Raspberry Pi WiFi Repeater Issues

debugcn Published at Dev

Nicholas Adamou

BACKGROUND

GOAL: To create an AP on one interface and allow another interface to act as a station.

SETUP:

--> = Packets to/from
AP --> station --> INTERNET
wlan0 --> wlan1 --> INTERNET

Device(s):

Raspberry Pi 3 (on board chip = AP)
TL-WN725N (station)

ISSUE

HostAPD will not start.

CMD WITH OUTPUT

cmd: sudo /usr/sbin/hostapd /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf

output:

Configuration file: /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf
nl80211: Could not configure driver mode
nl80211 driver initialization failed.
hostapd_free_hapd_data: Interface wlan0 wasn't started

cmd: hostapd -dd /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf

output:

random: Trying to read entropy from /dev/random
Configuration file: /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf
ctrl_interface_group=0
rfkill: initial event: idx=0 type=1 op=0 soft=0 hard=0
rfkill: initial event: idx=1 type=2 op=0 soft=0 hard=0
nl80211: TDLS supported
nl80211: Supported cipher 00-0f-ac:1
nl80211: Supported cipher 00-0f-ac:5
nl80211: Supported cipher 00-0f-ac:2
nl80211: Supported cipher 00-0f-ac:4
nl80211: Supported cipher 00-0f-ac:6
nl80211: Using driver-based off-channel TX
nl80211: Supported vendor command: vendor_id=0x1018 subcmd=1
nl80211: Use separate P2P group interface (driver advertised support)
nl80211: Enable multi-channel concurrent (driver advertised support)
nl80211: interface wlan0 in phy phy0
nl80211: Set mode ifindex 3 iftype 3 (AP)
nl80211: Failed to set interface 3 to mode 3: -1 (Operation not permitted)
nl80211: Try mode change after setting interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
nl80211: Interface mode change to 3 from 0 failed
nl80211: Could not configure driver mode
nl80211: Remove monitor interface: refcount=0
netlink: Operstate: ifindex=3 linkmode=0 (kernel-control), operstate=6 (IF_OPER_UP)
nl80211: Set mode ifindex 3 iftype 2 (STATION)
nl80211: Failed to set interface 3 to mode 2: -1 (Operation not permitted)
nl80211: Try mode change after setting interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
Could not set interface wlan0 flags (DOWN): Operation not permitted
nl80211: Failed to set interface down
nl80211: Interface mode change to 2 from 0 failed
nl80211 driver initialization failed.
hostapd_interface_deinit_free(0x55a049f0)
hostapd_interface_deinit_free: num_bss=1 conf->num_bss=1
hostapd_interface_deinit(0x55a049f0)
hostapd_bss_deinit: deinit bss wlan0
hostapd_cleanup(hapd=0x55a06d48 (wlan0))
hostapd_free_hapd_data: Interface wlan0 wasn't started
hostapd_interface_deinit_free: driver=(nil) drv_priv=(nil) -> hapd_deinit
hostapd_interface_free(0x55a049f0)
hostapd_interface_free: free hapd 0x55a06d48
hostapd_cleanup_iface(0x55a049f0)
hostapd_cleanup_iface_partial(0x55a049f0)
hostapd_cleanup_iface: free iface=0x55a049f0

cmd: iw list

output:

