| 32 | | The goal of this tutorial is to perform a vertical handoff over WiFi and WiMAX in the Orbit testbed. Let's talk specifics with repect to each Orbit node. As briefly mentioned in the [http://groups.geni.net/geni/wiki/GENIExperimenter/Tutorials/WiMAXOpenFlow Introduction], the experiment will be conducted with three Orbit nodes -- the client, the server, and the AP. Up first, we have the client node. The client is equipped with an Intel 6250 WiFi/WiMAX network adapter and an Atheros 5000 series WiFi network adapter. The Intel 6250 has a limitation – it can support the operation of either WiFi or WiMAX but not both simultaneously. As such, the Intel 6250 will serve as the WiMAX adapter and the Atheros 5000 series will serve as the WiFi adapter on the client. The OpenFlow-based handoff solution will choose which of these network interfaces it would like to use in order to relay messages to the server. Speaking of which, the server is equipped with the same wireless cards as the client. In order to receive packets from the client over both WiFi and WiMAX, the server will listen for the client's traffic over both its WiFi and WiMAX interfaces. To do this seamlessly, the server will also implement an OpenFlow-based solution. More details about how OpenFlow is used in both the server and the client are provided as the tutorial progresses. The third and final Orbit node necessary for this tutorial is the AP. Like the client and the server, the AP also contains both an Intel 6250 and an Atheros 5000 series wireless card; however, it will only use the Atheros card. The Atheros card on the AP is used by the software package hostapd to provide a WiFi network for both the client and the server machines. If you are interested in expanding upon this experiment, it is worth noting that Atheros cards play very well with hostapd-based networks; however, some Intel cards (such as the Intel 6250) are not directly supported. This is the reason we choose to use the Atheros over the Intel 6250 to provide the WiFi network. |
| | 32 | The goal of this tutorial is to perform a vertical handoff over !WiFi and WiMAX in the Orbit testbed. Let's talk specifics with repect to each Orbit node. As briefly mentioned in the [http://groups.geni.net/geni/wiki/GENIExperimenter/Tutorials/WiMAXOpenFlow Introduction], the experiment will be conducted with three Orbit nodes -- the client, the server, and the AP. Up first, we have the client node. The client is equipped with an Intel 6250 !WiFi/WiMAX network adapter and an Atheros 5000 series !WiFi network adapter. The Intel 6250 has a limitation – it can support the operation of either !WiFi or WiMAX but not both simultaneously. As such, the Intel 6250 will serve as the WiMAX adapter and the Atheros 5000 series will serve as the !WiFi adapter on the client. The OpenFlow-based handoff solution will choose which of these network interfaces it would like to use in order to relay messages to the server. Speaking of which, the server is equipped with the same wireless cards as the client. In order to receive packets from the client over both !WiFi and WiMAX, the server will listen for the client's traffic over both its !WiFi and WiMAX interfaces. To do this seamlessly, the server will also implement an OpenFlow-based solution. More details about how OpenFlow is used in both the server and the client are provided as the tutorial progresses. The third and final Orbit node necessary for this tutorial is the AP. Like the client and the server, the AP also contains both an Intel 6250 and an Atheros 5000 series wireless card; however, it will only use the Atheros card. The Atheros card on the AP is used by the software package hostapd to provide a !WiFi network for both the client and the server machines. If you are interested in expanding upon this experiment, it is worth noting that Atheros cards play very well with hostapd-based networks; however, some Intel cards (such as the Intel 6250) are not directly supported. This is the reason we choose to use the Atheros over the Intel 6250 to provide the !WiFi network. |
| 400 | | k. Now that we have OVS and Floodlight running, the next thing to do in the setup script is to configure our network connections. We first need to disable IP forwarding, so that the kernel does not try to route packets around our OVS network. We then need to establish a link on each of the interface we would like to participate in the handoff -- WiFi and WiMAX. Note that WiFi is assigned to '''IFACE_B''' and WiMAX is assigned to '''IFACE_D'''. Also note the use of the WiFi AP variables we set in the first step of configuring this script. After WiFi and WiMAX each connect to their respective networks, we need to remove any IP addresses assigned by DHCP when the interfaces were brought up. In the case of this tutorial, we should not get an IP via DHCP for WiFi, since we're managing our own AP. It is possible that we received an IP over WiMAX though, so we need to remove it, just in case. This involves killing the running '''dhclient''' process for WiMAX. At this point, we're ready to assign our single IP to the tap OVS bridge over which applications can send and receive data. This will allow us to inject data/packets into our OVS network as well as pull packets destined for an application out of our OVS network. |
