Arch Linux

gattu_marrudu

Member

Registered: 2008-03-29

Posts: 38

Clarification on hotspot setup

Hi there,
I am following the instructions on https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Software_access_point to set up a WiFi hotspot.

I got up to #3.1, "linux-wifi-hotspot", which describes how to install an AUR package that uses hostapd, dnsmasq, and iptables to set up the hotspot. The problem with this package is that it depends on GTK and lots of other other libraries that I don't want installed in my system, that I need to keep minimal.

My question is: is linux-wifi-hotspot optional for this setup, and if it is, how do I complete the hotspot setup without it? I already set up iptables for NAT and hostapd as indicated, but I don't see any specific instructions on dnsmasq or anything else that may be needed.

Thanks for the clarification.
gm

Last edited by gattu_marrudu (2024-03-07 13:33:12)

-thc

Member

Registered: 2017-03-15

Posts: 516

Re: Clarification on hotspot setup

is linux-wifi-hotspot optional for this setup

Yes.

how do I complete the hotspot setup without it?

Reading. Deciding between 2.2.1 and 2.2.2 and reading again. Implementing and testing it.

progandy

Member

Registered: 2012-05-17

Posts: 5,211

Re: Clarification on hotspot setup

Part of linux-wifi-hotsport is a fork of the create_ap script which you should be able to use standalone. Only get that file from the repository and run it in a terminal. https://github.com/lakinduakash/linux-w … rc/scripts

Another alternative is linux-router (another create_ap fork). https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/linux-router

Reading. Deciding between 2.2.1 and 2.2.2 and reading again. Implementing and testing it.

If you want to to it manually, this is the way. If you feel steps are missing, those can be found in the articles linked there and for dhcp/dns in the NAT setup you'll have to follow to a third article from there.

Maybe also read the create_ap script and try to follow along to figure out how it works.

Last edited by progandy (2024-03-07 17:57:08)

---

| alias CUTF='LANG=en_XX.UTF-8@POSIX ' |

gattu_marrudu

Member

Registered: 2008-03-29

Posts: 38

Re: Clarification on hotspot setup

Thanks. I have tried executing the create_ap script directly but it says that my device does not fully support a virtual AP interface and is forcing --no-virt, therefore I cannot share my connection from the same interface.

On https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Softwa … -Fi_device I read that many devices are able to do this.

My device capabilities (from iw list):

	valid interface combinations:
		* #{ managed } <= 2, #{ P2P-device } <= 1, #{ P2P-client, P2P-GO } <= 1,
		  total <= 3, #channels <= 2
		* #{ managed } <= 1, #{ AP } <= 1, #{ P2P-client } <= 1, #{ P2P-device } <= 1,
		  total <= 4, #channels <= 1

The presence of "managed" and "AP" in the same group should mean that my interface can actually share the connection, am I correct? Or am I reading it wrong, and I need a separate network interface?

progandy

Member

Registered: 2012-05-17

Posts: 5,211

Re: Clarification on hotspot setup

Hmm, it looks like you might be able to make it work if you use the same channel for managed and AP? That would not be a very performant setup, though.

Last edited by progandy (2024-03-10 18:59:39)

---

| alias CUTF='LANG=en_XX.UTF-8@POSIX ' |

gattu_marrudu

Member

Registered: 2008-03-29

Posts: 38

Re: Clarification on hotspot setup

So, is the  create_ap error related to something else? I'm not sure if "virtual AP" refers to the managed + AP on one channel. Or is the script assuming something that may actually work with a manual setup?

Performance shouldn't be an issue. I'm just moving some audio to a MPD server, not much else is going on on that machine.

Thanks.
gm