Puppy as a wifi access point - OLD !!

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aarf

#21 Post by aarf »

android and mac are leaving us in the shade. i dont like it.
Image
The flier connects to your iPhone and iPod touch through Wi-Fi and is controlled by either tilting the remote or using on-screen buttons
reference http://www.bangkokpost.com/tech/gadget/ ... it-a-plane
wonder about the wifi card and drivers too.
The range is claimed to be about 50m
they havent got N wifi then :o

Atle
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#22 Post by Atle »

Thanks for the good answers.

This could be done in a few steps and I believe we are not alone on this wish as there is a large group of mailing list users for HostAP.

So to put it into steps.

1) Unite on some goals(multiboot cd, webserver, joomla, webcam support etc)

2) Create one version that supports some of the ideas implemented from 1, and I will upload the file and create a little "community" dedicated for this purpose

3) Promote the project towards the HostAP mailingslist and see if we can attract some people with common interest and also knowhow specific to HostAP

4) Enjoy whatever comes out of this :)

What I can offer is to work on the Joomla and Hiawatha/ SQL/PHP thing. Thats as far as I go. I have done that one before with 5.2.5, and I believe I shall be able to do that also with 5.2.6, that i believe is around the corner.

I can also offer hosting for the files and make some sort of common workspace for kicking off the project.

Yet I believe that the AP-Puppy or whatever it could be named, will depend on a variety of ideas, like as in social.

As for social its like chatting with your neighbors, offer multiplayer gaming for friends, sharing files, getting files, videochat if that is possible. SEnd your own local news at 2100 every day if that is possible. Only fantasy and the existing possibilities trough the existing repo decides that?

I guess the keyword there is servers? Gameservers, webserver etc?

tempestuous
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Location: Australia

#23 Post by tempestuous »

After 2 months and 100 downloads, forum users' reports on this subject have been vague. So I decided to test this application, myself.
I bought a MADWiFi-compatible wifi PCI card on eBay; Netgear WG311T, and then tried the setup commands, with one difference: my client wifi device is not WPA compatible, so I set the hostapd configuration for no encryption ("wpa=0").
The hostapd commands all appeared to work, except that the final message looked a little worrying:
"l2_packet_receive - recvfrom: Network is down"

But pressing on, I plugged my old B-mode wifi dongle (D-Link DWL-122) into my Windows computer, and bam! It connected to the Puppy access point.
Attached is the screen grab of the D-Link wifi connection utility in Windows, showing my successful connection.

Of course this is only with WPA encryption disabled. I will need to beg/borrow/steal a WPA compatible client device before I can confirm that hostapd works with WPA/WPA2 encryption.
But the access point functionality is definitely working, and so is the network bridging.

I discovered a few things along the way, particularly regarding DHCP and network configuration, and I have updated the instructions in the first post.
Also I have now repackaged the hostapd dotpet to include a launch-script to make it easier for users who are daunted by all the manual commands involved.
Attachments
D-Link-utility.jpg
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tempestuous
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#24 Post by tempestuous »

Router/server/network considerations

Once configured as explained in the first post, your Puppy computer is now a wifi access point, but it's not a router.

You need to be aware that the network configuration is reliant upon the external modem or router that's connected to the ethernet port of the Puppy computer.
The modem/router will, for example, typically assign Puppy's "br0" interface an IP address of 192.168.0.2.
Then when a wifi client connects to Puppy, it's effectively looking through Puppy to the modem/router, which will most likely assign it an IP address of 192.168.0.3.

Now if you want Puppy to act as a server, that's OK, the client can access Puppy at 192.168.0.2, but Puppy is a network peer, not a network server. Puppy is dependent upon the external router for its IP address, and the various services that you run on Puppy will need to be configured for this IP address ... and the IP address can obviously change.

If you want to run server applications on your Puppy wifi access point, it would be optimal if Puppy was configured as a full network server, and the good news is that this is certainly possible. In this scenario, Puppy takes an external IP address from the modem on its ethernet interface as before, but Puppy also has its own LAN, with a different range of IP addresses, starting, for example, from 10.0.0.1.
Now Puppy's internal IP address is fixed, and the wifi clients can always access Puppy at the same address.

The bad news is that I don't know how to set this up.
I know that some of our forum regulars are experts in networking, and they would need to weigh in with the right information.

Atle
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#25 Post by Atle »

Cool...

In the suggested little project by me, the encryption is not really wanted as all are welcome to use it.

Let give it a little time, until the new 5.2.6 or is it 5.2.7 comes and I shall try to get a Joomla up and running there with some cool things like chat and files up and down etc. I will try to make a Joomla Puppy as the very first thing as its released and it seems to be pretty soon

This is great news.

atle :D

aarf

#26 Post by aarf »

pleased that you have this running tempestuous and also pleased that you finally named a compatible device: Netgear WG311T to plug into non- compatible computers..
now there should be no roadblocks.
erm.. where is the gui or new pets?

<edited to reflect further correct info.>
Last edited by aarf on Tue 09 Aug 2011, 15:09, edited 3 times in total.

