A Wireless Access Router Based On IXP425 Network Processor

With the development of computer network, traditional general CPU and ASIC can not meet the development needs due to their disadvantages. Network processor finds its wide application in the development of network devices because of its great balance between performance and flexibility. Intel IXP425, aiming at the application of SME and SOHO, is a highly integrated, versatile single-chip processor, which is especially suitable for the development of access routers and firewalls.This paper focuses on constructing a wireless access router based on the IXP425 network processor. That is, choosing hardware modules reasonably in the EITS425 platform, which was designed by our lab; configuring the uCLinux operating system, go with corresponding application software.The main works of this paper can be summarized as follows:Particular description on the design ideas of the EITS425 platform from hardware; Introduction of the methods to constructing a wireless access router based on the EITS425 platform; analyzing the detailed circuit modulesBuilding the host development environment, configuring the Bootloader and uCLinux OS. In this paper, we use U-boot as the Bootloader and Snapgear Linux as the OS.Completing development of device driver, including NPE driver of IXP425 network processor, wireless access point driver and wire/wireless transparent bridging. So far, we have finished the development of low-level software. It builds a whole stable environment which can be used to developing router application software instantly.Implementation of software based fast packet forwarding infrastructure, which can improve the performance of packet forwarding; LAN users can access to Internet with the only legal WAN IP, which based on NAT service; auto configure of network parameters based on DHCP service; ADSL access to Internet based on PPPOE service.Function verification of the wireless access router.The design results in this paper will not only be a product which can be sold on the marker instantly, but can also have further development base on it to achieve some newer and more popular network functions.