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I am wondering how is a wireless network presented to an operating system.
If I'm not mistaken, Wi-Fi (802.11) is only the Physical layer of the OSI model. This means that, one layer up, we're speaking the same protocols, i.e. ARP.
However, I am unfamiliar with what happens between the wireless NIC and the operating system. More precisely, how, and in which layer, does authentication happen? (WEP/WPA/WPA2...)
In the end, my aim is to solve this question: Is it possible for a virtualized environment to share the same wireless network, as long as at least any one of the guest VMs is able to authenticate to a wireless network?
I figure - if the authentication and association happen at the NIC's firmware level, then one VM may authenticate, while the others benefit from this connection. If that happens at the OS level, then one VM may authenticate and use the network, while the others will not only not be able to use it, as they will also be unable to use the radio, since it will be used by the first VM.
There is also the scenario where no virtual machine is able to access the radio, and only the Dom0 is able to. Or maybe every NIC may be a different case and this may be possible in some NICs but impossible in others.
I may clarify this question if requested, but I hope I was able to convey the essential :)
As I said in a comment below:
My goal is to depend on nothing else but the integrated wireless card.
This way, one VM could see all available wireless networks, but once it connected to one of them, the other VMs are also connected.
The same could be accomplished if it is possible to virtualize the wireless interface, and make one VM send its commands to other VM.
I'm not sure if this is making sense. The point is: one VM will have user interaction, and that interaction should "feed" the other VM with network access, without any other interaction.
Valmiky Arquissandas
Posted 2014-08-05T02:11:49.983
Reputation: 1 770
I would appreciate it if downvotes were accompanied with explanations of what's wrong with the question :/ – Valmiky Arquissandas – 2014-08-05T02:45:09.790
Vms typically don't have access to hardware without a passthrough. I've had VMs connect to the same wireless network as my host, using a passed through USB port. Practically, you either have an abstracted virtual device bridged to a real device (so there's no need for the client to be aware its connected through wireless), or passed through as a native device. – Journeyman Geek – 2014-08-08T06:32:18.867
You are talking about a physical USB device, right? My goal is to depend on nothing else but the integrated wireless card. This way, one VM could see all available wireless networks, but once it connected to one of them, the other VMs are also connected. The same could be accomplished if it is possible to virtualize the wireless interface, and make one VM send its commands to other VM. I'm not sure if this is making sense. The point is: one VM will have user interaction, and that interaction should "feed" the other VM with network access, without any other interaction. – Valmiky Arquissandas – 2014-08-08T23:33:25.117