Problem getting Intel AC 7620 working in "access point" mode

mspoto

Hello everyone

I cannot seem to get the Intel AC 7620 card to work in access point mode in pfsense.
I use PfSense 2.4.5-RELEASE-p1

Interfaces / Wireless/ Edit gives the following error:
Error creating interface with mode Access Point.
The iwm0 interface may not support creating more clones with the selected mode.

With shell command: pciconf -lv

iwm0@pci0:7:0:0: class=0x028000 card=0x44708086 chip=0x08b18086 rev=0x73 hdr=0x00
vendor = 'Intel Corporation'
device = 'Wireless 7260'
class = network

With Shell command: kldstat -v | grep iwm
173 pci/iwm
176 iwm7265fw_fw
175 iwm7260fw_fw
174 iwm3160fw_fw
179 iwm8265fw_fw
178 iwm8000Cfw_fw
177 iwm7265Dfw_fw

With shell command: ifconfig -a
iwm0_wlan0: flags=8c43<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,OACTIVE,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 1500
ether d8:fc:93:63:f6:0f
hwaddr d8:fc:93:63:f6:0f
inet6 fe80::dafc:93ff:fe63:f60f%iwm0_wlan0 prefixlen 64 scopeid 0xb
inet 172.16.2.1 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 172.16.2.255
nd6 options=21<PERFORMNUD,AUTO_LINKLOCAL>
media: IEEE 802.11 Wireless Ethernet autoselect mode 11g
status: no carrier
ssid Testing channel 1 (2412 MHz 11g)
regdomain ETSI country IT indoor authmode OPEN privacy OFF txpower 30
bmiss 10 scanvalid 60 pureg protmode OFF
groups: wla

Could someone please tell me how i can resolve?
Thanks

stephenw10

The iwm(4) driver only supports station mode (client) and not hostap (access point).

https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=iwm#DESCRIPTION

Steve

mspoto

@stephenw10 Thanks for your reply.
So if I wanted to create a wi-fi network (2.4 Ghz + 5 Ghz) on my pfsense firewall, I have to change my current MINI PCI-E card?
My goal is:
a) create a 2.4 Ghz wi-fi network with SSD=xx1
b) create a 5 Ghz wi-fi network with SSD= xx2

Do you have any suggestions for me? Thank you very much

stephenw10

Yes. And you would need to have a card with a dual radio or two cards, which is what most APs do.

It's almost always easier and cheaper and better to use an external AP currently.
A dual radio, 802.11ac (or even ax) AP that supports vlans is not that expensive.

Better wifi support in FreeBSD/pfSense is coming but it's not here yet.

Steve

bgroper

~ 3 years later ...

Later FreeBSD includes an updated driver for Intel wifi
See https://man.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=iwlwifi&sektion=4&format=html
Is it now possible to get Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless AC 7260 working in pfSense as an Access Point ?

stephenw10

Probably not. See: https://forum.netgate.com/topic/179267/ax210-wifi-hostap-mode-not-supported

Also the iwlwifi driver only supports 802.11(a, b and g) AFAIK. No 'N' support.

But I don't have any hardware to test that with.

Steve

bgroper

Maybe oneday we can have some hostap support for Intel wifi.
https://freebsdfoundation.org/project/wifi-update-intel-drivers-and-802-11ac/

stephenw10

Maybe.