8.2-767 Mesh vs. AP on same channel wierdness

[Joseph A. Feinstein]

Hi Gary,

I will try to reproduce it here at 1cc - looks interesting.

Regards,

Joe
----------
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2008 19:59:00 +0000
From: Gary C Martin <gary at garycmartin.com>
Subject: 8.2-767 Mesh vs. AP on same channel wierdness
To: OLPC Devel <devel at lists.laptop.org>
Cc: sugar List <sugar at lists.laptop.org>
Message-ID: <000725F6-A06E-457B-B005-CA52CDD3698D at garycmartin.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes

Hi,

Just wanted to ping the dev list regarding the current expected
8.2-767 behaviour for Mesh vs. AP use.

I now have 3 XOs here for testing all running 8.2-767, usually
trying** to keep all 3 attached to an AP I have here for internet
access. All 3 also have a blank jabber server set so that I can test
collaboration locally (via either Mesh or AP without a schoolserver).
The AP*** is on channel 1, and I've noticed that if two XOs are set to
Mesh channel 1, they still 'see' the other one XO on the AP, and the
one XO on the AP still see the two XOs on Mesh channel 1:

- all 3 XO buddies are visible in neighbourhood
- sharing an activity (Chat) shows up in all 3 neighbourhoods
- shared activity can be joined but with some caveats:
    -- all XOs correctly start-up and show all 3 buddy icons in right
frame
    -- the sharing XO (Mesh1) can only actually chat successfully with
XO on Mesh1
    -- the XO not on Mesh1 fails to Chat with the others (stays in
Private mode)

My concern here is that I thought allowing Mesh + AP (though
technically possible) had been disabled to prevent network storms in
school installations. It appears that the Mesh is still running****
even when connected to an AP... Also in schools with APs but no
schoolservers I'd be worried kids will be seeing a lot of sharing
glitches/bugs because their XO had drifted off the AP (after a suspend
usually for me).

Can someone point me to a relevant trac ticket (there are so many it's
hard to know what's relevant), or I'll go open another ;-)

BTW: the above behaviour is the same for 2 XOs on AP ch 1, 1 XO Mesh1;
and 2 XOs on Mesh1, and 1 XO on AP ch1.

** usually works fine, but suspending almost always kills subsequent
AP access (neighbourhood icon goes an odd brown colour) and requires a
reboot before the XO will connect to the AP again.

*** D-Link DSL-G604T just using simple WEP authentication.

**** to be clear, the bottom frame is only showing one network device
so Mesh must be running with no UI hook being shown (I know there are
other, separate I think, UI bugs where you see multiple network device
icons down in the frame when trying to change networks).

Sorry for the rambling email,
--Gary