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openthread / spinel-spec

Spinel Specification: a general management protocol for enabling a host device to communicate with and manage a Network Control Processor (NCP).
BSD 3-Clause "New" or "Revised" License
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Support additional NCPs such as Ethernet and Wi-Fi #3

Closed beriberikix closed 7 years ago

beriberikix commented 7 years ago

It would be ideal to have future support for additional NCPs like Ethernet and WI-Fi. On the Ethernet side, MII could be analgous to the Thread spec in that the definition could extend core. WIZnet is a popular vendor of Ethernet controllers that could be used for prototyping, though I don't know the current status of IPv6 in their IP stack. Wi-Fi is a bit more precarious as I am not aware of standard protocols. Most vendors support AT-based commands over serial/SDIO or some proprietary (and often poorly designed) thing.

darconeous commented 7 years ago

Well, Ethernet and Wi-Fi are both layer-2, whereas Spinel is (currently) firmly rooted in layer-3. I'm wary of going in the direction of trying to make Spinel some sort of universal network peripheral abstraction layer.

I could see there being some sort of mesh-based firmware for an 802.11 SoC chip kinda like Thread, except using 802.11 frames instead of 802.15.4 frames. That would fit pretty well, actually.

In terms of getting buy-in at the IETF, keeping things strictly scoped to layer 3 seems like the most likely path to success (and, admittedly, the least amount of required work on my part. ;)).

beriberikix commented 7 years ago

Got it, makes sense to me! Thanks for the explanation :)