Allow monitor mode vaps to process error frames

Allow monitor mode interfaces to capture error frames

Thanks for the patch, looks good. Just one thing:

Personally, I find the term "error frame" misleading (although it has been used in the driver before). For me as a non-native english speaker it sounds as if "error frames" are special frame types that signal an error situation, or something like that. But instead it refers to "normal" frames which had one or more formal errors during receiption.

So the question for native speakers: wouldn't something like "erroneous frames" or "defective frames" be a less misleading term?

Last but not least a reminder: when this patch is submitted, relevant wiki pages should be updated in regards to the existence and meaning of this sysctl knob.

Hi,

Yes I agree that the term "error frame" isn't quite right. I had originally used the term "monitor_fcs_errors" but there are other possible reasons for a frame to be tagged as in error.

So there are a couple of options. We could have several very specific sysctls for setting which types of error we are interested in, or we could just use a generic term. Maybe "monitor_rx_frame_errors"?

How about something like "monitor_drop_invalid_frames" which is set to True by default?

Invalid suggests that they're not able to be used for some reason, and doesn't have the connotations of them being a formal notification of an error.

Matt,

My feeling is that the option should be something you turn on (it's additional functionality), rather than turning off default behaviour.

I do like the term "invalid" though. I think "monitor_invalid_frames" is a good candidate. Any objections, or should I go ahead and make the change?

Use "monitor_invalid_frames" instead of "monitor_error_frames". Signed-off-by: Scott Raynel <scottraynel@gmail.com>

Hi,

This patch doesn't catch all frames with errors. For example, frames that are deemed too short are dropped. I'm working on a better patch at the moment, so please don't commit this patch yet.

Cheers.

@Scott: any news on the improved patch you mentioned to work on in your last comment? No need to hurry, however I would like to know if by any chance the patch should still be scheduled for 0.9.3 or delayed for 0.9.4 (or later).

As discussed, I'll get a patch sorted in the next couple of days. Cheers.

Improved patch for monitoring frames with errors. Signed-off-by: Scott Raynel <scottraynel@gmail.com>

Attached an improved patch for monitoring frames with errors. This patch now creates two sysctl entries, one to enable passthrough of frames that failed their CRC check, and the other to enable passthrough of frames that were marked as PHY errors.

I'll commit it once I get the green light.

Cheers.

Patch looks ok on a quick glance. I have no objections. Maybe you should wait one or two days, in case that one of the others objects.

Committed in r1969.