DietPi-Software | WiFi Hostspot fails with Netgear WPN111

[leealder]

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• DietPi has encounted an error, and, is unable to continue -
• Please create a ticket: https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/issues -
• Copy and paste the BLUE lines below, into the ticket -

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Details:

• Date | Wed 29 May 15:31:13 BST 2019
• Bug report | N/A
• DietPi version | v6.24.1 (MichaIng/master)
• Img creator | DietPi Core Team
• Pre-image | Raspbian Lite
• SBC device | RPi 3 Model B (armv7l) (index=3)
• Kernel version | General | Update VM images to Stretch #1219 SMP Tue May 14 21:20:58 BST 2019
• Distro | buster (index=5)
• Command | systemctl start hostapd
• Exit code | 1
• Software title | DietPi-Config

Steps to reproduce:

1. ...Install item v86 #60 "WiFi HostSpot"
2. ...

Expected behaviour:

• ... become HotSpot

Actual behaviour:

• ... hostapd.service ends in error

Extra details:

• ...

Additional logs:

Log file contents:
Job for hostapd.service failed because the control process exited with error code.
See "systemctl status hostapd.service" and "journalctl -xe" for details.
root@DietPi:~# systemctl status hostapd.service
● hostapd.service - Advanced IEEE 802.11 AP and IEEE 802.1X/WPA/WPA2/EAP Authenticator
   Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/hostapd.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
   Active: activating (auto-restart) (Result: exit-code) since Wed 2019-05-29 15:59:20 BST; 1s ago
  Process: 2204 ExecStart=/usr/sbin/hostapd -B -P /run/hostapd.pid -B $DAEMON_OPTS ${DAEMON_CONF} (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
root@DietPi:~# 

[MichaIng]

@leealder
Many thanks for your report.

Please try it with the Raspberry Pi repo binary: apt install --reinstall hostapd

[MichaIng]

I will change this to be the default on RPis, especially since this package/driver seems to support even RTL8188CU* WiFi chips.

[leealder]

Sorry I kinda have to rely on you all for software. not quite as good as you all!

…

On Wed, May 29, 2019 at 11:12 AM MichaIng ***@***.***> wrote: I will change this to be the default on RPis, especially since this package/driver seems to support even RTL8188CU* WiFi chips. — You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#2869?email_source=notifications&email_token=AAEFG5EAYIOIKLOJZQRUCL3PX2TP3A5CNFSM4HQNW3X2YY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFVREXG43VMVBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGODWP3APY#issuecomment-497004607>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAEFG5H557435GRLA7YJJ7TPX2TP3ANCNFSM4HQNW3XQ> .

[MichaIng]

@leealder
Jep, no worries. Simply copy paste the apt command I posted above. Afterwards you should be able to enable the WiFi Hotspot.

[Fray2000]

Hi, the command apt install --reinstall hostapd does not work properly for me.
I am using a Netgear, Inc WPN111 RangeMax(TM) Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter with the same chip.

[MichaIng]

@Fray2000
This is on Raspberry Pi as well? Which model? echo $G_HW_MODEL

Please paste the output of: hostapd /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf and apt policy hostapd

[Fray2000]

Here is the output :

root@DietPi:~# echo $G_HW_MODEL
2
root@DietPi:~# hostapd /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf
Configuration file: /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf
nl80211: Could not configure driver mode
nl80211: deinit ifname=wlan0 disabled_11b_rates=0
nl80211 driver initialization failed.
wlan0: interface state UNINITIALIZED->DISABLED
wlan0: AP-DISABLED
hostapd_free_hapd_data: Interface wlan0 wasn't started
root@DietPi:~# apt policy hostapd
hostapd:
  Installed: 2:2.6-21~bpo9~rpt1
  Candidate: 2:2.6-21~bpo9~rpt1
  Version table:
 *** 2:2.6-21~bpo9~rpt1 500
        500 https://archive.raspberrypi.org/debian stretch/main armhf Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     2:2.4-1+deb9u4 500
        500 http://raspbian.raspberrypi.org/raspbian stretch/main armhf Packages
root@DietPi:~#

[MichaIng]

@Fray2000
Please paste lsusb to check WiFi chip. I could not reliable get it from web search.

nl80211: Could not configure driver mode
nl80211: deinit ifname=wlan0 disabled_11b_rates=0
nl80211 driver initialization failed.

• Hmm at least worth to try to use the default "hostap" driver:

sed -i '/^driver=/d' /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf
hostapd /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf

[Fray2000]

Sorry for the massive delay but i was having exams.
Here is the output :

root@DietPi:~# lsusb
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 046d:c534 Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver
Bus 001 Device 006: ID 1385:5f00 Netgear, Inc WPN111 RangeMax(TM) Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0424:ec00 Standard Microsystems Corp. SMSC9512/9514 Fast Ethernet Adapter
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0424:9514 Standard Microsystems Corp. SMC9514 Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

Same Netgear product, the WPN111. It is an old wifi usb key and maybe have trouble with old drivers no more supported?

[MichaIng]

@Fray2000

Sorry for the massive delay but i was having exams.

I hope everything went satisfying 😃.

Hmm no hint about RTL8188CU* chip.
Did you try:

sed -i '/^driver=/d' /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf
hostapd /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf

Last test with the very latest binaries:
hostapd.zip

cd /tmp
wget https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/files/3316797/hostapd.zip
unzip https://github.com/MichaIng/DietPi/files/3316797/hostapd.zip
rm hostapd.zip
mv hostapd $(which hostapd)
mv hostapt_cli $(which hostapd_cli)
G_CONFIG_INJECT 'driver=' 'driver=nl80211' /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf
hostapd /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf

If this does not work then yeah, I am afraid either this dongle does not support AP mode or at least the hostapd drivers do not support it.

[MichaIng]

@Fray2000
If this is still an issue, since some time has passed, please retry with latest RPi firmware and latest hostapd package from RPi repo.

Else, as said above, hostapd simply does not support all WiFi adapters, respectively not all WiFi adapters support AP mode at all. Probably contacting Netgear support about it would be an idea.

[MichaIng]

I mark this issue as closed due to missing user reply. It could be resolved meanwhile kernel-wise, otherwise this WiFi adapter might simply not support AP/hotspot mode.