| | 400 | k. Now that we have OVS and Floodlight running, the next thing to do in the setup script is to configure our network connections. We first need to disable IP forwarding, so that the kernel does not try to route packets around our OVS network. We then need to establish a link on each of the interface we would like to participate in the handoff -- !WiFi and WiMAX. Note that !WiFi is assigned to '''IFACE_B''' and WiMAX is assigned to '''IFACE_D'''. Also note the use of the !WiFi AP variables we set in the first step of configuring this script. After !WiFi and WiMAX each connect to their respective networks, we need to remove any IP addresses assigned by DHCP when the interfaces were brought up. In the case of this tutorial, we should not get an IP via DHCP for !WiFi, since we're managing our own AP. It is possible that we received an IP over WiMAX though, so we need to remove it, just in case. This involves killing the running '''dhclient''' process for WiMAX. At this point, we're ready to assign our single IP to the tap OVS bridge over which applications can send and receive data. This will allow us to inject data/packets into our OVS network as well as pull packets destined for an application out of our OVS network. |
| 492 | | In order to switch packets in our OVS network, we need to know the correct patch ports over which to send packets. For example, if the client wants to send a packet from the tap OVS bridge to the WiFi interface, when the packet is in the tap OVS bridge, the switch needs to know which port to send the packet out on. Well, since we are manually telling the client which interface to use, our static flows must specify the port number that leads to the physical interface of choice. In the case of our example, we would want to insert a flow to direct all packets out the patch port number leading to the WiFi OVS bridge. To determine these port numbers, we need to query Floodlight for information about connected switches. |
| | 492 | In order to switch packets in our OVS network, we need to know the correct patch ports over which to send packets. For example, if the client wants to send a packet from the tap OVS bridge to the !WiFi interface, when the packet is in the tap OVS bridge, the switch needs to know which port to send the packet out on. Well, since we are manually telling the client which interface to use, our static flows must specify the port number that leads to the physical interface of choice. In the case of our example, we would want to insert a flow to direct all packets out the patch port number leading to the !WiFi OVS bridge. To determine these port numbers, we need to query Floodlight for information about connected switches. |
| 494 | | b. The following is an example output from the client's '''/root/SwitchingScripts/getJSONPorts.sh''' script. Based on this information, note the port numbers for each port of each OVS bridge. The WiFi and WiMAX OVS bridges should have three ports -- the physical interface port, the OVS patch port to the tap OVS bridge, and the port of the OVS bridge itself. And, the tap OVS bridge should have four ports -- the "physical" tap interface port, the OVS patch ports to the WiFi and WiMAX OVS bridges, and the OVS bridge itself. |
| | 494 | b. The following is an example output from the client's '''/root/SwitchingScripts/getJSONPorts.sh''' script. Based on this information, note the port numbers for each port of each OVS bridge. The !WiFi and WiMAX OVS bridges should have three ports -- the physical interface port, the OVS patch port to the tap OVS bridge, and the port of the OVS bridge itself. And, the tap OVS bridge should have four ports -- the "physical" tap interface port, the OVS patch ports to the !WiFi and WiMAX OVS bridges, and the OVS bridge itself. |
| 703 | | c. Using your favorite text editor, open the '''/root/SwitchingScripts/gec18_switch_to_wifi.py''' script. (Do not open the '''/root/SwitchingScripts/gec18_switch_to_wifi.sh''' script. This is simply a wrapper for the python script with the flows themselves.) In the python script, browse down to were you see the definition of '''flow1'''. Right before this definition are a few variables we need to check/set. They define the MAC addresses of the physical and tap interfaces. Recall that we need to rewrite these in our flows. Why is this so? Well, WiFi and WiMAX have an association process. This process provides the AP/BS with the MAC address of the associated client. The AP/BS will filter incoming packets by associate MACs. If an ingress packet contains a source MAC that is not known to the AP/BS, it will be dropped. Thus, any packets we send from our tap interface need to have their source MAC addresses rewritten so that the AP or BS will recognize the source and thus accept the packets. Using the MAC of the WiMAX interface noted in prior steps, set the MAC address of the '''wifi_mac''' and '''wimax_mac''' to the MAC address of the WiMAX MAC. This might seem odd, but in order to simplify this tuturial and experiment, we have "spoofed" the actual MAC of the WiFi interface to that of the WiMAX interface, thus making both interfaces appear to have the same MAC. You can see this for yourselves in the '''gec18_setup.sh''' script of the client. This allows the server to address the client with a single MAC. |
