Python WiFi

Wireless Extensions Comparison Matrix

A comparison of Linux Wireless Extension 22 vs Python WiFi. WE22 is the baseline to which Python WiFi must match-up, but Python WiFi may have some convenience features not in WE22.

Feature WE22 Class Version Note
/proc devices yes iwlib 0.3.1 get wireless devices from /proc
SIOCGIFCONF yes iwlib 0.3.1 get wireless devices via ioctl
SIOCSIWCOMMIT yes Wireless send commit instruction
SIOCGIWNAME yes Wireless 0.3.1 get wireless protocol
SIOCSIWNWID yes not implemented set network id (pre-802.11)
SIOCGIWNWID yes not implemented get network id (the cell)
SIOCSIWFREQ yes Wireless set channel/frequency (Hz)
SIOCGIWFREQ yes Wireless 0.3.1 get channel/frequency (Hz)
all freqs Wireless 0.3.1 get all frequencies/channels device can handle
SIOCSIWMODE yes Wireless 0.3.1 set operation mode
SIOCGIWMODE yes Wireless 0.3.1 get operation mode
SIOCSIWSENS yes not implemented set sensitivity (dBm)
SIOCGIWSENS yes Wireless 0.3.1 get sensitivity (dBm)
SIOCGIWRANGE yes Iwrange 0.3.1 get range of parameters
SIOCGIWPRIV yes not implemented get private ioctl interface
SIOCGIWSTATS yes Iwstats 0.3.1 get /proc/net/wireless stats
SIOCSIWSPY yes not implemented set spy addresses
SIOCGIWSPY yes not implemented get spy info (quality of link)
SIOCSIWTHRSPY yes not implemented set spy threshold (spy event)
SIOCGIWTHRSPY yes not implemented get spy threshold
SIOCSIWAP yes Wireless set access point MAC addresses
SIOCGIWAP yes Wireless 0.3.1 get access point MAC addresses
SIOCSIWSCAN yes Iwscan 0.3.1 trigger scanning (list cells)
SIOCGIWSCAN yes Iwscan 0.3.1 get scanning results
SIOCSIWESSID yes Wireless 0.3.1 set ESSID (network name)
SIOCGIWESSID yes Wireless 0.3.1 get ESSID
SIOCSIWNICKN yes not implemented set node name/nickname
SIOCGIWNICKN yes not implemented get node name/nickname
SIOCSIWRATE yes not implemented set default bit rate (bps)
SIOCGIWRATE yes Wireless 0.3.1 get default bit rate (bps)
all bitrates Wireless 0.3.1 get all bitrates device can handle
SIOCSIWRTS yes not implemented set RTS/CTS threshold (bytes)
SIOCGIWRTS yes Wireless 0.3.1 get RTS/CTS threshold (bytes)
SIOCSIWFRAG yes not implemented set fragmentation thr (bytes)
SIOCGIWFRAG yes Wireless 0.3.1 get fragmentation thr (bytes)
SIOCSIWTXPOW yes not implemented set transmit power (dBm)
SIOCGIWTXPOW yes Wireless 0.3.1 get transmit power (dBm)
SIOCSIWRETRY yes not implemented set retry limits and lifetime
SIOCGIWRETRY yes Wireless 0.3.1 get retry limits and lifetime
SIOCSIWENCODE yes Wireless set encoding token & mode
SIOCGIWENCODE yes Wireless 0.3.1 get encoding token & mode
SIOCSIWPOWER yes not implemented set Power Management settings
SIOCGIWPOWER yes Wireless 0.3.1 get Power Management settings
SIOCSIWMODUL yes not implemented set Modulations settings
SIOCGIWMODUL yes not implemented get Modulations settings
SIOCSIWGENIE yes not implemented set generic IE
SIOCGIWGENIE yes not implemented get generic IE
SIOCSIWMLME yes not implemented request MLME operation
SIOCSIWAUTH yes not implemented set authentication mode params
SIOCGIWAUTH yes not implemented get authentication mode params
SIOCSIWENCODEEXT yes not implemented set encoding token & mode
SIOCGIWENCODEEXT yes not implemented get encoding token & mode
SIOCSIWPMKSA yes not implemented PMKSA cache operation

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Last Update: March 17, 2015