How To Set Up A FreeBSD Wireless Access Point ?

[Ananias]

I want to use a FreeBSD system as a wireless access point. Is it possible to do the same ? If possible, then how can I setup a FreeBSD wireless access point ? Does anybody know the details and information about this...... please give your ideas.......

thank you

[Snake08]

Getting FreeBSD to act as a wireless access point involves the following steps:

• Make sure your installation includes hostapd and named (BIND)
• Recompile your kernel for pf support
• pf is not the only way to do this, but I strongly prefer pf to the ipfw/ipfilter and have written the How-To to use it
• Configure NAT (and any firewall rules)
• Install isc-dhcp3-server
• Configure daemons and start them
  Hardware Requirements/Notes:
• One network card to connect to the upstream. This is the external network interface (ext_if). In this How-To it will be fxp0. Yours may differ.
• One wireless card to provide wireless services. I prefer Atheros-based cards, whatever FreeBSD supported card you have is fine, though (wifi_if). In this How-To it will be ath0. Yours may differ.
• Optionally, an additional wired network card (int_if) for wired LAN access (via crossover cable or a network switch/hub). Not necessary, but my system provides both wirless and wired LAN access. In this How-To it will be fxp1. yours may differ.

[Zachary]

For setting up a wireless access point network, you will have to setup a system as follows -

fxp0 - ext_if - external card that connects to cable/DSL modem, WAN, etc.
fxp1 - lan_if - internal card that provides wired LAN access.
ath0 - wifi_if - internal wireless card for wireless access point connections.
If you're aiming for only a wireless LAN, you can omit all references to fxp1 and lan_if. In configuration files simply delete $lan_if from all files. Conversely, for wired only setups, remove all references to $wifi_if and ath0.


The network will be confgiured as follows:
fxp0 - ext_if - DHCP configured from upstream (e.g. let cable modem provide an IP)
fxp1 - lan_if - static IP, 192.168.0.1; wired subnet will be 192.168.0.0/24; clients on LAN configured via DHCP
ath0 - wifi_if - static IP, 192.168.1.1; wireless subnet will be 192.168.1.0/24; clients on WLAN configured via DHCP