Hi there,

how do I configure / start an WiFi AP on OPi3?

In armbian-config (found using google, and found on OPiPC+) from my current Buster (OOB + update / upgrade) there is NO option to set up an AP.

I may configure it "manually" (edit config files) but I need some tutorial if there is no "menu style" config.

So hostapd does not work on OPi3?

Guess it works, but don't know how to configure it.

There is NO "hotspot" submenu in armbian-config/network...

Hm odd. Maybe someone else has an OPi3 laying around and test if hostapd is broken for some reason. I don't have an H6 board with WiFi to test...

A few month ago I tested this with my OPi0 which worked flawless.

Are there somewhere "howto's" on setting hostapd config "manually"? Directly editing needed config files?

 

I didn't say "hostapd does not work", I just said "there is NO 'menu entry' for this on OPi3 armbian-config".

Just checked:

Quote

root@orangepi3:/var/motion# apt list hostapd
Listing... Gotowe
hostapd/buster,now 3:2.9-102~armbian20.05.2+1 arm64 [installed]
hostapd/buster 3:2.9-102~armbian20.05.2+1 armhf
root@orangepi3:/var/motion# host
host         hostapd      hostapd_cli  hostid       hostname     hostnamectl

So hostapd IS there, "only" need to know how ("manually") configure it, OR enable it in menu-driven armbian-config.

If the wifi interfaces is there (iwconfig) then I don't know.

 

In the meantime you surely will find some tutorials in the web how to setup a hotspot on buster with hostapd.

This one: https://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/questions/89803/access-point-as-wifi-router-repeater-optional-with-bridge/89804?newreg=e46b9f0f237d4913b4b807b2369df10c

looks promising as it covers AP AND STA setup, don't know about WDS.

Only looks

This is based on WiFi management by systemd, and in Buster this is done by NetworkManager.

How to setup / use AP in this case? (I want to setup AP on different channel from "main AP" for webcams, for troughtput reasons).

5 hours ago, laurentppol said:

This is based on WiFi management by systemd, and in Buster this is done by NetworkManager.

Is wifi otherwise working properly? If you would provide logs, solution might be visible from there.

YES, WiFi (client) works OK with NM.

If I start hostapd manually from command line (default config) then AP appears but cant connect using def pass "12345678" :(

When stopped it does NOT reastore original WiFi client. (wlan0 is not configured / attached to AP).

 

Shoudl I provide (compressed) /var/log/messages from boot moment to "statble"? Or some  outpout of journalctl (please advize on command syntax)?

34 minutes ago, laurentppol said:

Shoudl I provide (compressed) /var/log/messages from boot moment to "statble"? Or some  outpout of journalctl (please advize on command syntax)?

None of that. Read the topic @Igor linked above.

Ok, didn't remarked that it is a link, not a simple underline.

OK, here it is:

 

root@orangepi3:/var/motion# armbianmonitor -u
System diagnosis information will now be uploaded to gzip: /var/log/armbian-hardware-monitor.log.1.gz: No such file or directory

http://ix.io/2u7Y
Please post the URL in the forum where you've been asked for.

 

Ok, have to respond to myself :-(

- I CAN create an AP using nm-connection-editor,

- CAN see  it in systray after installing "nm-tray",

- CAN connect to new network (after restarting NetworkManager),

- can't get DHCP address from this (on laptop),

- IP is in 10.42.x.x range,

- manually config laptop WiFi IP gives at least PING response.

 

What I want:

- make dhcp availavble on new AP,

- change IP to 192.168.15.x

- if channels on WiFi (AP / STA) are NOT linked together, set up an WiFi client too, but priority is AP on channel OTHER that I use for "normal" network (I suppose congestion with WiFi webcam).

 

What should I do?

On 8/15/2020 at 2:54 AM, laurentppol said:

What should I do?

 

Study https://wiki.gnome.org/Projects/NetworkManager

Somehow I managed to make WORKING connection, using NetworkManager "connection editor" or nmtui (don't remember).

Will see it this survives reboot. But there is NO routing! I can connect to webcam (what is purpose of this WiFi setup, on channel 1, as my "normal" network is on channel 11), but ONLY from OPi3. I CAN ping OPi WiFi from laptop, but can't connect webcam on this wifi. (webcam does not respond to ping but this is Android "feature"). I CAN however connect this webcam from OPi! With "motion" and Firefox (on remote X on laptop).

 

In next post I'll attach my config files, maybe someone could explain, WHY my previous setup does NOT work...