BB1 Turning off WiFi

Dave Nockels

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Dec 9, 2020, 2:20:20 PM12/9/20

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I have just started using my BB1. I have it wired to the ethernet. Is it possible to turn off the WiFi via a software setting? No mention in any user advice I have seen. No obvious option in the menus

Obviously, not “approved”, but any ideas about how difficult it would be to “modify” the hardware?

Daniel Taylor

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Dec 9, 2020, 8:13:16 PM12/9/20

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I would be concerned that removing any of the WiFi hardware would leave the software confused when it tries to talk to it.

fred.w....@gmail.com

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Dec 9, 2020, 8:39:34 PM12/9/20

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I believe that the BB1 is built round a Pi Zero, (I don't know if it is Zero or a Zero W) but if it is indeed a Zero W then the WiFi and Bluetooth are built onto the Pi board. In both cases Ethernet will be provided via USB as there is no Ethernet port on the boards. So you can't modify the hardware

One COULD disable/remove the functioning of the WiFi from the operating system (Brennan's Software is built using Linux) but I can not see any benefit in doing so.

Why do you think it necessary to do this? Provided you do not connect it to a router it is not going to be active.

Fred

PMB

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Dec 10, 2020, 3:50:04 AM12/10/20

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Hi Dave,

I assume you are using a USB-Ethernet adapter - which one have you got? Are you seeing two IP's - one for WiFi and one for Ethernet?

As Fred says the BB1 uses the Pi Zero W so the WiFi/Bluetooth hardware is built onto the Pi PCB.

Not done this but if you select Bluetooth on the BB1 it switches the WiFi hardware to Bluetooth (they share hardware on the Pi Zero W), so affectively turning WiFi off.