Comrades, good day. Please tell me what Wi-Fi adapters are available that will work on a Raspberry pi 4B running Openwrt (snapshot)? It must also support mesh point. Thanks
The only sensible option would be using a dedicated AP (router). USB wireless cards don't have the quality PCI/ PCIe (or even SDIO-) cards would provide and always lack the features needed to (properly) support AP mode or other specialities (of which mesh is certainly in the very special spectrum).
I think @dlakelan was saying that he is/was having a positive experience with some Tp-link adaptor. I am not sure if he has used it extensively though.
(afaik) That was USB 3.0 based ethernet, not wi-fi.
--
The situation for ethernet is much easier, there you 'only' have to bother about performance differences between chipsets.
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Correct, I was using USB 3 wired ethernet, the performance of the TP Link UE300 was very good. But as for wifi, I have no info. I don't think there are good drivers for any 802.11ac USB devices that I know of. All the ones I could find have some "download this sketchy driver from the mfg and compile it against some linux 3.x series kernel" kind of situation.
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…and even the 'good' ones (ath9k_htc, carl9170) have serious problems in 24/7 operations and/ or AP mode (aside from systemic issues caused by limited on-device RAM --> only 8 (4?) connected STAs possible on ath9k_htc hardware).
MediaTek MT7612U WiFi Dongles works perfect on the Pi 4. I have the netgear a6210, it support mesh and WiFi 802.11ac ,no issues running 24/7.
-----------------------------------------------------
root@OpenWrt:/# iw phy1 info
Wiphy phy1
max # scan SSIDs: 4
max scan IEs length: 2243 bytes
max # sched scan SSIDs: 0
max # match sets: 0
max # scan plans: 1
max scan plan interval: -1
max scan plan iterations: 0
Retry short limit: 7
Retry long limit: 4
Coverage class: 0 (up to 0m)
Device supports RSN-IBSS.
Supported Ciphers:
* WEP40 (00-0f-ac:1)
* WEP104 (00-0f-ac:5)
* TKIP (00-0f-ac:2)
* CCMP-128 (00-0f-ac:4)
* CCMP-256 (00-0f-ac:10)
* GCMP-128 (00-0f-ac:8)
* GCMP-256 (00-0f-ac:9)
* CMAC (00-0f-ac:6)
* CMAC-256 (00-0f-ac:13)
* GMAC-128 (00-0f-ac:11)
* GMAC-256 (00-0f-ac:12)
Available Antennas: TX 0x3 RX 0x3
Configured Antennas: TX 0x3 RX 0x3
Supported interface modes:
* IBSS
* managed
* AP
* AP/VLAN
* monitor
* mesh point
Band 1:
Capabilities: 0x1ff
RX LDPC
HT20/HT40
SM Power Save disabled
RX Greenfield
RX HT20 SGI
RX HT40 SGI
TX STBC
RX STBC 1-stream
Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
No DSSS/CCK HT40
Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 4 usec (0x05)
HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-15
Bitrates (non-HT):
* 1.0 Mbps (short preamble supported)
* 2.0 Mbps (short preamble supported)
* 5.5 Mbps (short preamble supported)
* 11.0 Mbps (short preamble supported)
* 6.0 Mbps
* 9.0 Mbps
* 12.0 Mbps
* 18.0 Mbps
* 24.0 Mbps
* 36.0 Mbps
* 48.0 Mbps
* 54.0 Mbps
Frequencies:
* 2412 MHz [1] (18.0 dBm)
* 2417 MHz [2] (18.0 dBm)
* 2422 MHz [3] (18.0 dBm)
* 2427 MHz [4] (18.0 dBm)
* 2432 MHz [5] (18.0 dBm)
* 2437 MHz [6] (18.0 dBm)
* 2442 MHz [7] (18.0 dBm)
* 2447 MHz [8] (18.0 dBm)
* 2452 MHz [9] (18.0 dBm)
* 2457 MHz [10] (18.0 dBm)
* 2462 MHz [11] (18.0 dBm)
* 2467 MHz [12] (disabled)
* 2472 MHz [13] (disabled)
* 2484 MHz [14] (disabled)
Band 2:
Capabilities: 0x1ff
RX LDPC
HT20/HT40
SM Power Save disabled
RX Greenfield
RX HT20 SGI
RX HT40 SGI
TX STBC
RX STBC 1-stream
Max AMSDU length: 3839 bytes
No DSSS/CCK HT40
Maximum RX AMPDU length 65535 bytes (exponent: 0x003)
Minimum RX AMPDU time spacing: 4 usec (0x05)
HT TX/RX MCS rate indexes supported: 0-15
VHT Capabilities (0x318001b0):
Max MPDU length: 3895
Supported Channel Width: neither 160 nor 80+80
RX LDPC
short GI (80 MHz)
TX STBC
RX antenna pattern consistency
TX antenna pattern consistency
VHT RX MCS set:
1 streams: MCS 0-9
2 streams: MCS 0-9
3 streams: not supported
4 streams: not supported
5 streams: not supported
6 streams: not supported
7 streams: not supported
8 streams: not supported
VHT RX highest supported: 0 Mbps
VHT TX MCS set:
1 streams: MCS 0-9
2 streams: MCS 0-9
3 streams: not supported
4 streams: not supported
5 streams: not supported
6 streams: not supported
7 streams: not supported
8 streams: not supported
VHT TX highest supported: 0 Mbps
Bitrates (non-HT):
* 6.0 Mbps
* 9.0 Mbps
* 12.0 Mbps
* 18.0 Mbps
* 24.0 Mbps
* 36.0 Mbps
* 48.0 Mbps
* 54.0 Mbps
Frequencies:
