APU set up with Wi-Fi

eiger3970

So, I plugged my Wi-Fi card into the middle APU slot which is PCIe 2.
Seems to have the same results.


$ pciconf -lv
hostb0@pci0:0:0:0:	class=0x060000 card=0x15101022 chip=0x15101022 rev=0x00 hdr=0x00
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = HOST-PCI
pcib1@pci0:0:4:0:	class=0x060400 card=0x12341022 chip=0x15121022 rev=0x00 hdr=0x01
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib2@pci0:0:5:0:	class=0x060400 card=0x12341022 chip=0x15131022 rev=0x00 hdr=0x01
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib3@pci0:0:6:0:	class=0x060400 card=0x12341022 chip=0x15141022 rev=0x00 hdr=0x01
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
atapci0@pci0:0:17:0:	class=0x010601 card=0x43911002 chip=0x43911002 rev=0x40 hdr=0x00
    class      = mass storage
    subclass   = SATA
ohci0@pci0:0:18:0:	class=0x0c0310 card=0x43971002 chip=0x43971002 rev=0x00 hdr=0x00
    class      = serial bus
    subclass   = USB
ehci0@pci0:0:18:2:	class=0x0c0320 card=0x43961002 chip=0x43961002 rev=0x00 hdr=0x00
    class      = serial bus
    subclass   = USB
ohci1@pci0:0:19:0:	class=0x0c0310 card=0x43971002 chip=0x43971002 rev=0x00 hdr=0x00
    class      = serial bus
    subclass   = USB
ehci1@pci0:0:19:2:	class=0x0c0320 card=0x43961002 chip=0x43961002 rev=0x00 hdr=0x00
    class      = serial bus
    subclass   = USB
none0@pci0:0:20:0:	class=0x0c0500 card=0x15101022 chip=0x43851002 rev=0x42 hdr=0x00
    class      = serial bus
    subclass   = SMBus
atapci1@pci0:0:20:1:	class=0x01018a card=0x439c1002 chip=0x439c1002 rev=0x40 hdr=0x00
    class      = mass storage
    subclass   = ATA
isab0@pci0:0:20:3:	class=0x060100 card=0x439d1002 chip=0x439d1002 rev=0x40 hdr=0x00
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-ISA
pcib4@pci0:0:20:4:	class=0x060401 card=0x00000000 chip=0x43841002 rev=0x40 hdr=0x01
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
ohci2@pci0:0:20:5:	class=0x0c0310 card=0x43991002 chip=0x43991002 rev=0x00 hdr=0x00
    class      = serial bus
    subclass   = USB
pcib5@pci0:0:21:0:	class=0x060400 card=0x00001002 chip=0x43a01002 rev=0x00 hdr=0x01
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
ohci3@pci0:0:22:0:	class=0x0c0310 card=0x43971002 chip=0x43971002 rev=0x00 hdr=0x00
    class      = serial bus
    subclass   = USB
ehci2@pci0:0:22:2:	class=0x0c0320 card=0x43961002 chip=0x43961002 rev=0x00 hdr=0x00
    class      = serial bus
    subclass   = USB
hostb1@pci0:0:24:0:	class=0x060000 card=0x00000000 chip=0x17001022 rev=0x43 hdr=0x00
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = HOST-PCI
hostb2@pci0:0:24:1:	class=0x060000 card=0x00000000 chip=0x17011022 rev=0x00 hdr=0x00
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = HOST-PCI
hostb3@pci0:0:24:2:	class=0x060000 card=0x00000000 chip=0x17021022 rev=0x00 hdr=0x00
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = HOST-PCI
hostb4@pci0:0:24:3:	class=0x060000 card=0x00000000 chip=0x17031022 rev=0x00 hdr=0x00
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = HOST-PCI
hostb5@pci0:0:24:4:	class=0x060000 card=0x00000000 chip=0x17041022 rev=0x00 hdr=0x00
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = HOST-PCI
hostb6@pci0:0:24:5:	class=0x060000 card=0x00000000 chip=0x17181022 rev=0x00 hdr=0x00
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = HOST-PCI
hostb7@pci0:0:24:6:	class=0x060000 card=0x00000000 chip=0x17161022 rev=0x00 hdr=0x00
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = HOST-PCI
hostb8@pci0:0:24:7:	class=0x060000 card=0x00000000 chip=0x17191022 rev=0x00 hdr=0x00
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = HOST-PCI
re0@pci0:1:0:0:	class=0x020000 card=0x012310ec chip=0x816810ec rev=0x06 hdr=0x00
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet
re1@pci0:2:0:0:	class=0x020000 card=0x012310ec chip=0x816810ec rev=0x06 hdr=0x00
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet
re2@pci0:3:0:0:	class=0x020000 card=0x012310ec chip=0x816810ec rev=0x06 hdr=0x00
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet
none1@pci0:4:0:0:	class=0x028000 card=0x40608086 chip=0x088e8086 rev=0x24 hdr=0x00
    class      = network

