1. Introduction

I just porting Jiangming's sniffer codes to x86 platform, so you can capture Wi-Fi sniffer log using Linux laptop with an external QCA6174A PCIe mode, no need to use MSM8996 MTP.

Host driver baseline codes for x86 platform: QCA6174A.LA.1.0.5 BIT PKG 01.00.005 wiki

2. Required Hardware

• Laptop running 32-bit Linux, and has an ExpressCard interface
• PCIe interface QCA6174A module
• Two external antennas
• ExpressCard adapter (to PCIe)

3. Required Software

• 32-bit Linux, version: 3.18.24
• QCA6174 monitor mode host driver
• QCA6174 monitor mode firmware binary
• utf.bin, otp.bin, Data.msc, qcom_cfg.ini, fakeboar.bin
• Wireshark

4. Procedure

4.1. Sniffer Hardware Setup

Connect two antennas to 6174A module

Connect 6174A module to ExpressCard Adapter

Connect ExpressCard adapter to laptop

4.2. Install 3.18.24 Linux kernel

Download 32-bit 3.18.24 Linux header and image

• http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.18.24-vivid/linux-headers-3.18.24-031824-generic_3.18.24-031824.201511031331_i386.deb
• http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.18.24-vivid/linux-headers-3.18.24-031824_3.18.24-031824.201511031331_all.deb
• http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.18.24-vivid/linux-image-3.18.24-031824-generic_3.18.24-031824.201511031331_i386.deb

Switch to root user

Install Linux header

• dpkg -i linux-headers-3.18.24-031824_3.18.24-031824.201511031331_all.deb
• dpkg -i linux-headers-3.18.24-031824-generic_3.18.24-031824.201511031331_i386.deb

Install Linux image

• dpkg -i linux-image-3.18.24-031824-generic_3.18.24-031824.201511031331_i386.deb

4.3. Build Wi-Fi host driver

• git clone https://github.qualcomm.com/yuanm/qca6174A_x86_sniffer.git
• cd qca6174A_x86_sniffer/fixce/AIO/build
• make drivers

When compiled successfully, there will generate 3 files under "qca6174A_x86_sniffer/fixce/AIO/rootfs-ra-r105.build/lib/modules", compat.ko, cfg80211.ko, wlan.ko

4.4. Copy Bin files

• Configuration: contains 1 file under "qca6174A_x86_sniffer/fw_related_files", qcom_cfg.ini, copy this file to /lib/firmware/wlan
• Firmware: contains 5 files under "qca6174A_x86_sniffer/fw_related_files", athwlan.bin, Data.msc, fakeboar.bin, otp.bin, utf.bin, copy these files to /lib/firmware

4.5. Install Wireshark

sudo apt-get install wireshark

4.6. Live capture usage

Switch to root user

• insmod compat.ko
• insmod cfg80211.ko
• insmod wlan.ko con_mode=4
• ifconfig wlan0 up
• iwpriv wlan0 setMonChan 149 2
• /usr/bin/wireshark

Open the Capture Options dialog

Select wlan0 interface

Start a new live capture

Enjoy the live wireshark wlan capture

4.7. On the fly channel bandwidth change

• iwpriv wlan0 setMonChan <channel> <bandwidth>
• channel: channel number
• band_width: 0 for 20MHz, 1 for 40MHz, 2 for 80MHz, 3 for 5MHz, 4 for 10MHz