Setting up a WiFi hotspot on BB black using WiFI USB adapter with RTL8188CUS chipset

[AK@hobbyist]

Hi 

I am new to Beagleboen black and am trying to set up a WiFi hotpspot on Beagleboe Black using the USB adapters with RTL8188CUS chipset. I am not able to create it. If somebody has done ti please let me know. Thanks!!!!

[fta...@gmail.com]

On Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 5:16:51 PM UTC-5, AK@hobbyist wrote:

Hi 

I am new to Beagleboen black and am trying to set up a WiFi hotpspot on Beagleboe Black using the USB adapters with RTL8188CUS chipset. I am not able to create it. If somebody has done ti please let me know. Thanks!!!!

I have successfully set up my beaglebone black as an access point using a USB wifi adapter with the RTL8188CUS chipset. Here are the details:

Hardware:
Beaglebone Black rev C
LB link wireless usb adapter (http://chicagodist.com/products/long-range-wifi-usb-with-antenna-for-raspberry-pi)

Bone Software:
Debian GNU/Linux 7
Kernel - Linux beaglebone 3.8.13-bone69
manually built rtl8188CUS device driver, 8192cu.ko (from sources at https://github.com/mcantarutti/ShopBot-API/tree/master/Arch_linux_config/rtl8188CUS-driver-beaglebone)
hostapd

Procedure:
The stock 8192cu driver worked as a client, but could not be setup as an access point.  Apparently the stock 8192cu driver does not have nl80211 support, which I believe is needed for access point functionality.  I obtained the driver source from https://github.com/jlucidar/FabMo-Platform/tree/master/Arch_linux_config/rtl8188CUS-driver-beaglebone.  This source has nl80211 support.  I compiled the module from source and then replaced the stock 8192cu.ko file.  At the next boot hostapd successfully set up wlan0 as an access point.  As a bonus, the new version of the driver has concurrence enabled.  With this function, the 8192cu driver creates two wifi interfaces, wlan0 and wlan1.  I can use each of these wifi interfaces independently.

frank agius
 

[arvind chavda]

Hi 

Thanks for the help !!!

I tried going your way but I dont know how to download drivers of the adpaters. If you dont miind would you explain me this process in a little bit detail. As I mentioned I am new to BBB, so it will take some time for me to dig in.Also if you are available to chat about it please let me know.

Regards,

AK

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[col...@gmail.com]

Frank,

Thanks for providing some guidance.  I previously got the RTL8192cu working using instructions from here:

http://wiesel.ece.utah.edu/redmine/projects/hacks/wiki/BeagleBone_Black_AP

I am trying to follow your instructions now which on the surface seem much easier.  So, I did the following:

Debian, Kernel 3.8.13-bone70

/opt/scripts/tools/update_kernel.sh

Download and build drivers from  https://github.com/jlucidar/FabMo-Platform/tree/master/Arch_linux_config/rtl8188CUS-driver-beaglebone

make

make install

(do I need to blacklist anything?)

Reboot shows wlan0 and wlan1.  I can edit /etc/network/interfaces for wlan0 and connect to my home wifi network.

apt-get install hostapd dnsmasq

Edited interfaces, hostapd.conf, and dnsmasq.conf files to use wlan0 in static address.  Reboot.

My iPhones (iOS 3 and 8) show that the network is coming up, and it asks for a password (tried wpa 1 and 2), but it won't accept the password I placed in hostapd.conf.

wpa_passphrase=12345678

I verified that /lib/modules/3.8.13-bone70/kernel/drivers/net/wireless has the built 8192cu.ko.

Did you have to build hostapd as well?  How are your hostapd.conf and /etc/network/interfaces configured?  Are you using dnsmasq or a different program for address assignment?  Firmware?  Any other thoughts on why the password is not being accepted?

Jeff

[Frank Agius]

On Wed, Jan 28, 2015 at 9:33 PM, <col...@gmail.com> wrote:

Frank,

Thanks for providing some guidance.  I previously got the RTL8192cu working using instructions from here:

http://wiesel.ece.utah.edu/redmine/projects/hacks/wiki/BeagleBone_Black_AP

I am trying to follow your instructions now which on the surface seem much easier.  So, I did the following:

Debian, Kernel 3.8.13-bone70

/opt/scripts/tools/update_kernel.sh

Download and build drivers from  https://github.com/jlucidar/FabMo-Platform/tree/master/Arch_linux_config/rtl8188CUS-driver-beaglebone

make

make install

(do I need to blacklist anything?)

No, no need to blacklist any modules

Reboot shows wlan0 and wlan1.  I can edit /etc/network/interfaces for wlan0 and connect to my home wifi network.

apt-get install hostapd dnsmasq

Edited interfaces, hostapd.conf, and dnsmasq.conf files to use wlan0 in static address.  Reboot.

