Use Linux as Wireless Access Point

duke11235 · 2009-11-04 04:11:34

I recently stumbled upon a new program, currently in open beta, that allows you to use your Windows 7 computer as a wireless access point with no hardware. Is that possible in Linux, and how difficult is it?
http://www.connectify.me/

Ranguvar · 2009-11-04 04:55:08

Google says yes, and not hard at all

http://www.linux.com/archive/articles/55617
http://oob.freeshell.org/nzwireless/LWAP-HOWTO.html
http://www.enterprisenetworkingplanet.c … hp/3463611
http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/linux … l-wap.html
...

I'm not saying your topic is bad though, please don't take it as such, just providing info.

duke11235 · 2009-11-04 05:49:52

Is thee any method that supports broadcom wireless cards? Hostapd doesn't include them
Liinux Wireless says it supports some drivers. how can I tell if b43 is included? I don't understand the graph here.
http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers

Last edited by duke11235 (2009-11-04 05:54:44)

tomk · 2009-11-04 07:14:40

You need support for Access Point Infrastructure mode, usually referred to as AP mode, or master mode. The table indicates that b43 supports AP mode.

Modes are explained in the link immediately above the table.

.:B:. · 2009-11-04 09:16:44

Afaik the b43 driver is not stable enough to function as an AP. It's one of the reasons why OpenWrt waited a long time to offer Broadcom targets with 2.6 kernels (only in 8.09); I think they will even be removing the wireless from 2.6 Broadcom targets with 8.09.2.

pseudonomous · 2009-11-04 16:19:26

B wrote:

Afaik the b43 driver is not stable enough to function as an AP. It's one of the reasons why OpenWrt waited a long time to offer Broadcom targets with 2.6 kernels (only in 8.09); I think they will even be removing the wireless from 2.6 Broadcom targets with 8.09.2.

They did in the latest stable release, but b43 wireless support is enabled in their snapshot builds. I used OpenWrt + Linksys WRT54G as a wireless client / wired router for awhile, the router locked up fairly often, but I'm not sure if that was a driver problem or because, under load, it ran out of RAM, having no swap space, I would imagine that should cause a lockup.

duke11235 · 2009-11-04 22:30:58

So does this mean I should be able to set up hostapd without problems, since b43 supports mesh mode?

jceasless · 2010-01-27 13:29:12

I know this topic is a bit of a cadaver, but I just wanted to drop my two cents in and claim that I think none of the available resources on hostapd configuration are very useful. Those articles that Ranguvar links to, for instance, do not explain how to set up a hostapd wireless router. (Though the title says Access Point, the Connectify functionality the OP mentions is clearly a connection sharing utility, not a tool to set up APs for your corporate overlords).

Perhaps it is obvious to many here what is required to set up a wireless router with hostapd, but that certainly isn't the case for everyone. This is compounded by the general state of disarray with wireless recently and the fact that these documents tend to be written for older kernel versions. Basically what I'm finding is that simply purchasing a wireless router makes a lot more sense, as chasing down hardware that actually works the way the driver writers claim it will has not exactly been easy. Even basic questions about creating a wireless router with hostapd can be hard to find answers to.

I would love to write a wiki page, but first I need to get the thing configured. The documentation of current processes for going about this is slim pickings.

Last edited by jceasless (2010-01-27 17:01:58)

rZn · 2010-04-19 22:54:43

Does anyone have any luck with b43 in AP mode???

Arch Linux

#1 2009-11-04 04:11:34

Use Linux as Wireless Access Point

#2 2009-11-04 04:55:08

Re: Use Linux as Wireless Access Point

#3 2009-11-04 05:49:52

Re: Use Linux as Wireless Access Point

#4 2009-11-04 07:14:40

Re: Use Linux as Wireless Access Point

#5 2009-11-04 09:16:44

Re: Use Linux as Wireless Access Point

#6 2009-11-04 16:19:26

Re: Use Linux as Wireless Access Point

#7 2009-11-04 22:30:58

Re: Use Linux as Wireless Access Point

#8 2010-01-27 13:29:12

Re: Use Linux as Wireless Access Point

#9 2010-04-19 22:54:43

Re: Use Linux as Wireless Access Point

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