Atle
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#27 Post by Atle »

But pressing on, I plugged my old B-mode wifi dongle (D-Link DWL-122) into my Windows computer, and bam! It connected to the Puppy access point.
Attached is the screen grab of the D-Link wifi connection utility in Windows, showing my successful connection.
You got to be kidding :shock: Its the same dongle that I have :D

So that means I am SUPPORTED...

That is so cool. :lol:

tempestuous
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Location: Australia

#28 Post by tempestuous »

aarf wrote:also pleased that you finally named a compatible dongle.
Atle wrote:Its the same dongle that I have
So that means I am SUPPORTED...
Careful guys, you seem to be getting confused - the USB dongle I mentioned was on my client computer. The client computer can be any operating system, with any wifi device which is capable of operating in B-mode or G-mode.

Regarding compatible wifi devices for the Puppy access point - I explained this in the very first paragraph of the first post in this thread. Generally, MADWiFi-compatible devices (Atheros AR521x wifi chip) are the main option.
Yes, I did name the compatible wifi device that I used on the Puppy access point computer - Netgear WG311T - that's a PCI card, not a USB dongle.

For a comprehensive listing of MADWiFi-compatible devices, see here -
http://linux-wless.passys.nl/query_chip ... et=Atheros
What's not mentioned on that list are the internal miniPCI MADWiFi devices found in the older range of netbooks, especially the older ASUS Eee's.

aarf

#29 Post by aarf »

hmm i see same name for new pets as original hostapd-0.7.3.pet so have to redowload the same named pet,
testing not me for now, concentration is exhausted so am taking a little time off from testing .

Atle
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#30 Post by Atle »

I talked about making a Puppy that has Joomla preinstalled. Once this goes on "air", I think a lot of funny things can become reality. Then I might be wrong;-)

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=71614

aarf

#31 Post by aarf »

ok tempestuous now we have to make it so that some thing like this free app can be used on the wifi
http://ardrone.parrot.com/parrot-ar-dro ... or-android
here is the plane that it flys
http://shop.singahobby.com/?q=node/26668

for now just something that responds via wifi from puppy is the goal not necessarily a flying thing, some thing simple like an off /on switch on an appliance would be an achievement.
Last edited by aarf on Sat 17 Sep 2011, 23:42, edited 3 times in total.

aarf

#32 Post by aarf »

i think this wifi interaction capability is kernel dependent. which kernels i don't know.
i think just need something like this
http://shop.singahobby.com/?q=node/27183
and this http://shop.singahobby.com/?q=node/27530 to start playing. (plus a lot of knowledge which can be acquired for free.)

tempestuous
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#33 Post by tempestuous »

aarf wrote:ok tempestuous now we have to make it so that some thing like this free app can be used on the wifi
http://ardrone.parrot.com/parrot-ar-dro ... or-android
That's interesting, but it bears no relevance to wifi hotspots.

aarf wrote:i think this wifi interaction capability is kernel dependent.
Well "interaction" can mean many things. In terms of communication method, that's easy; it's ad-hoc wifi, as explained here -
http://ardrone.parrot.com/parrot-ar-dro ... ns-answers
And ad-hoc wifi is quite easy in Linux, howto here -
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 929#159929

But in terms of porting the AR.FreeFlight application to Linux, wow, that would take some effort, especially in terms of reading all the motion and camera data, then displaying it on the Linux X server.

Atle
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#34 Post by Atle »

What about just keeping a focus on how people can communicate in case the internet is shit down by our great leaders?

This is a aspect no one really discuss here.

So I am back to my Joomla stuff again. If internet is shut down. Can one somehow use such a technology as discussed here to build local Wifi net in cities etc?

Any views on this?

The thing is... If this Hostap was integrated so that a maximum number of cards and technologies was covered(maybe a multiboot CD with the 3 linux Wifi drivers represented) and it was set up as a system where you SPREAD the technology, so that people can log on to your APs server and download Puppy with the HostAP, so that they can "extend" the range of the network? In such a Puppy the Joomla(or any other technology) could have a lot of "howto's) on WifFi antennas and tricks to extend the range of your Wifi etc.

Call it "WarPup" or whatever:-)

aarf

#35 Post by aarf »

went to play with some prospective android phones today and discovered that touch phones are only for the fingernail challenged. :cry: i don't know if i can do without that fashion statement. it will be a traumatic decision.

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Aitch
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#36 Post by Aitch »

tempestuous

see this thread, for similar possibilities, with mesh networking, where bridging is/can be used

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 1&start=30

also http://wiki.freifunk.net/Hauptseite

Aitch :)

Atle
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#37 Post by Atle »

How about making a "proof of concept" Live CD, whereas the objective is to be able to boot from a live CD and your Wlan turns into a AP and the content is RapNews???

Anyone in for that? I can try to make the Puppy wished for by the one that can do the teckie stuff related to Wlan decides, and have a LHMP enabled Puppy XXX tanked up with LHMP and the RapNews content. They are scheduled to release a new broadcast this week about Kony 2012 and they have a large group of fans that would love such a item to broadcast locally at their school or neighborhood.

Just as a proof of concept if one could make "instant broadcast Puppy"

:lol:

RickT2012
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Will the instructions in this post still work in 5.3?