| 704 | | d. Next, save the |
| 705 | | |
| 706 | | 6. The configuration of the client is now complete. The next step is to configure the server node. For the tutorial at GEC18, the server has been configured for you. Not only does this save time, but it also allows multiple clients to share the same server node. The process is nearly identical to that of the client node. The difference is that you need to assign a different IP to the tap interface and provide the IP of the client instead of the the IP of the server. Another key difference is how the flows work. On the client, the flows inserted will switch packets to the interface the client wishes to use. As a simplification to this experiment and tutorial, the server's flows are configured to always listen and send packets out its |
| 707 | | |
| 708 | | 7. Last but not least, after the server is configured, the AP needs to be configured and brought up. This has also been done for you at GEC18, since all client nodes will share a single AP. The steps to configuring the AP are mostly related to setting up '''hostapd'''. On the AP, there is a script '''/root/gec18_setup.sh'''. This script simply inserts the kernel module for the Atheros 5000 series card ('''modprobe ath5k''') and starts hostapd. All configuration parameters related to the |
| | 703 | c. Using your favorite text editor, open the '''/root/SwitchingScripts/gec18_switch_to_wifi.py''' script. (Do not open the '''/root/SwitchingScripts/gec18_switch_to_wifi.sh''' script. This is simply a wrapper for the python script with the flows themselves.) In the python script, browse down to were you see the definition of '''flow1'''. Right before this definition are a few variables we need to check/set. They define the MAC addresses of the physical and tap interfaces. Recall that we need to rewrite these in our flows. Why is this so? Well, !WiFi and WiMAX have an association process. This process provides the AP/BS with the MAC address of the associated client. The AP/BS will filter incoming packets by associate MACs. If an ingress packet contains a source MAC that is not known to the AP/BS, it will be dropped. Thus, any packets we send from our tap interface need to have their source MAC addresses rewritten so that the AP or BS will recognize the source and thus accept the packets. Using the MAC of the WiMAX interface noted in prior steps, set the MAC address of the '''wifi_mac''' and '''wimax_mac''' to the MAC address of the WiMAX MAC. This might seem odd, but in order to simplify this tuturial and experiment, we have "spoofed" the actual MAC of the !WiFi interface to that of the WiMAX interface, thus making both interfaces appear to have the same MAC. You can see this for yourselves in the '''gec18_setup.sh''' script of the client. This allows the server to address the client with a single MAC. |
| | 704 | d. Next, save the !WiFi switching script and open '''/root/SwithingScripts/gec_18_switch_to_wimax.py'''. Repeat step 5b. |
| | 705 | |
| | 706 | 6. The configuration of the client is now complete. The next step is to configure the server node. For the tutorial at GEC18, the server has been configured for you. Not only does this save time, but it also allows multiple clients to share the same server node. The process is nearly identical to that of the client node. The difference is that you need to assign a different IP to the tap interface and provide the IP of the client instead of the the IP of the server. Another key difference is how the flows work. On the client, the flows inserted will switch packets to the interface the client wishes to use. As a simplification to this experiment and tutorial, the server's flows are configured to always listen and send packets out its !WiFi and WiMAX interfaces. In other words, no switching takes place on the server node. The flows that are inserted when the server is configured and run are the flows that will remain for the lifetime of the experiment. |
| | 707 | |
| | 708 | 7. Last but not least, after the server is configured, the AP needs to be configured and brought up. This has also been done for you at GEC18, since all client nodes will share a single AP. The steps to configuring the AP are mostly related to setting up '''hostapd'''. On the AP, there is a script '''/root/gec18_setup.sh'''. This script simply inserts the kernel module for the Atheros 5000 series card ('''modprobe ath5k''') and starts hostapd. All configuration parameters related to the !WiFi network (e.g. SSID, encryption, channel, etc) are located in the '''/root/hostapd.conf''' configuration file. '''hostapd''' will parse this file and read these parameters when it is executed. The AP is set by default to broadcast an open (unsecured) network on channel 11 and with SSID GENI_WiFi_AP. It is also configured by default in AP mode, not ad-hoc mode. No changes should be made to this configuration for this experiment. |
