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    Can I add a WiFi adapter to my pfSense box?

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Wireless
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    • S
      SteveITS Galactic Empire @bearhntr
      last edited by

      @bearhntr The short answer is I don't know.

      Generally on this forum the opinion of Wi-Fi drivers in FreeBSD seems to be relatively low. If that card has a driver and you are confident installing it then you could try it. Otherwise if you just install a regular wired NIC and plug an access point into that, it will be its own interface/network that way anyway and you don't have to deal with anything about the wireless NIC.

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      bearhntrB 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • bearhntrB
        bearhntr @SteveITS
        last edited by

        @steveits

        fa58dbd3-a08d-4ca8-abe0-9c3bc4413cd9-image.png

        This is from my pfSense.

        I am using the built-in NIC for the WAN port on my pfSense, and I have added a dual-NIC card in the PCI Slot which is my LAN - and it is working great (only using one of the NICs in slot). pfSense was installed with all this hardware already installed....which is why I asked if I would have to re-install if I add the Wi-Fi card.

        I am guessing that pfSense is not going to auto-detect it? Not being a LINUX buff - guessing I will have to do it manually.

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        • stephenw10S
          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator @bearhntr
          last edited by stephenw10

          @bearhntr said in Can I add a WiFi adapter to my pfSense box?:

          I am considering adding the HP BroadCom 802.11ac miniPCI adapter to the box. Will this card work?

          Probably not. It definitely won't work in .ac mode. It might not work in hostap (access point) mode if it is supported.
          You would need to know what chipset it's using to know more.

          Steve

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          • NollipfSenseN
            NollipfSense @bearhntr
            last edited by

            @bearhntr I could not say for sure because when I had my Mac Mini as pfSense, I had intentionally disconnected the WIFI card. I would think that if HP Thinclient came with a WIFI card by default; it most likely would work.

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            • NollipfSenseN
              NollipfSense @bearhntr
              last edited by

              This post is deleted!
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              • Cool_CoronaC
                Cool_Corona
                last edited by

                Use this working in repeater mode.

                https://www.asus.com/dk/Networking-IoT-Servers/Range-Extenders-/All-series/RP-AX56/

                It works flawlessly running with pfsense all over the house :)

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                • stephenw10S stephenw10 moved this topic from General pfSense Questions on
                • bearhntrB
                  bearhntr @NollipfSense
                  last edited by

                  @nollipfsense

                  I guess I will just have to try it. This WiFi .ac card "IS FOR" the ThinClient. It was just not in there when I got it. I purchased it after getting the HP t610+.

                  I will make a full backup of the pfSense, and if I have to - I will reload it with the WiFi card added. So that it is detected during installation. Worst case - I upgrade one of my laptops ๐Ÿ˜€

                  I will be sure to update this post once I find out.

                  Curtis

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                  • stephenw10S
                    stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                    last edited by

                    Do you have the part number or any further details from it?

                    bearhntrB 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • bearhntrB
                      bearhntr @stephenw10
                      last edited by

                      @stephenw10

                      I will have that information once it arrives here.

                      The HP Part number is: Broadcom 802.11ac with dual internal antennas [ 724935-001 ] - I Believe. It has already shipped, seller cannot give me the part number on it.

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                      • stephenw10S
                        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                        last edited by

                        Looks like it's a bcm4352 device which doesn't appear to be supported by bwi(4):
                        https://github.com/pfsense/FreeBSD-src/blob/devel-12/sys/dev/bwi/if_bwi_pci.c#L89

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                        • bearhntrB
                          bearhntr @stephenw10
                          last edited by

                          @stephenw10

                          Could that not be added to that file, if you know the 'vid' and 'did' - could get that from someplace (like Windows). I have another non-Plus t620 coming as well - which has Windows installed on it.

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                          • stephenw10S
                            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                            last edited by

                            Very unlikely. The 802.11ac chipsets are markedly different to the N/G/A chips that are supported.

                            And in fact other people have tried that and failed.: https://www.mail-archive.com/freebsd-wireless@freebsd.org/msg05524.html

                            Steve

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