: "Debian 5.0 (Lenny)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/wlanconfig"
---

# wlanconfig(8)

Create, destroy and manipulate madwifi VAPs

## NAME

**wlanconfig** - Create, destroy and manipulate madwifi VAPs

## SYNOPSIS

**wlanconfig \<vap\> create wlandev \<base device\> wlanmode \<mode\>**

- **wlanconfig \<vap\> destroy**

  - **wlanconfig \<vap\> list \<list item\>**

  ## DESCRIPTION

**The current MadWifi driver supports multiple APs and concurrent AP/Station** **mode operation on the same device.  The devices are restricted to using the** **same underlying hardware, thus are limited to coexisting on the same channel** **and using the same physical layer features. Each instance of an AP or station** **is called a Virtual AP (or VAP). Each VAP can be in either AP mode, Station** **Mode, "special" station mode, and Monitor mode. Every VAP has an associated** **underlying base device which is created when the driver is loaded.**

## ARGUMENTS

- **\<vap\> create \[nounit\] wlandev \<base device\> wlanmode \<mode\> \[uniquebssid\]**

  **Create the interface \<vap\> using the specified \<base device\> and \<mode\>. \<vap\> can either be a full interface name (e.g. 'ath0'), or just the suffix (e.g. 'ath'), in which case, the kernel will automatically append the next vacant integer. \[nounit\] will turn off the automatic integer increments.**

- **\<vap\> destroy**

  **Removes the given VAP interface. You must specify the full interface name. I.e 'ath0' rather than just 'ath'.**

- **\<vap\> list \<list item\>**

  **Show information about connected peers, keys, channels etc.**

## AVAILABLE MODES

- **ahdemo**

  **Create the station in ad-hoc demo (aka pseudo IBSS) mode.**

- **adhoc**

  **Create the station in ad-hoc mode.**

- **ap**

  **Create the VAP in AP mode.**

- **monitor**

  **Create the station in monitor mode.**

- **sta**

  **Create the VAP in station mode.**

- **wds**

  **Create the station in WDS mode.**

## OPTIONS

- **uniquebssid**

  **Create the VAP using a new unique MAC address, different from the underlying device.**

- **bssid**

  **Synonym for uniquebssid, for backward compatibility.**

- **-bssid**

  **Ignored for backward compatibility.**

- **nosbeacon**

  **Ignored for backward compatibility.**

## LIST ITEMS

- **sta or no parameters.**

  **Show information on associated stations.**

- **scan or ap**

  **List all visible stations.**

- **chan or freq**

  **List all channels and frequencies.**

- **active**

  **List all available channels and frequencies.**

- **keys**

  **List all of the keys associated with the VAP**

- **caps**

  **List the capabilities of the given VAP.**

- **wme**

  **List WME (Wireless multimedia extensions, aka WMM) parameters.**

## EXAMPLES

- **wlanconfig ath create wlandev wifi0 wlanmode sta**

  **Create a station mode VAP, using wifi0 as the underlying device. The interface wil be called athN, where N is the first free integer. The MAC address will be the same as the underlying device.**

- **wlanconfig ath0 create wlandev wifi0 wlanmode sta**

  **Create a station mode VAP (ath0) using wifi0 as the underlying device. The MAC address will be the same as the underlying device.**

- **wlanconfig ath0 create wlandev wifi0 wlanmode ap**

  **wlanconfig ath1 create wlandev wifi0 wlanmode sta nosbeacon**

  Create both an AP and a station mode interface.

  - **wlanconfig ath0 destroy**

    **Destroy VAP ath0.**

  - **wlanconfig ath0 list scan**

    **Scan for local stations and access points.**

  - **wlanconfig ath0 create wlandev wifi0 wlanmode ap**

    **wlanconfig ath1 create wlandev wifi0 wlanmode wds**

    **iwconfig ath0 essid "Normal atheros AP" channel 1**

    **iwpriv ath1 wds\_add \<mac of the peer wds ap\>**

    **iwpriv ath1 wds 1**

    **ifconfig ath1 up**

    **ifconfig ath0 up**

    **brctl addbr br0**

    **brctl addif br0 ath1**

    **brctl addif br0 ath0**

    **ifconfig br0 up**

    Create a WDS bridge. See http://madwifi.org/ for more information.

## AUTHOR

This manual page was written by Matt Foster \<mattfoster@clara.co.uk\>, using information from the Atheros user documentation, and MadWiFi users mailing list.