Is "owe_transition_bssid" necessary for OWE transition mode?

Installing and Using OpenWrt Network and Wireless Configuration
1

Hello,

I want to know if owe_transition_bssid is necessary for OWE transition mode?

And if I create four wireless interfaces with the same SSID at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, will it work?

Example:

config wifi-device 'radio0'
        option type 'mac80211'
        option path 'platform/18000000.wifi'
        option channel 'auto'
        option band '2g'
        option htmode 'HE40'
        option country 'CN'
        option cell_density '0'
        option disabled '1'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio0'
        option device 'radio0'
        option network 'lan'
        option mode 'ap'
        option ssid 'OpenWrt'
        option encryption 'none'
        option ieee80211k '1'
        option time_advertisement '2'
        option time_zone 'CST-8'
        option wnm_sleep_mode '1'
        option wnm_sleep_mode_no_keys '1'
        option bss_transition '1'
        option proxy_arp '1'
        option disabled '1'
        option owe_transition_ssid 'OpenWrt'

config wifi-device 'radio1'
        option type 'mac80211'
        option path 'platform/18000000.wifi+1'
        option channel 'auto'
        option band '5g'
        option htmode 'HE160'
        option country 'CN'
        option cell_density '0'
        option disabled '1'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio1'
        option device 'radio1'
        option network 'lan'
        option mode 'ap'
        option ssid 'OpenWrt'
        option encryption 'none'
        option ieee80211k '1'
        option time_advertisement '2'
        option time_zone 'CST-8'
        option wnm_sleep_mode '1'
        option wnm_sleep_mode_no_keys '1'
        option bss_transition '1'
        option proxy_arp '1'
        option disabled '1'
        option owe_transition_ssid 'OpenWrt'

config wifi-iface 'wifinet2'
        option device 'radio0'
        option mode 'ap'
        option ssid 'OpenWrt'
        option encryption 'owe'
        option hidden '1'
        option ieee80211k '1'
        option time_advertisement '2'
        option time_zone 'CST-8'
        option wnm_sleep_mode '1'
        option wnm_sleep_mode_no_keys '1'
        option bss_transition '1'
        option proxy_arp '1'
        option network 'lan'
        option disabled '1'
        option owe_transition_ssid 'OpenWrt'

config wifi-iface 'wifinet3'
        option device 'radio1'
        option mode 'ap'
        option ssid 'OpenWrt'
        option encryption 'owe'
        option hidden '1'
        option ieee80211k '1'
        option time_advertisement '2'
        option time_zone 'CST-8'
        option wnm_sleep_mode '1'
        option wnm_sleep_mode_no_keys '1'
        option bss_transition '1'
        option proxy_arp '1'
        option network 'lan'
        option disabled '1'
        option owe_transition_ssid 'OpenWrt'

Best regards,
Gentry

2

A transition mode OWE consists of two AP interfaces running on the same radio and bridged to the same network.
The plain AP has no encryption and a visible SSID. It will be used by non-OWE clients. For them it works exactly the same as any other public open AP. They don't recognize the OWE extension.

The OWE AP has a hidden SSID which must be different and unique on the radio: e.g. OpenWrt_owe. Users never see this SSID. OWE capable clients will show the plain SSID to the user, but when that connection is selected, they will internally promote it to the OWE SSID.

These two AP interfaces are linked to each other by each configuring its owe_transition_ssid to be the SSID of the other one.

I would think that it would work to have another complete pair on a different radio with the same SSIDs but have not tried it.

1 Like
3

Thanks for your reply, so owe_transition_bssid is not necessary.

Since I'm about to get my first Wi-Fi 6/7 device (new phone), I'm curious as to whether using the same SSID in OWE transition mode wireless networks on different bands will work.

4

The identifier that goes out in beacon and probe responses over the air is always a BSSID, since ultimately any WiFi connection is defined by two MAC addresses or BSSIDs. BSSIDs on the air must be unique not only within an AP, but also among all WiFi devices on the air in radio range of each other.

For convenience, the configuration allows specifying the linked AP by ssid or ifname instead, and the active BSSID will be looked up. Letting the system continue to choose BSSIDs based on factory MACs helps ensure they are unique.

5

OK, so even if I don't specify owe_transition_bssid, I still have to configure random MAC addresses for both interfaces on different bands. Keep them from conflicting with the network using default MAC address.

6

If you don't specify any MAC addresses, the system will automatically assign unique ones by slightly changing the factory MAC for each new wifi-iface. This is the recommended method.

1 Like
7

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Ok I saw that, I thought they were the same, didn't expect it modified the head instead of the tail.

Thanks again for your help, I have no more questions about this.

8

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