Talk:Software access point

Using Network Manager icon

I just found out that the Gnome Network Manager applet can create an access point automatically. It calls it "Hotspot" and it can be enabled by going to the WiFi page and clicking the "Turn On Hotspot" button at the bottom of the page. The first time it is turned on it creates the file /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/Hotspot. The access point is hidden by default but that can be changed by editing the Hotspot file. Discon (talk) 12:27, 22 July 2016 (UTC)

I have just discovered the same with KDE. In Network Manager pop-up (a panel which shows when you click in system tray icon) you can just click Wi-Fi Acess Point. As I could see, it applies the good ap settings automatically in the meaning of channels/standards or some another parameter, because when I tried with wihotspot, the signal strength was low, and when tried with Network manager icon the signal strength was maximum. Again, maybe it is possible to configure it correctly in wihotspot, I just did not explored this yet.

NM icon method is by default without password. But it is easily possible to create a password protected wireless access point manually. Go to Connections settings -> Press "+" button (Add new connection) -> Choose Wi-Fi (shared) -> Press Create -> Set wanted values. Than just click on that newly created connection (do not use the Wi-Fi Acess Point button). NM will up the AP connection while keeping the ethernet connection active (in my case internet is incoming via ethernet). Ashark (talk) 19:07, 9 February 2021 (UTC)

More info on DHCP setup

Sometimes the AP is not for connecting to the public internet but for creating a local one, in which case this wiki currently lacks the introduction of the crucial DHCP setup.

See https://nims11.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/hostapd-the-linux-way-to-create-virtual-wifi-access-point/, section "SETTING UP THE DHCP SERVER".

Champignoom (talk) 09:28, 29 December 2022 (UTC)

That's a different use case than a software access point. — Lahwaacz (talk) 10:03, 29 December 2022 (UTC)

Two interfaces on same card

First of all, correct me if I'm wrong here, but only two should be necessary for an access point. One will be the existing wlan0 that connects to a Wi-Fi network, and the other wlan0_ap (which must be created) will be used for the access point. No wlan0_sta shoud be necessary.

Second: some cards do not support more than one interface in managed mode. Take my card for example:

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

In such a case, the only solution seems to be the poorly documented __ap type:

   # iw dev wlan0 interface add wlan0_ap type __ap addr 12:34:56:78:ab:ce

This is the approach taken in linux-wifi-hotspot, for example Warshipper (talk) 18:25, 16 January 2024 (UTC)