Wiphy phy0
    max # scan SSIDs: 10
    max scan IEs length: 2048 bytes
    Retry short limit: 7
    Retry long limit: 4
    Coverage class: 0 (up to 0m)
    Device supports T-DLS.
    Supported Ciphers:
        * WEP40 (00-0f-ac:1)
        * WEP104 (00-0f-ac:5)
        * TKIP (00-0f-ac:2)
        * CCMP (00-0f-ac:4)
        * CMAC (00-0f-ac:6)
    Available Antennas: TX 0 RX 0
    Supported interface modes:
         * IBSS
         * managed
         * AP
         * P2P-client
         * P2P-GO
         * P2P-device
    Band 1:
        Capabilities: 0x1020
            HT20
            Static SM Power Save
            RX HT20 SGI
            No RX STBC
            Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
            DSSS/CCK HT40
        Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
        Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 16 usec (0x07)
        HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-7
        Bitrates (non-HT):
            * 1.0 Mbps
            * 2.0 Mbps (short preamble supported)
            * 5.5 Mbps (short preamble supported)
            * 11.0 Mbps (short preamble supported)
            * 6.0 Mbps
            * 9.0 Mbps
            * 12.0 Mbps
            * 18.0 Mbps
            * 24.0 Mbps
            * 36.0 Mbps
            * 48.0 Mbps
            * 54.0 Mbps
        Frequencies:
            * 2412 MHz [1] (20.0 dBm)
            * 2417 MHz [2] (20.0 dBm)
            * 2422 MHz [3] (20.0 dBm)
            * 2427 MHz [4] (20.0 dBm)
            * 2432 MHz [5] (20.0 dBm)
            * 2437 MHz [6] (20.0 dBm)
            * 2442 MHz [7] (20.0 dBm)
            * 2447 MHz [8] (20.0 dBm)
            * 2452 MHz [9] (20.0 dBm)
            * 2457 MHz [10] (20.0 dBm)
            * 2462 MHz [11] (20.0 dBm)
            * 2467 MHz [12] (disabled)
            * 2472 MHz [13] (disabled)
            * 2484 MHz [14] (disabled)
    Supported commands:
         * new_interface
         * set_interface
         * new_key
         * start_ap
         * join_ibss
         * set_pmksa
         * del_pmksa
         * flush_pmksa
         * remain_on_channel
         * frame
         * set_channel
         * tdls_oper
         * start_sched_scan
         * start_p2p_device
         * crit_protocol_start
         * crit_protocol_stop
         * connect
         * disconnect
    Supported TX frame types:
         * managed: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
         * P2P-client: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
         * P2P-GO: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
         * P2P-device: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
    Supported RX frame types:
         * managed: 0x40 0xd0
         * P2P-client: 0x40 0xd0
         * P2P-GO: 0x00 0x20 0x40 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
         * P2P-device: 0x40 0xd0
    software interface modes (can always be added):
    valid interface combinations:
         * #{ managed } <= 1, #{ P2P-device } <= 1, #{ P2P-client, P2P-GO } <= 1,
           total <= 3, #channels <= 2
         * #{ managed } <= 1, #{ AP } <= 1, #{ P2P-client } <= 1, #{ P2P-device } <= 1,
           total <= 4, #channels <= 1
    Device supports scan flush.

FILE: /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf

interface=wlan0
driver=nl80211
ctrl_interface=/var/run/hostapd
ctrl_interface_group=0
ssid=PiFi
channel=7
wmm_enabled=0

macaddr_acl=0
auth_algs=1
ignore_broadcast_ssid=0

wpa=2
wpa_passphrase=h07sp07
wpa_key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
wpa_pairwise=TKIP
rsn_pairwise=CCMP

ieee80211n=1
hw_mode=g

FILE: /etc/network/interfaces

auto lo

iface lo inet loopback
iface eth0 inet dhcp

allow-hotplug wlan0
iface wlan0 inet static
  address 192.168.42.1
  netmask 255.255.255.0
  post-up iw dev  set power_save off

allow-hotplug wlan1
iface wlan1 inet manual
  wpa-roam /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

up iptables-restore < /etc/iptables.ipv4.nat

FILE: /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
update_config=1

network={
        ssid="Bangerang"
        psk="h07sp07"
        proto=RSN
        key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
        pairwise=CCMP
        auth_alg=OPEN
}

iptables Configuration(s):

#!/bin/bash

station=wlan1
AP=wlan0

sudo sed -i: 's/^#net.ipv4.ip_forward=1/net.ipv4.ip_forward=1/g' /etc/sysctl.conf
sudo sh -c "echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward"
sudo iptables --table nat --append POSTROUTING --out-interface $station --jump MASQUERADE
sudo iptables --append FORWARD --in-interface $AP --out-interface $station -m state \
--state RELATED,ESTABLISHED --jump ACCEPT
sudo iptables --append FORWARD --in-interface $AP --out-interface $station --jump ACCEPT
sudo sh -c "iptables-save > /etc/iptables.ipv4.nat"

Nicholas Adamou

Download and run the following script as sudo:

pifi.sh : https://github.com/NicholasAdamou/PiFi/raw/master/pifi.sh

It's a script that I made to fix the above issue.

How did I fix it?

The HostAPD binary didn't have the correct firmware for the wireless adapter I was using.

The above script will allow you to setup a a Raspberry Pi as a PiFi Wireless Repeater.

Collected from the Internet

Please contact [email protected] to delete if infringement.