Clear & reliable config of the network is prerequisite. You make errors like in reply #6.

46dbm is for the receive path and this is exactly what the wireless analyzer shows me on my android phone.
At the same time the wireless analyzer shows me 32dbm for the same signal from my asus router
I compare the dbm from my asus and the WLE200NX card
The signals on my WLE200NX are significantly weaker

150 users is nothing.  If you put pfSense on an APU it would probably be fine.  One of the new Atom C2000s would be more than enough.

pfSense DOES NOT CARE how many users are on an AP.  It's all layer 2.

You are simply crazy if you want to use wireless adapters in pfSense for all but the most pedestrian of Wi-Fi access.  Get an AP.

Regarding testing, you're getting to the numbers where if people expect it to work, and it doesn't, you look like an ass.

Your best bet would be to find a place where wi-fi isn't expected, advertise its availability, and give them something for their feedback.  Depends on how badly you really want to know how well it works.

I, personally, cannot see hanging a pfSense from the ceiling where a high-density AP belongs in all but the highest-density, open space scenarios.

Should be AR9285. As said above, try the snapshots, they have latest FreeBSD 11 ath drivers.

My recommendation would be an Apple Airport Extreme card. They can be had for cheap used off ebay.

Good card with 3x3
https://wikidevi.com/wiki/Atheros_AR5BXB112

Older but supports some virtual platforms
https://wikidevi.com/wiki/Apple_AR5BXB72

This card performed similarly to the Mikrotik with only 400mw.
http://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-SR71-E-PC-Express-802-11a-400mW/dp/B004GIGOL6
Costs more but low profile and regular u.fl connectors-good for upgrades in laptops.

Thanks for the details as they were very helpful.  It now works as desired.

@GruensFroeschli:

Could you also change the gui so it enables WME and hides the option to disable WME whenever n-rates are selected?
If you have specific tests you want to run, i have a extensive testbench running where in can do stuff.

Input validation and appropriate auto-selection of options depending on other options selected are a couple of things that are high on my priority list.

One thing that would help right now would be trying the various modes and seeing how things work for you - how does it perform, is it stable in general, are there some combinations of options that should work that don't, that kind of thing.

Also if there are things along those lines similar to the WME config you mentioned for input validation and auto-selection of options, a list would be appreciated. I'll start a redmine ticket later today with the beginning of a list, where others can help add to it as well. I'll post a link to it back here also.

We've imported FreeBSD 11-CURRENT's Atheros driver and net80211 bits for 2.2.1. Thus far in our testing, things work better than ever. We'd appreciate additional testing. The latest snapshots available at snapshots.pfsense.org include that. I encourage those using wireless to try it out, especially if you see issues in 2.2 and/or earlier versions.

@jdubau55:

Where's the super simple "I just want to setup pfsense like a store bought wireless router" tutorial? Plug in to modem, setup the wifi SSID and PW, and I'm good to go?

A lot of people use pfSense precisely because it is not like a store-bought router. These ISP supplied or consumer grade devices are enough for the average user, but if you are familiar with DD-WRT I imagine you have greater requirements and more confidence in your skills than most home users.

I can't comment on out of date documentation without knowing which ones you read, but I would research this as two separate issues. One is setting up the wireless AP. Two is configuring an OPTx interface - whether or not OPT1 is a wireless interface should be irrelevant for most of it. I would remove the bridge (or start again from scratch if you are not too far in to configuring it already) and simply set up OPT1 as a separate network, and ensure your rules allow the appropriate traffic out (see my earlier post about default rules only for LAN).

@renatohtpc:

…
The AP gets a fixed IP address 192.168.2.2
...

W.r.t. screenshot of your post #8. First within the AP-box you should set the Static addressing and DNS to pfSense-server. So not a double entry in pfSense DHCP-leases due to dynamic & static. Do not allow the AP address as a dynamic. Secondly set the AP static in pfSense DHCP-server, of course with the correct MAC.

Hello everyone,

I'm having the same problem with a Tenda W322P PCI card (ralink 3060 chip) on 2.2-Release. Setting up everything in pfSense, status shows it as running but none of the clients can see the wireless connection and obviously cannot connect. Tried in AP or adhoc or business mode, bridged or in different subnet, nothing seems to work so far. Any idea?

Thanks,
Daniel

Yes that was my next choice. I should really do a fresh install soon and apply some of the things I have learned with pfSense over the last year or so, I have bought a USB install stick.

It and some other small utilities like cryptostats were taken out since they didn't quite fit into the proper build process. I think there's an open ticket to bring them back eventually, but we need to find a better way to build them reliably.

I have setup some rules for passthrough in firewall. Everything seems to be working now.

I'm not sure why the other addresses on the lan subnet are not working. In any case, I performed a factory reset and have setup my firewall with fresh new settings.

I have heard about the issues regarding using PFsense as an access point because of compatability issues. For me, the WLAN is working fine. The radio adapter is a Compex WLE200NX a/b/g/n miniPCI express w/ Atheros AR9280 chipset.

And about using PFsense as DNS, I guess thats for another time.

In any case, Thanks for your help. I think my problems are resolved for now

@notaduck:

i tried to connect a scrren to my pfsense system and i am getting these errors every time i apply or change somthing on ath0( wlan)
http://s21.postimg.org/m6qfqitmu/pfsense.jpg

You don't need a monitor for that, it's in the system log too. It's a common error that you'll just have to live with until they fix it in FreeBSD.

Just tell ddwrt to put a Wi-Fi network on the same VLAN as your main subnet.  Tell it to put your guest BSSID on another VLAN.  Create VLAN interfaces on pfSense and set whatever behavior you want.

MACs are easily spoofable.  You don't want to use them as a security device.

If you are looking for a great AP you might want to search for a used Ruckus Wireless 7343 or 7363.
Great coverage and rock-solid operation in my house for more than a year now where I have to compete with >30 neighboring APs. I manage to provide streaming audio to 6+ Squeezebox receivers constantly without dropouts in an area of 200m².

Thanks for that suggestion, I'll see what I can find.

Anyways, did I get it right that you connect the WAN of the Actiontec cable modem to your pfSense?

In my original posted question, yes I did have the OPT1 connected to the WAN port of the Actiontec. The coax
output from this verizon router needs to stay viable to provide data to the set top boxes in my home,
I was under the impression that in order for the router to provide this, the WAN had to be used.
This was bad information/assumption on my part!!!
The solution was as follows;
pfSense LAN –> Switch --> LAN1 of Actiontec.
Configure (in pfsense gui) a static IP of 192.168.1.12 for the Actiontec,
Disable (in actiontec gui) DHCP/Firewall/IP Distribution and set static IP (192.168.1.12).
pfSense is now in complete charge of IP distribution, as I can view all clients in "Status-DHCP Leases"

This works great for me, the wireless clients now have access to the local LAN as
well as the Web and my STB have channel guide data and are fully functional!  ;D