802.11 Reference Design: Usage

By default, the Reference Design implements an 802.11 compatible access point with SSID "WARP". To use the design in this configuration:

1. Plug ETH A from a WARP v3 board into a router whose WAN port is connected to the Internet. The 802.11 Reference Design is not a router -- it does not have a DHCP server to issue IP addresses to associated stations. It will, however, pass DHCP requests and responses through its Ethernet portal, so connecting WARP v3 to a router will allow DHCP to occur on client stations.
2. Download the 802.11 Reference Design and program a WARP v3 board with the provided bitstream.
3. Use any 802.11 device (such as a computer or smartphone) to join the unsecured network with SSID of "WARP." At this point, the 802.11 device should be able to access the network.

Creating the SDK Workspace

1. Ensure your Xilinx tools match the version used to create the reference design (see the downloads? page for the current versions)
2. Ensure your local copy of the WARP edk_user_repository is up to date and in the repository search path of XPS (see edk_user_repository for details)
3. Download the 802.11 Reference Design archive and expand the inner .zip archive in <ref_design_archive>/EDK_Projects/w3_802.11_EDK_vXXX.zip.
   • Be sure the expanded EDK project path has no spaces; C:/work/w3_802.11_EDK/ works, C:/Documents and Settings/user/w3_802.11_EDK/ does not
   • The text below assumes your expanded EDK project is in <xps_proj>/.
4. Launch Xilinx SDK and select <xps_proj>/SDK_Workspace as the active workspace
5. Select Xilinx Tools -> Repositories. In Local Repositories click New, then select <xps_proj>/ and click OK.
6. Import the 5 SDK projects provided by the reference design
   1. Select File -> Import
   2. Expand General -> Existing Projects into Workspace, click Next
   3. Click Browse and navigate to <xps_proj>/SDK_Workspace
   4. Five projects will be listed:

      wlan_bsp_cpu_high
      wlan_bsp_cpu_low
      wlan_mac_ap
      wlan_mac_dcf
      wlan_xps_v00_hw_platform  <- the version number in this project name will change between releases
      

   5. Ensure all 5 projects are checked and click Finish
   6. In the SDK Project Explorer:
      1. Right click on the wlan_mac_ap project and select Change Referenced BSP. In the dialog box select wlan_bsp_cpu_high then click OK
      2. Right click on the wlan_mac_dcf project and select Change Referenced BSP. In the dialog box select wlan_bsp_cpu_low then click OK
      3. Right click on the wlan_mac_ap project and select Clean Project
      4. Right click on the wlan_mac_dcf project and select Clean Project
7. Both software projects should now build to completion. Watch the console for the message elfcheck passed

Debugging Software

The dual-processor architecture of the 802.11 Reference Design presents some challenges in debugging the software applications.