Channels beyond 11 not visible
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Ok there's some bug here. With the wifi interface set to dhcp in the web gui I don't get an address. Yet:
[2.0.1-RELEASE][root@pfSense.localdomain]/root(8): ifconfig run0_wlan0 run0_wlan0: flags=8843 <up,broadcast,running,simplex,multicast>metric 0 mtu 1500 ether f8:d1:11:******** inet6 fe80::fad1:11ff:fec1:5b57%run0_wlan0 prefixlen 64 scopeid 0xe nd6 options=3 <performnud,accept_rtadv>media: IEEE 802.11 Wireless Ethernet OFDM/36Mbps mode 11g status: associated ssid Area58net channel 2 (2417 MHz 11g) bssid 00:90:7f:******** regdomain ETSI country GB authmode WPA privacy ON deftxkey UNDEF TKIP 2:128-bit TKIP 3:128-bit txpower 30 bmiss 7 scanvalid 60 protmode OFF roaming MANUAL [2.0.1-RELEASE][root@pfSense.localdomain]/root(9): dhclient run0_wlan0 dhclient: PREINIT DHCPDISCOVER on run0_wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 5 DHCPOFFER from 192.168.111.1 DHCPREQUEST on run0_wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 DHCPACK from 192.168.111.1 bound to 192.168.111.11 -- renewal in 14400 seconds. [2.0.1-RELEASE][root@pfSense.localdomain]/root(10): ifconfig run0_wlan0 run0_wlan0: flags=8843 <up,broadcast,running,simplex,multicast>metric 0 mtu 1500 ether f8:d1:11:******** inet6 fe80::fad1:11ff:fec1:5b57%run0_wlan0 prefixlen 64 scopeid 0xe inet 192.168.111.11 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 192.168.111.255 nd6 options=3 <performnud,accept_rtadv>media: IEEE 802.11 Wireless Ethernet OFDM/36Mbps mode 11g status: associated ssid Area58net channel 2 (2417 MHz 11g) bssid 00:90:7f:******** regdomain ETSI country GB authmode WPA privacy ON deftxkey UNDEF TKIP 2:128-bit TKIP 3:128-bit txpower 30 bmiss 7 scanvalid 60 protmode OFF roaming MANUAL</performnud,accept_rtadv></up,broadcast,running,simplex,multicast></performnud,accept_rtadv></up,broadcast,running,simplex,multicast>
Steve
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Hmm well that was interesting.
So I have it working by simply using a static IP instead of relying on DHCP. No idea why that worked, presumably DHCP is being blocked somewhere.
The run driver seems to ignore the WPA/WPA2 selection in the GUI or at least it can choose to use something else. ::)Steve
Yeah, I was thinking that too previously. However, I am unsure if I am setting the subnet correctly.. /24 should be 255.255.255.0, I think.. but im unsure if that is what it should be even. Also, in the Static IPv4 Configuration should I set the NETGEAR gateway address(192.168.1.1) in the Gateway drop-down menu or the gateway for the pfSense (10.10.1.1) box?
Now, I tried switching to static IP and it dropped connection and is not regaining it. BTW, which are the proper Authentication and Key Management mode in my case? I noticed, by running ifconfig over and over again, that having them in Both the interface is switching mode all the time.
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If the wifi is effectively your WAN connection then the gateway should be address of the Netgear router.
You should be able to leave Authentication set as 'both' although like it says it will only use 'Shared Key Authentication' if you are using WEP.
My access point doesn't supports EAP at all so I have it set to PSK for management mode.From the many combinations I have tested I have found that as long as your intrface is reporting 'status: associated' and is showing some encryption in use, TKIP or AES, then it should be working. At that point if you manually start the dhcp client it will work:
[2.0.1-RELEASE][root@pfSense.localdomain]/root(9): dhclient run0_wlan0 dhclient: PREINIT DHCPDISCOVER on run0_wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 5 DHCPOFFER from 192.168.111.1 DHCPREQUEST on run0_wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 DHCPACK from 192.168.111.1 bound to 192.168.111.11 -- renewal in 14400 seconds.
However it won't come up at boot (or at least mine didn't) so it's probably easier to use static addressing as a work around.
