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Simultaneous AP and Client Mode Wi-Fi on Raspberry Pi Zero W

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Re: Simultaneous AP and Client Mode Wi-Fi on Raspberry Pi Zero W

#71

Post by watchdogtimer »

basilfx wrote: post #52

I've been using a similar solution, but I had quite some problems using AP and client mode at the same time. The WiFi chip inside the RPi Zero W (BCM43430) only supports AP and client mode on the same channel. If you setup an AP first, then connect to a client network, hostapd will update the channel of the AP, but clients will notice a disconnect. There are also issues with the firmware blob (see https://github.com/…

What I did on a similar project using a different board was scan all the APs in the area first, get the band of the AP with the strongest signal, then bring up the device AP using that band. I figured the AP with the strongest signal is the closest AP and the one you most likely want to connect to.

Re: Simultaneous AP and Client Mode Wi-Fi on Raspberry Pi Zero W

#72

Post by BossingAround »

gumby wrote: post #63
sdfhbdf wrote: post #29

I've looked at the links posted here and the repo but I fail to find what is the use case for this?

Ever stay at a hotel that charges for wifi access on a per device basis?

I've never stayed at a hotel that'd charge extra for wifi. Airports and planes thoug, sure.

Re: Simultaneous AP and Client Mode Wi-Fi on Raspberry Pi Zero W

#73

Post by BossingAround »

I wonder what's the use case other than a poor wifi extender, or niche cases of sharing one connection between multiple devices where you pay per connection.

Though I do wonder whether you can add a proper wifi antenna and make the RPI an 'ok' wifi extender. That might be a viable option, provided the performance is ok.

Re: Simultaneous AP and Client Mode Wi-Fi on Raspberry Pi Zero W

#74

Post by noncoml »

BossingAround wrote: post #73

I wonder what's the use case other than a poor wifi extender, or niche cases of sharing one connection between multiple devices where you pay per connection. Though I do wonder whether you can add a proper wifi antenna and make the RPI an 'ok' wifi extender. That might be a viable option, provided the performance is ok.

VPN access point

Re: Simultaneous AP and Client Mode Wi-Fi on Raspberry Pi Zero W

#75

Post by cmxch »

BossingAround wrote: post #73

I wonder what's the use case other than a poor wifi extender, or niche cases of sharing one connection between multiple devices where you pay per connection. Though I do wonder whether you can add a proper wifi antenna and make the RPI an 'ok' wifi extender. That might be a viable option, provided the performance is ok.

Initial configuration/management for the device in question.

Re: Simultaneous AP and Client Mode Wi-Fi on Raspberry Pi Zero W

#76

Post by TaylorAlexander »

BossingAround wrote: post #73

I wonder what's the use case other than a poor wifi extender, or niche cases of sharing one connection between multiple devices where you pay per connection. Though I do wonder whether you can add a proper wifi antenna and make the RPI an 'ok' wifi extender. That might be a viable option, provided the performance is ok.

Would be good for a robot you can ssh in to at home and still connect when out in the field.

Re: Simultaneous AP and Client Mode Wi-Fi on Raspberry Pi Zero W

#77

Post by zamadatix »

muppet_frog wrote: post #62
zamadatix wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well 2 things really. Yeah the hardware is a bit garbage as it only goes up to 802.11n only on 2.4 GHz and it's also a 1x1 with a poor antenna. The big thing though is it requires you use the same channel which is disastrous for repeater performance. Ideally you'd have 802.11ac/ax with 2 separate PHYs each with 4x4 (even if the clients are 1x1 or 2x2 the additional beamforming helps) set to two separate channels. Tha…

...sounds like it costs much more than the $10 pi0... I imagine the OP's use case of IoT did not require huge amounts of bandwidth.

"That's not to say it won't function well enough in a pinch but I wouldn't seek this out as a permanent answer if I were buying new."

Like I said this functions fine, as is evident by it having been posted, but the question was why it wasn't a very good repeater not was it a functional use of an existing pi 0 laying around.

It's also not the best you could do buying new if that is what you had to do as ~$16 will get you a 2x2 802.11n repeater that functions much better, has external antennas, and has an ethernet port too. Not $10 but it's also enclosed and doesn't need a power supply or uSD. ~$30 will get you decent AC repeaters you could use outside of a singular IoT project. Less for either if you're willing to go used. The ideal 4x4 ax double phy wireless repeater is indeed going to be more than a pi 0 but it was an example of what makes a repeater good (to the question) not what should have been purchased for this project.

Again nothing wrong with the solution used here, that's not where my comment was pointed.

Re: Simultaneous AP and Client Mode Wi-Fi on Raspberry Pi Zero W

#78

Post by kingosticks »

capableweb wrote: post #21
reactchain wrote: post #20

Has anyone noticed a shortage of Pi Zeros recently? It seems everywhere has run out of stock.

Recently? I've seen a shortage (in EU shops (Pi Zero W specifically)) since it was launched and seems it's not getting better either.

Comes and goes. As it happens they are back in at https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/raspberry-pi-zero-w (limited to 1 per order).

Re: Simultaneous AP and Client Mode Wi-Fi on Raspberry Pi Zero W

#79

Post by kingosticks »

Raed667 wrote: post #14

A bit off topic: I'm looking for a project that starts with an AP. Once someone connected to it; it opens a web page to configure the client (choose which WIFI from a list, and type the password). It connects to the chosen WIFI and shuts down the AP. Anyone here did something similar to that?

https://github.com/billz/raspap-webgui

Re: Simultaneous AP and Client Mode Wi-Fi on Raspberry Pi Zero W

#80

Post by EricE »

BossingAround wrote: post #73

I wonder what's the use case other than a poor wifi extender, or niche cases of sharing one connection between multiple devices where you pay per connection. Though I do wonder whether you can add a proper wifi antenna and make the RPI an 'ok' wifi extender. That might be a viable option, provided the performance is ok.

Or provide a gateway for wireless devices that don’t support WPA2 Enterprise? Interesting....
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