wlan coding

hi, im using a wlan card that is using the atheros cs.
the card is working ok.

the header linux/wireless.h includes the ioctl constants for the wireless device
manipulation.
according to that header i tried to write some code that is doing nothing more than setting the device into the mode called SIOCSIWAP. (set the ap addr)
when that completed, my card _looks_ like as if it was scanning for new AP's. i tried the same with airsnort. the behaviour of the lamps is the same with airnsnort and my code so far.

but it doesn't bind the card to the next AP when having contact to one.
how would i go further to expand the functionality of that code?
i tried several things like trigger scanning and so forth.

thanks