wnic通常工作的模式
http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Documentation/modesStation (STA) infrastructure mode
Any wireless driver is capable of running this mode. Thus it could be called the default mode. Two WNICs in STA mode, cannot connect to one another. They require a third WNIC in AP mode to manage the wireless network! A WNIC in STA mode, connects to a WNIC in AP mode, by sending certain management frames to it. This process is called the authentication and association. After the AP sent the successful association- reply, the STA is part of the wireless network.
This mode is also called managed in the fully deprecated WEXT tools (e.g. iwconfig)
AccessPoint (AP) infrastructure mode
In a managed wireless network the Access Point acts as the Master device. It holds the network together by managing and maintaining lists of associated STAs. It also manages security policies. The network is named after the MAC-Address (BSSID) of the AP. The human readable name for the network, the SSID, is also set by the AP.