Also, the card doesn't sit flat. The card sits on an angle sticking up about 15 degrees.

I think the Wi-Fi card is the correct model as I bought the same model as per what's being sold here.

I'm not sure if the half size card will help? From what I understand, the half size card lets me screw down the Wi-Fi card to the APU. However the APU has no screw holes with the half size card or with the Wi-Fi card.

stephenw10

PCIe cards need to be screwed down to make proper contact with the slot. Because the APU doesn't have mountings for half cards you need the extension to make it fit the full size mountings.
However your card is now connected, you can see it listed as none1 in your pciconf output. It shows as none because there is no driver attached to it. There's not going to be a driver until 2.2 at the earliest and probably not then either (to make this work currently in FreeBSD you'd need to patch the driver yourself). You would be much better off with a different card.

Steve

eiger3970

Oh, okay.
Would you or anyone know of a Wi-Fi card then that would work now?

The other interesting thing is that the Wi-Fi pigtails I bought fits in one of the pfSense port holes, but not in the 2nd one.

stephenw10

The Atheros AR9280 based Ubiquiti AR71-e is known to work. So I would expect this to work:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Atheros-AR5009-AR9280-AR5BH92-pci-E-card-300Mb-Dual-Band-2-4-5-0GHz-A03-/291006772296?pt=AU_Components&hash=item43c15af448
No promises though. ;)
I believe there were some other cards mentioned specifically in the APU thread.
Edit: Here for example:
https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=59555.msg402212#msg402212

Steve

eiger3970

Thanks for the suggestion.

I ordered that link.
Still not sure how the screw holes will hold down the Wi-Fi card, as the APU has no screw holes for the mini or this link to the full size card.
The mini ones right now sit at a 15 degree angle, so as long as the full size Wi-Fi card works without the screws, should be ok.

stephenw10

Ah, Ok now I look at a larger photo I see it has a pair of plastic pegs with metal clips instead of screws. Better in many ways.

Steve

eiger3970

Wow, you have good eyes :-)

Yes, not that you suggested that, I can see the plastic pegs/clips on my APU and know what they're for.

Ok, I'll wait for the new Wi-Fi card to arrive.
Can't wait to ditch my old cheap Wi-Fi router.

Then just a nice big switch board to handle the network as I will lose the 4 ports on the old Wi-Fi router.
My current little 8 port switch can be removed too for one nice big switch.
Any good switches friendly to pfSense?

stephenw10

Not much difference between switches with regards to pfSense. You could get one that supports VLANs to allow for any future network segregation you might want. If you're getting a large switch it will probably be managed and have that anyway.

Steve

eiger3970

Ok, the 2nd Wi-Fi card arrived.

I stuck it into the ALIX MOBO PCIe > logged into pfSense > Interfaces > but no OPTn to select?

How do I configure the Wi-Fi card?
I'm following this pfSense guide.

kpa

All new interfaces have to be first assigned, either from the console menu or from the webgui interfaces menu. PfSense can't read your mind so by default it does nothing with new interfaces.

eiger3970

Ok, so that assignment of the new Wi-Fi card worked in pfSense > Interfaces > (assign).

I now need to configure the Wi-Fi card so I navigated to:
pfSense > Interfaces > OPT1 > Enable: ticked Enable Interface > Description: WLAN > IPv4 Configuration Type: Static IPv4 > ?
I'm not sure on the rest of the configuration as the Configuring pfSense as a Wireless Access Point doesn't coincide with my pfSense 2.1.3-RELEASE (amd64) version.

Any suggestions please?