Steve
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Just to confirm this I have reset all the values in the pfSense wireless setup to 'both' and set the values in my router/access point back to their defaults. The behaviour is the same:
[2.0.1-RELEASE][root@pfSense.localdomain]/root(6): ifconfig run0_wlan0 run0_wlan0: flags=8843 <up,broadcast,running,simplex,multicast>metric 0 mtu 1500 ether f8:d1:11:******** inet6 fe80::fad1:11ff:fec1:5b57%run0_wlan0 prefixlen 64 scopeid 0xd nd6 options=3 <performnud,accept_rtadv>media: IEEE 802.11 Wireless Ethernet OFDM/36Mbps mode 11g status: associated ssid Area58net channel 2 (2417 MHz 11g) bssid 00:90:7f:******** regdomain ETSI country GB authmode WPA2/802.11i privacy ON deftxkey UNDEF TKIP 2:128-bit txpower 30 bmiss 7 scanvalid 60 protmode OFF roaming MANUAL [2.0.1-RELEASE][root@pfSense.localdomain]/root(7): dhclient run0_wlan0 dhclient: PREINIT DHCPREQUEST on run0_wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 DHCPREQUEST on run0_wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 DHCPACK from 192.168.111.1 bound to 192.168.111.11 -- renewal in 14400 seconds.</performnud,accept_rtadv></up,broadcast,running,simplex,multicast>
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I think I've heard of this DHCP issue before when using the wireless in client mode. I know of a potential fix and it has been on my todo list, but I haven't really gotten around to it (I'm not a hired developer after all and do not work for any other company that would pay me to work on pfSense; I mostly just work on things when I feel like doing it). No one else has attempted working on it (that I'm aware of).
As for your earlier question about wireless channel availability – the regional settings are only really there to limit the list of channels to only show what you should be seeing for your area. This setting is especially useful for drivers or firmwares that list every channel as available (cards supported by mwl do this, for example), because it will otherwise give a long list of channels that are essentially useless since other devices won't use them. As the note below the group of settings states (but in different words), it can only impose further limits on the channels available; it cannot add channels locked out by the driver or firmware.
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Ok. I finally managed to get an IP doing it Steve's way, by setting a static IP of 192.168.1.9/24 (I think I was using the incorrect CIDR notation previously) and Netgear gateway on 192.168.1.1 then running dhclient manually in the ssh session.
There is still the issue of internet connectivity – I can ping the gateway fine in both in the web gui and ssh terminal, but I can ping outside the WLAN only through the web gui, and that is only after I enabled the DNS forwarder again...
When I attempt to ping google in ssh, I get "No route to host" message. I need to fix this.
This is certainly progress, but it is quite impractical. Today, I plan on acquiring a USB hub, so that I can connect a 2nd wifi adapter, my RT3070 card (Alfa awus036nh). I plan on using that card to connect to the Netgear and the RT2870 in host AP mode to extend the WLAN.
EDIT:
@Efonne:I think I've heard of this DHCP issue before when using the wireless in client mode. I know of a potential fix and it has been on my todo list, but I haven't really gotten around to it (I'm not a hired developer after all and do not work for any other company that would pay me to work on pfSense; I mostly just work on things when I feel like doing it). No one else has attempted working on it (that I'm aware of).
As for your earlier question about wireless channel availability – the regional settings are only really there to limit the list of channels to only show what you should be seeing for your area. This setting is especially useful for drivers or firmwares that list every channel as available (cards supported by mwl do this, for example), because it will otherwise give a long list of channels that are essentially useless since other devices won't use them. As the note below the group of settings states (but in different words), it can only impose further limits on the channels available; it cannot add channels locked out by the driver or firmware.
I gathered as much, the regional settings are only there to filter but in this case, when I set the correct regional settings (Europe ESTI) why does it still only show 1-11? My adapter's firmware should support at least up to 14, and I think it also supports the 5GHz channels too, actually.
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Unless you have set the wifi interface as WAN it will not be the default gateway. pfSense will always send traffic via the default gateway (unless you have used firewall rules to tell it otherwise). You can either reassign it as WAN or set it as the default gateway manually in System: Routing: Gateways
Personally I would try to reassign it as WAN, otherwise you will have unused gateways in the system which can only cause complications.I should add that I have since discovered that I have to have Management Mode set to PSK in order to associate.
You will not see any 5GHz channels in 2.0.1 as there is no support for 802.11N. You will see that you only have the choice of 802.11B or G.
Edit: Unless you were referring to 802.11A of course! ;)My own card, a TP-Link TL_WN7200N, is seen as:
run0: MAC/BBP RT3070 (rev 0x0201), RF RT3020 (MIMO 1T1R), address f8:d1:11:******** run0: firmware RT2870 loaded
What does your card list as it's channel capabilites from the CLI?
[2.0.1-RELEASE][root@pfSense.localdomain]/root(9): ifconfig run0_wlan0 list chan Channel 1 : 2412 MHz 11g Channel 7 : 2442 MHz 11g Channel 2 : 2417 MHz 11g Channel 8 : 2447 MHz 11g Channel 3 : 2422 MHz 11g Channel 9 : 2452 MHz 11g Channel 4 : 2427 MHz 11g Channel 10 : 2457 MHz 11g Channel 5 : 2432 MHz 11g Channel 11 : 2462 MHz 11g Channel 6 : 2437 MHz 11g [2.0.1-RELEASE][root@pfSense.localdomain]/root(10): ifconfig run0_wlan0 list active Channel 1 : 2412 MHz 11g Channel 7 : 2442 MHz 11g Channel 2 : 2417 MHz 11g Channel 8 : 2447 MHz 11g Channel 3 : 2422 MHz 11g Channel 9 : 2452 MHz 11g Channel 4 : 2427 MHz 11g Channel 10 : 2457 MHz 11g Channel 5 : 2432 MHz 11g Channel 11 : 2462 MHz 11g Channel 6 : 2437 MHz 11g
My NIC can't see 12 or 13 either under pfSense.
