Add wireless devices to X86 Openwrt install

Installing and Using OpenWrt
1

I'm a newb to Openwrt and am playing with Opwenwrt on x86 (PC).
Am muddling around with trying to figure out how to add a wifi Interface to the install and use it as a simple
access point ethernet bridge.

I have already figured out how to add pcitools so I could run lspci and see exactly what wireless interface is present.
01:00.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8723BE PCIe Wireless Network Adapter

Now I'm trying to figure out how to identify which driver is needed and how to install/activate it.

Is there a good guide that steps you though how to do this on x86?

Most of what I am finding seems to be geared toward access points and routers that already work and have all of the wireless stuff preloaded available and working out of the box.

This is my start.
I'm just having fun and trying to get more familiar with Openwrt.
I'd like to eventually be able to try some custom builds but easy steps first.
I'm not a programmer. yet.

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2

It's the same on any OpenWrt device.

Searching: https://openwrt.org/packages/table/start?dataflt[Description_wiki*~]=Realtek

I found:

Best wishes (not sure if that model card allows for an Access Point, though).

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3

Thanks for the pointer.
Just having fun and getting started.
If it doesn't work I can pop in a different card or try on other hardware etc.
Steve

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4

I was searching for "RTL8723"
Which in that form did not find anything earlier when I was poking around.

5

Installed it and rebooted.
Should it just show up after this or is there more work?
Is there more to it than that?
I don't see any new wireless interfaces available.
Sorry still new to this.
And still looking around the docs

6

Did you hit Add?

7

Sorry new here.
Add what?
Interface? Device?
Tried that.

8

Add button on the web GUI under Wireless.

9

You might look through the Quick Start and User Guides on the wiki...

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10

The x86 releases don't include any of the wireless stack by default, since most people use x86 in a wired role. You will need:
kmod for your hardware
firmware blob for your hardware, if needed. This is binary code that runs inside the wifi chip.
kmod-cfg80211
wireless-regdb
iw
iwinfo (this links LuCi to iw)
hostapd-common
wpad-openssl (the most full featured wpad variant, which is OK since x86 has plenty of RAM and flash)

After installing these, reboot and see if an /etc/config/wireless file was generated. This will also enable a Network--Wireless option in LuCI.

3 Likes
11

Thanks!!
These are the little tidbits/steps I've been looking for!
I will give this a shot.
I'm not going to just get it working and be done.
I'll be learning and playing around will different hardware, chips and all for a long time.

12

The correct module would be kmod-rtl8723be (drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtlwifi/rtl8723be/rtl8723be.ko; rtl8xxxu is USB only), which is not packaged for OpenWrt at this point - should be relatively easy to add, but I wouldn't be too comfortable about the driver capabilities or reliability on any case.

1 Like
13

What other cards do you have?

14

There is no "Wireless" does not exist yet.

15

A lot of them. :slight_smile:

16

Incredible information.
Extremely helpful and is giving be a really good idea how to put this together.
Giving this a try.

17

I have everything mentioned installed except mentioned firmware blob.
Not yet figured out where to get that or how to get it on the system yet.
Still no /etc/config/wireless yet after reboot.

18

LOL getting firmware now.

19

Bummer no love yet after installing firmware.

20

Module appears to be loaded bit no takers :slight_smile:
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