![pfSense Interfaces OPT1 configuration.png](/public/imported_attachments/1/pfSense Interfaces OPT1 configuration.png)
![pfSense Interfaces OPT1 configuration.png_thumb](/public/imported_attachments/1/pfSense Interfaces OPT1 configuration.png_thumb)

stephenw10

I don't think that is your wifi interface, I expect to see the wireless configuration in between the 'General configuration' and 'Private networks' sections. Did it appear as ath0 when you assigned it? It could be the third NIC in the APU if you hadn't already assigned that.
If you go back to Interfaces: (assign) is there still the '+' button indicating there are further interfaces still to assign?

Steve

eiger3970

When I navigated to pfSense > Interfaces > (assign) > Interface assignments > there were the WAN and LAN and a new interface named OPT1 automatically added.
I assumed this is the Wi-Fi card I plugged into the APU?

Previously I only had 2 of the 3 NICs assigned and the 3rd NIC never appeared.

Yes, there is a '+' in the Interfaces.
I pressed the '+' and now there is another Interface OPT2 with Network port ath0.
Now the Interfaces > OPT2 > gives more options for setting up the Wi-Fi.

stephenw10

Looks like that wifi card works then, at least that far anyway. ;)
You could leave OPT1 assigned but disabled if you don't need to use it.

Remember that under 2.1.3 that card will only work at 'G' speeds. There may be an option there to set it to 'N' mode but that will likely only give you trouble. That will change when 2.2 is released.

Steve

eiger3970

Ok, thanks for the tip.
I have selected 802.11g, so that's good.
I had to select an IP address so I took 192.168.1.156 and the pfSense LAN in 192.168.1.155.
My device finds the pfSense Wi-Fi connection, but won't connect?

Once connected, I can then figure out how to use the MAC filter on pfSense, which I use on the still running router Wi-Fi.

I'm trying to figure out why the pfSense Wi-Fi is found, but the device is unable to connect?

stephenw10

Unless you have the interfaces bridged together they must be in different subnets.
The guide you linked to covers this quite well. Set the interface to static. Use an address and mask that doesn't overlap your LAN, for example use 192.168.10.1/24. Go to Services: DHCP Server: and enable DHCP on the wifi interface. Go to Firewall: Rules: select the wifi interface tab and add a rule to allow traffic from wifi clients out.

Steve

eiger3970

Interfaces aren't bridged.
Don't quite understand why different subnets are needed, as the router can use IP 192.168.1.180/24.
Anyways, I set the pfSense router to 192.168.1.155/24 and the pfSense Wi-Fi card to 192.168.10.1/24.

Enabled DHCP server and add firewall rule.
Device now connects to pfSense Wi-Fi but won't load websites.

I'll look at that tomorrow.

Then all the new APU hardware should be working and I can ad the security like the old router with MAC filtering.
Maybe add snort or some other security features now to pfSense too.

Thanks for the help.

stephenw10

@eiger3970:

Don't quite understand why different subnets are needed, as the router can use IP 192.168.1.180/24.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by this. :-\ The interfaces themselves need to be in different subnets in order for pfSense to route traffic between them correctly. Clients on the interfaces will obviously be in the same subnet.

@eiger3970:

Device now connects to pfSense Wi-Fi but won't load websites.

What firewall rule did you add? Check the firewall logs for blocked traffic.

Steve

eiger3970

Sorry if I was unclear.
I meant my currently working Wi-Fi router uses IP 192.168.1.180/24.

The new pfSense Wi-Fi router just has a default firewall rule added, as the pfSense Wi-Fi setup tutorial didn't have any instructions on settings to make the Internet connection work, just how to configure the Wi-Fi interface.
Seems to be missing some final steps to connect to the Internet?

So, the firewall rule is
Action: Pass
Disabled: unticked
Interface: Wi-Fi
TCP/IP Version: IPv4
Protocol: TCP
Source: unticked
Destination: unticked
Destination port range: from: any. to: any
Log: unticked
Description: blank

stephenw10

@eiger3970:

I meant my currently working Wi-Fi router uses IP 192.168.1.180/24.

Ah, OK. In that situation your router is bridging the wireless network to the LAN and the same subnet spans both. You can do that in pfSense with your new card using a software bridge but I suggest you first get it working as a separate interface.

Your firewall rule only allows TCP which means that DNS on UDP port 53 is still blocked. I imagine your browser if giving errors like 'cannot resolve host'. You need to either change the protocol in your existing rule to tcp/udp or 'any' or add a new rules to allow UDP port 53.

Steve