@Efonne If you are looking into this (should the urge come over you ;)) and need testers or logs etc, please ask.
Steve
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Back to the original topic the reason we only have 11 channels is probably this:
http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-stable/2009-October/052236.htmlI wonder how tough it would be to make run(4) setup the channel list correctly? Hmm…
Steve
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Unless you have set the wifi interface as WAN it will not be the default gateway. pfSense will always send traffic via the default gateway (unless you have used firewall rules to tell it otherwise). You can either reassign it as WAN or set it as the default gateway manually in System: Routing: Gateways
Personally I would try to reassign it as WAN, otherwise you will have unused gateways in the system which can only cause complications.The Wifi is set as WAN. Yet, I cannot ping from the ssh session, only in the web gui and not all websites either.
I should add that I have since discovered that I have to have Management Mode set to PSK in order to associate.
You will not see any 5GHz channels in 2.0.1 as there is no support for 802.11N. You will see that you only have the choice of 802.11B or G.
Edit: Unless you were referring to 802.11A of course! ;)My own card, a TP-Link TL_WN7200N, is seen as:
run0: MAC/BBP RT3070 (rev 0x0201), RF RT3020 (MIMO 1T1R), address f8:d1:11:******** run0: firmware RT2870 loaded
What does your card list as it's channel capabilites from the CLI?
[2.0.1-RELEASE][root@pfSense.localdomain]/root(9): ifconfig run0_wlan0 list chan Channel 1 : 2412 MHz 11g Channel 7 : 2442 MHz 11g Channel 2 : 2417 MHz 11g Channel 8 : 2447 MHz 11g Channel 3 : 2422 MHz 11g Channel 9 : 2452 MHz 11g Channel 4 : 2427 MHz 11g Channel 10 : 2457 MHz 11g Channel 5 : 2432 MHz 11g Channel 11 : 2462 MHz 11g Channel 6 : 2437 MHz 11g [2.0.1-RELEASE][root@pfSense.localdomain]/root(10): ifconfig run0_wlan0 list active Channel 1 : 2412 MHz 11g Channel 7 : 2442 MHz 11g Channel 2 : 2417 MHz 11g Channel 8 : 2447 MHz 11g Channel 3 : 2422 MHz 11g Channel 9 : 2452 MHz 11g Channel 4 : 2427 MHz 11g Channel 10 : 2457 MHz 11g Channel 5 : 2432 MHz 11g Channel 11 : 2462 MHz 11g Channel 6 : 2437 MHz 11g
My NIC can't see 12 or 13 either under pfSense.
@Efonne If you are looking into this (should the urge come over you ;)) and need testers or logs etc, please ask.
Steve
My list is same as yours, it seems:
[2.1-BETA1][root@1212.bigcountry]/root(4): ifconfig run0_wlan0 list chans Channel 1 : 2412 MHz 11g Channel 7 : 2442 MHz 11g Channel 2 : 2417 MHz 11g Channel 8 : 2447 MHz 11g Channel 3 : 2422 MHz 11g Channel 9 : 2452 MHz 11g Channel 4 : 2427 MHz 11g Channel 10 : 2457 MHz 11g Channel 5 : 2432 MHz 11g Channel 11 : 2462 MHz 11g Channel 6 : 2437 MHz 11g [2.1-BETA1][root@1212.bigcountry]/root(5): ifconfig run0_wlan0 list active Channel 1 : 2412 MHz 11g Channel 7 : 2442 MHz 11g Channel 2 : 2417 MHz 11g Channel 8 : 2447 MHz 11g Channel 3 : 2422 MHz 11g Channel 9 : 2452 MHz 11g Channel 4 : 2427 MHz 11g Channel 10 : 2457 MHz 11g Channel 5 : 2432 MHz 11g Channel 11 : 2462 MHz 11g Channel 6 : 2437 MHz 11g
Also, I can no longer associate. I have not changed anything in the Netgear device. I have tried setting the management mode to PSK, and doing all the different settings, what have you.. nothing. I am going to try using the RT3070. Hopefully, I will have same success as you.
EDIT:
The RT3070 does not work for me at all. Even after reboot, I am not even able to do
ifconfig run0_wlan0 scan
Instead, I plugged RT2870 back and managed to associate by setting the proper subnet mask: 192.168.1.1/16
That's strange, because last time it was something different, iirc. So, I can ping and traceroute the Netgear gateway just fine but I still cannot ping/tracert outside the WLAN. Getting the cannot resolve host/no route to host messages. I am now trying to set up a static route in the Gateways > routes section, but pfSense seems to have crashed as a result.
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Have tried this again a few times the interface never comes up as associated at boot. I have to either manually down/up the interface or save the settings in the webGUI. I doesn't seem to matter what settings I've used.
Steve