OID_WDI_TASK_CONNECT (dot11wificxintf.h)

Article
05/22/2024

Important

This topic is part of the WiFiCx driver model. WiFiCx is the Wi-Fi driver model released in Windows 11. We recommend that you use WiFiCx to take advantage of the latest features. The previous Wi-Fi driver model WDI is in maintenance mode and will only receive high priority fixes.

OID_WDI_TASK_CONNECT requests that the IHV component connects to an Access Point or to a Wi-Fi Direct GO.

Object	Abort capable	Default priority (host driver policy)	Normal execution time (seconds)
Port	Yes. The abort must be followed by a dot11 reset.	4	10

As part of the connect, the IHV component must synchronize with, authenticate to, and associate to the BSS. The host provides the BSS entries that the IHV component can attempt to connect to. Once the IHV component has successfully connected to one of those entries, it should complete the connect process. If it's unable to connect to any of the BSS entries, it should complete the connect process with a failure.

The IHV component doesn't need to perform a scan to find candidate BSS entries. It can use the list provided by the host for the connect. It can attempt to connect to each one, one after another. The host sorts the networks by RSSI, but the IHV component can use its own order for connection. If the adapter doesn't specify "Connect BSS Selection Override", it must only use the entries provided by the host for the connect. The host may issue an abort on an outstanding connect. On receiving the abort, the port must end the connection attempts and report a completion to the host.

If the adapter specifies "Connect BSS Selection Override", it can perform scans on its own to find candidate BSS entries. It can connect to any BSS entry it finds as long as it meets the parameters configured by the host. It should optimize this selection to ensure that it meets any configured connection quality requirements. This could include optimizing roam scan, optimize AP selection, optimize association process, and minimize the security handshake needed. During a scan, if the device needs additional association parameters for a found BSS entry (for example, PMKID for roaming), it can send a NDIS_STATUS_WDI_INDICATION_ASSOCIATION_PARAMETERS_REQUEST indication to get the parameters. When available, the host configures these parameters with OID_WDI_SET_ASSOCIATION_PARAMETERS.

If the connect fails or is aborted, the port shouldn't reset any settings that may have been configured outside of the connect command. It must support the host issuing a second connect call on the same port.

The status of the connect attempt for each BSS entry must be reported by the port at the end of the association attempt. This includes the successful attempt and also any failed attempts. At any time, the port must be associated with no more than one Access Point or Wi-Fi Direct GO.

While a connect is ongoing, the port must maintain any connections established on other ports (for example, Infrastructure or Wi-Fi Direct). However, the port may reduce the amount of medium access provided to the other ports to finish the connection. During the connect, the host can submit packet send requests on other ports.

If the authentication algorithm that is used for the connection requires 802.1x port authorization for network access, the host authorizes the port after the association operation has completed successfully.

The 802.11 station uses the PMKID cache for pre-authentication to access points that have enabled the Robust Security Network Association (RSNA) authentication algorithm. If the 802.11 station is associating or reassociating to a BSSID that has a provided PMKID, the 802.11 station must use the PMKID data in the RSN information element (RSN IE) of its Association or Reassociation frame.

If the port declares support for Host FIPS mode in WIFI_STATION_CAPABILITIES, HostFIPSModeEnabled may be set to 1 in the connection parameters.

If HostFIPSModeEnabled is set to 1, the following rules apply.

The port must follow the guidelines for sending/receiving data frames in Send operations in FIPS mode and Receive operations in FIPS mode.
The port must not declare support for any QoS protocol in the association request sent to a non-HT access point. QoS support is required for HT connections.
The port must not negotiate TSpec and must not perform transmit MSDU aggregation.
The port must ensure that the SPP A-MSDU capable bit (bit 10) of the RSN capabilities IE it transmits is set to zero. Only PP A-MSDU are supported in this mode.

The connection parameters must not have MFPEnabled and HostFIPSModeEnabled both set to 1. Management Frame Protection (802.11w) requires the port to encrypt/decrypt certain management and action frames, so it can't be enabled for a connection using Host FIPS mode. In addition, Wake on Wireless LAN features aren't applicable in Host-FIPS mode.

WiFi 7 / MLO requirements

Windows provides the MloConnectionSupported setting in WDI_TLV_CONNECTION_SETTINGS that indicates whether the driver can connect using MLO. When connection to a secure network, the driver can only use the AKM and cipher pairs specified in WDI_TLV_RSNA_AKM_CIPHER_SUITE. The only exception is if the auth/cipher is not part of the RSNA IE.

For more information, see WiFiCx Wi-Fi 7 feature requirements.

Task parameters

TLV	Multiple TLV instances allowed	Optional	Description
WDI_TLV_CONNECT_PARAMETERS			The connection parameters.
WDI_TLV_CONNECT_BSS_ENTRY	X		The preferred list of candidate connect BSS entries. The port should attempt to connect to any of these BSS entries until the list is exhausted or the connection completed successfully. The port can reprioritize the entries if needed. If the adapter has set the Connect BSS Selection Override bit, then it can pick a BSS that isn't in this list as long as it follows the Allowed/Disallowed list.

Task completion indication

NDIS_STATUS_WDI_INDICATION_CONNECT_COMPLETE

Unsolicited indication

NDIS_STATUS_WDI_INDICATION_ASSOCIATION_RESULT

NDIS_STATUS_WDI_INDICATION_SAE_AUTH_PARAMS_NEEDED

Requirements

Requirement	Value
Minimum supported client	Windows 11
Minimum supported server	Windows Server 2022
Header	dot11wificxintf.h

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