My iPhones (iOS 3 and 8) show that the network is coming up, and it asks for a password (tried wpa 1 and 2), but it won't accept the password I placed in hostapd.conf.

wpa_passphrase=12345678

I verified that /lib/modules/3.8.13-bone70/kernel/drivers/net/wireless has the built 8192cu.ko.

Did you have to build hostapd as well?

With the stock hostapd and no security, hostapd worked well and I was able to connect with my tablet and phone.  When I tried using a passphrase, I had the same connection issue you described.  I then followed the instructions from this webpage, "https://ariandy1.wordpress.com/2013/04/18/wifi-access-point-with-tp-link-tl-wn722n-on-ubuntu-12-04/",  to download, configure and compile hostapd.  The instructions are not beaglebone specific, but they worked for me. The newly compiled hostapd ran and allowed me to connect using a passphrase.
 

 How are your hostapd.conf and /etc/network/interfaces configured?  Are you using dnsmasq or a different program for address assignment?  Firmware?  Any other thoughts on why the password is not being accepted?

Nothing special in hostapd.conf or interfaces.  I am using dnsmasq to hand out IP addresses.

Here is the contents of my hostapd.conf file:

interface=wlan1
country_code=US
ctrl_interface=wlan1
ctrl_interface_group=0
ssid=testSetup
hw_mode=g
channel=11
wpa=3
wpa_passphrase=BeagleBoneRocks
wpa_key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
wpa_pairwise=TKIP
rsn_pairwise=CCMP
beacon_int=100
auth_algs=3
macaddr_acl=0
wmm_enabled=1
eap_reauth_period=360000000

Here is the section of the interfaces file for the AP interface:

iface wlan1 inet static
        address 172.55.1.5
        network 172.55.1.0
        netmask 255.255.255.0
       

Jeff

On Thursday, January 15, 2015 at 7:47:04 AM UTC-5, Frank Agius wrote:

On Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 5:16:51 PM UTC-5, AK@hobbyist wrote:

Hi 

I am new to Beagleboen black and am trying to set up a WiFi hotpspot on Beagleboe Black using the USB adapters with RTL8188CUS chipset. I am not able to create it. If somebody has done ti please let me know. Thanks!!!!

I have successfully set up my beaglebone black as an access point using a USB wifi adapter with the RTL8188CUS chipset. Here are the details:

Hardware:
Beaglebone Black rev C
LB link wireless usb adapter (http://chicagodist.com/products/long-range-wifi-usb-with-antenna-for-raspberry-pi)

Bone Software:
Debian GNU/Linux 7
Kernel - Linux beaglebone 3.8.13-bone69
manually built rtl8188CUS device driver, 8192cu.ko (from sources at https://github.com/mcantarutti/ShopBot-API/tree/master/Arch_linux_config/rtl8188CUS-driver-beaglebone)
hostapd

Procedure:
The stock 8192cu driver worked as a client, but could not be setup as an access point.  Apparently the stock 8192cu driver does not have nl80211 support, which I believe is needed for access point functionality.  I obtained the driver source from https://github.com/jlucidar/FabMo-Platform/tree/master/Arch_linux_config/rtl8188CUS-driver-beaglebone.  This source has nl80211 support.  I compiled the module from source and then replaced the stock 8192cu.ko file.  At the next boot hostapd successfully set up wlan0 as an access point.  As a bonus, the new version of the driver has concurrence enabled.  With this function, the 8192cu driver creates two wifi interfaces, wlan0 and wlan1.  I can use each of these wifi interfaces independently.

frank agius
 

[col...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, January 29, 2015 at 2:59:57 PM UTC-5, Frank Agius wrote:

Did you have to build hostapd as well?

With the stock hostapd and no security, hostapd worked well and I was able to connect with my tablet and phone.  When I tried using a passphrase, I had the same connection issue you described.  I then followed the instructions from this webpage, "https://ariandy1.wordpress.com/2013/04/18/wifi-access-point-with-tp-link-tl-wn722n-on-ubuntu-12-04/",  to download, configure and compile hostapd.  The instructions are not beaglebone specific, but they worked for me. The newly compiled hostapd ran and allowed me to connect using a passphrase.

Ah ha!  Yes, the default hostapd was working fine for me (except for timing of the init) when I had an open network.  In my old kernel on a different SD card, I had previously compiled hostapd.  Thanks for the link with straightforward instructions.  

hostapd is still having some difficulties finding wlan0 during boot, so I added a post-up to my /etc/network/interfaces.

allow-hotplug wlan0

auto wlan0

iface wlan0 inet static

     address 192.168.4.1

     network 192.168.4.0

     netmask 255.255.255.0

     broadcast 192.168.4.255

     post-up /usr/sbin/service hostapd restart

All is good now!