Arch Linux

Da_Nuke

Member

Registered: 2012-03-17

Posts: 4

How do I setup a wi-fi bridge?

I have a netbook with Arch Linux and Windows XP Home Edition on dual boot, and a desktop computer with Arch as well and Windows 7.

Some time ago I used to connect to the internet on my desktop computer with a wi-fi PCI card, a Realtek RTL8185, associated to my 2Wire ADSL modem (the one issued to Telmex's Prodigy Infinitum subscribers). However, I later found out that this card doesn't works under Linux on my computer because the drivers make my system hang, so I removed it altogether and started using my laptop as a wireless-to-Ethernet bridge via Windows's own network bridging, so far with p. good results.

Now, because Windows XP is a pretty heavy OS compared to Arch Linux, I'd really like to do the same thing under Linux. Problem is, I found out that bridge-utils won't let me do that, all the guides I find are for creating an access point (which is literally the opposite of what I need), and the only similar post I've seen in this forum is from 10 years ago. This leaves me with no clue as to what should I do.

NATing my desktop computer is the last choice because I once did this with Vyatta on VirtualBox and it worked fine for 10 minutes, then Telmex's god-awful internet gateway decided to stop routing towards my virtualized NAT, and I really don't want to tinker with my gateway's configuration because I live with my family and I know that doing so will uncork at least a week of "Da_Nuke, fix the internet!", "Da_Nuke, Facebook won't load!", "Da_Nuke, there's no internet!" and things of that nature.

Last edited by Da_Nuke (2012-04-15 01:11:55)

Gcool

Member

Registered: 2011-08-16

Posts: 1,456

Re: How do I setup a wi-fi bridge?

If I'm understanding what you want to do correctly; have a look at this.

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Burninate!

alex_anthony

Member

From: UK

Registered: 2007-09-25

Posts: 344

Re: How do I setup a wi-fi bridge?

If you're using it, networkmanager can do this very easily. I had to use this when my wireless drivers were making one of my laptops hang.

In summary:
Make sure dnsmasq is installed
Connect nm to wireless
Connect ethernet cable between computers
in nm-connection-editor, edit wired connection
Under ipv4 settings, choose method, shared to other computers

Disclaimer: This was when I was using fedora, but I have a hotspot the other way round on arch so I presume it will work.