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    Cannot set up WAP on TP-LINK TL-WN951N

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Wireless
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    • J
      JacktheSmack
      last edited by

      Hello, I've been trying to find an answer to this problem. The network doesn't appear in any device's wifi listing when I set this up, and on my router status page it says the wifi is down (down pointing red arrow). My wireless card is a TP-LINK TL-WN951N. Here are the logs from when it boots up:

      Dec 14 08:10:49 kernel: ath0: <atheros 9280="">mem 0xdfaf0000-0xdfafffff irq 17 at device 1.0 on pci3
      Dec 14 08:10:49 kernel: ath0: [ITHREAD]
      Dec 14 08:10:49 kernel: ath0: AR9280 mac 128.2 RF5133 phy 13.0
      Dec 14 08:10:49 kernel: wlan0: changing name to 'ath0_wlan0'

      And here's the exact error that appears when I try to apply any changes on it:

      Dec 14 08:11:43 php: /interfaces.php: The command '/sbin/ifconfig 'ath0_wlan0' inet delete' returned exit code '1', the output was 'ifconfig: ioctl (SIOCDIFADDR): Can't assign requested address

      Here is the interface's settings:

      </atheros>

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      • johnpozJ
        johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
        last edited by

        And where did you read that card is supported?

        https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Is_802.11n_wireless_supported

        An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
        If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
        Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
        SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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        • J
          JacktheSmack
          last edited by

          Ah I didn't. Do you recommend any wifi devices? It can be USB or PCI. I tried looking up what other people said, but they all recommend atheros but they don't have antenna so I don't expect it to have much range.

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          • johnpozJ
            johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
            last edited by

            I would not recommend any CARD, what I would recommend is an actual WAP or spare wireless router you use as AP.

            I see no point of putting an actual card in pfsense to do wireless.  You will get better performance, have more control and better coverage if you do real AP.  Or as many as you need to provide the coverage you want.

            Example - if you like tplink, here is 3 antenna actual WAP.  Why does something like this not work a how to bring wireless t your network?

            http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WA901ND-Wireless-300Mbps-Repeater/dp/B002YETVXC/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1387203836&sr=1-5&keywords=wireless+access+point
            TP-LINK TL-WA901ND Wireless N300 Access Point, 2.4Ghz 300Mbps, 802.11b/g/n, AP/Client/Bridge/Repeater, 3x 4dBi, Passive POE

            An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
            If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
            Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
            SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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            • J
              JacktheSmack
              last edited by

              I have a few WAP routers laying around. I did not know that having it all integrated into pfsense was actually undesirable. OK thank you!

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              • johnpozJ
                johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                last edited by

                You have not been around the boards much then ;)  Freebsd/pfsense support of wireless is very limited - I know of no N support at all.  If in the router this really limits your wireless coverage if you ask me ;)

                I would suggest you get WAP that have vlan support, or breakout your wireless to its own segments - then you get the security of being able to firewall between your wired and wireless and can run a captive portal on wireless if you want, etc. etc..

                Breaking out the wireless makes sense from many different directions.  while trying to get some box that does everything always reduces options.

                An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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                • S
                  Snailkhan
                  last edited by

                  @johnpoz:

                  You have not been around the boards much then ;)  Freebsd/pfsense support of wireless is very limited - I know of no N support at all.  If in the router this really limits your wireless coverage if you ask me ;)

                  I would suggest you get WAP that have vlan support, or breakout your wireless to its own segments - then you get the security of being able to firewall between your wired and wireless and can run a captive portal on wireless if you want, etc. etc..

                  Breaking out the wireless makes sense from many different directions.  while trying to get some box that does everything always reduces options.

                  does it still holds correct ?
                  as most of the threads that i happen to browse say no n support and n devies working at g ?

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                  • johnpozJ
                    johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                    last edited by

                    Why would you post in a thread from 2013.. Did you read
                    https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Is_802.11n_wireless_supported

                    pfSense 2.2-RELEASE is based on FreeBSD 10.1, which does have 802.11n support in general, but support may still vary by card and driver.

                    And my advice still stands - your best option here is use a REAL AP.. There is no way that any device in pfsense would come close to the coverage you would get with an actual AP..  When you can get AC devices for under a $100 not sure why this would not be anyone first choice??  The wifi option in in the sg-2440 which is $75, I would go with the new ac lite at a couple of bucks and does 2x2 AC

                    An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                    If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                    Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                    SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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