#38 Post by RickT2012 »

I didn't find a follow-up post in searching the site -- were the changes between 5.2 and 5.3 enough that I shouldn't expect the instructions and attached dotpet files to work any longer?

aarf

#39 Post by aarf »

cross reference to shareinternet.pet
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=37520

Pelo

French translation being deleted after test in use

#40 Post by Pelo »

INSTRUCTIONS:
i) Installez les pets hostapd et bridge-utils.
ii) Installez aussi un des pets madwifi si vous avez un Atheros AR512x wifi device (PCI or PCMCIA), et rebootez.

Définissez :
- Comment allez-vous appeler votre point d’accès - ce sera le SSID.
- si vous voulez un cryptage WPA or WPA2 , ou pas de cryptage.
- Si Cryptage, quelle passphrase. Il vous faudra convertir l’ASCII passphrase choisie dans sa valeur hexadécimale 64 digit avec la commande -

Code:
wpa_passphrase <ssid> <passphrase>

Tous ces paramètres doivent être enregistrés dans /etc/hostapd.conf
J’ai pre-configuré un SSID "Puppy_Hotspot", avec WPA2 encryption, avec la PSK passphrase "woof1234".
Vous n’aurez rien à changer si vous utilisez ma configuration
Regardez toutefois /etc/hostapd.conf dans Geany juste pour voir de quoi je parle. J’ai commenté le PSK password (woof1234) et utilisé la valeur hexadécimale de la passphrase, calculée comme expliqué plus haut.

Notez la valeur de WPA2 encryption: "wpa_pairwise=CCMP"
Pour utiliser la vieille valeur WPA encryption, tapez : "wpa_pairwise=TKIP"
Si vous ne voulez pas de cryptage, tapez "wpa=0"
For the hostap_pci/hostap_cs drivers, changez "interface=ath0" en "interface=wlan0", et changez "driver=madwifi" en "driver=hostap", et changez "hw_mode=g" en "hw_mode=b".


Connectez maintenant votre ethernet interface to some form of modem/router. Ce sera la internet connection que vous partagerez via votre wifi interface.
Si vous aviez configuré votre ethernet interface avec Puppy's Network Wizard, il faut éliminer la configuration :

Code:
ifconfig eth0 down

Vous devez éliminer le dhcpcd daemon - TRES IMPORTANT.
Dans le Menu > System > System Status and Config > Pprocess process manager, vous devriez trouver "dhcpcd -d -l eth0"
Selectionnez-le, et cliquez "End process"
Otez le fichier stale dhcpcd run avec cette commande -

Code:
rm -f /var/run/dhcpcd-eth0.*


Changez votremode wifi driver "Station/Managed" mode en "AP/Master" mode -

Code:
ifconfig ath0 down
wlanconfig ath0 destroy
wlanconfig ath0 create wlandev wifi0 wlanmode ap

Pour les hostap_pci/hostap_cs drivers, faire
ifconfig wlan0 down
iwconfig wlan0 mode Master

Ensuite bridgez your ethernet interface sur votre wifi interface :

Code:
ifconfig eth0 0.0.0.0 up
ifconfig ath0 0.0.0.0 up
modprobe bridge
brctl addbr br0
brctl addif br0 eth0
brctl addif br0 ath0

Pour les hostap_pci/hostap_cs drivers, changez "ath0" en "wlan0".
Votre Puppy computer est reconnu sur le LAN par sa bridged interface: br0.
En theory donner une IP address à votre Puppy computer pour sa bridged interface n’est pas obligé mais en practique c’est essentiel. Faites ceci :

Code:
rm -f /var/run/dhcpcd-br0.*
dhcpcd -t 30 -h puppypc -d br0

I found that this may take 15 seconds or so! dhcpcd seems to struggle with a "br0" interface.
Various code will run by, and eventually you should see "...forking to background".


Vous voilà prêts à lancer le hostapd daemon

Code:
hostapd /etc/hostapd.conf -dd

Les deux dernières lignes que vous verrez seront :
"ath0: Setup of interface done.
l2_packet_receive - recvfrom: Network is down"
Ne vous affolez pas, c’est réussi.

Tout wifi client pourra se connecter à votre Puppy access point.

Bonne nouvelle j’ai créé un script dans /usr/bin appelé "Wifi-AP-launch.sh"
Obviously you can run this script from an rxvt terminal, but better still, I have created a desktop launch-script called "Wifi-AP-launch". With ROX, go to /usr/bin and drag the icon for "Wifi-AP-launch" (not Wifi-AP-launch.sh") onto the desktop. This is ready to go, but it has a generic icon. To give it a nice icon, right-click it, select File 'Wifi-AP-launch' > Set Icon...
and this will present a window. Use ROX to drag /usr/local/lib/X11/pixmaps/Wifi-AP-48.png into the window.
Done!

UPDATE: just because your Puppy computer is now a wifi Access Point, don't assume it's acting as a router ... it's not. See my later post about router/server/network considerations -
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 738#551738
Last edited by Pelo on Sun 28 Dec 2014, 19:28, edited 1 time in total.

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