* 5180 MHz [36] (18.0 dBm)
* 5200 MHz [40] (18.0 dBm)
* 5220 MHz [44] (18.0 dBm)
* 5240 MHz [48] (18.0 dBm)
* 5260 MHz [52] (18.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5280 MHz [56] (18.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5300 MHz [60] (18.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5320 MHz [64] (18.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5500 MHz [100] (18.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5520 MHz [104] (18.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5540 MHz [108] (18.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5560 MHz [112] (18.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5580 MHz [116] (18.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5600 MHz [120] (18.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5620 MHz [124] (18.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5640 MHz [128] (18.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5660 MHz [132] (18.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5680 MHz [136] (18.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5700 MHz [140] (18.0 dBm) (radar detection)
* 5745 MHz [149] (18.0 dBm)
* 5765 MHz [153] (18.0 dBm)
* 5785 MHz [157] (18.0 dBm)
* 5805 MHz [161] (18.0 dBm)
* 5825 MHz [165] (18.0 dBm)
Supported commands:
* new_interface
* set_interface
* new_key
* start_ap
* new_station
* new_mpath
* set_mesh_config
* set_bss
* authenticate
* associate
* deauthenticate
* disassociate
* join_ibss
* join_mesh
* set_tx_bitrate_mask
* frame
* frame_wait_cancel
* set_wiphy_netns
* set_channel
* set_wds_peer
* probe_client
* set_noack_map
* register_beacons
* start_p2p_device
* set_mcast_rate
* testmode
* connect
* disconnect
* channel_switch
* set_qos_map
* set_multicast_to_unicast
Supported TX frame types:
* IBSS: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* managed: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* AP: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* AP/VLAN: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* mesh point: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* P2P-client: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* P2P-GO: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
* P2P-device: 0x00 0x10 0x20 0x30 0x40 0x50 0x60 0x70 0x80 0x90 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0 0xe0 0xf0
Supported RX frame types:
* IBSS: 0x40 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
* managed: 0x40 0xd0
* AP: 0x00 0x20 0x40 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
* AP/VLAN: 0x00 0x20 0x40 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
* mesh point: 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
* P2P-client: 0x40 0xd0
* P2P-GO: 0x00 0x20 0x40 0xa0 0xb0 0xc0 0xd0
* P2P-device: 0x40 0xd0
software interface modes (can always be added):
* AP/VLAN
* monitor
valid interface combinations:
* #{ IBSS } <= 1, #{ managed, AP, mesh point } <= 2,
total <= 2, #channels <= 1, STA/AP BI must match
HT Capability overrides:
* MCS: ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff
* maximum A-MSDU length
* supported channel width
* short GI for 40 MHz
* max A-MPDU length exponent
* min MPDU start spacing
Device supports TX status socket option.
Device supports HT-IBSS.
Device supports SAE with AUTHENTICATE command
Device supports low priority scan.
Device supports scan flush.
Device supports AP scan.
Device supports per-vif TX power setting
Driver supports full state transitions for AP/GO clients
Driver supports a userspace MPM
Device supports active monitor (which will ACK incoming frames)
Device supports configuring vdev MAC-addr on create.
Supported extended features:
* [ VHT_IBSS ]: VHT-IBSS
* [ RRM ]: RRM
* [ CQM_RSSI_LIST ]: multiple CQM_RSSI_THOLD records
* [ CONTROL_PORT_OVER_NL80211 ]: control port over nl80211
* [ TXQS ]: FQ-CoDel-enabled intermediate TXQs
* [ AIRTIME_FAIRNESS ]: airtime fairness scheduling
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Please tell me if you installed any drivers for these wifi adapters? I insert the Atheros AR9271 usb adapter and it seems like the system displays that there is some connection, but it does not display anything, if I enter iw phy1 info - I will not get anything, or Atheros AR9271 is simply not supported.
root@OpenWrt:~# ip link
1: lo: <LOOPBACK,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 65536 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN qlen 1000
link/loopback 00:00:00:00:00:00 brd 00:00:00:00:00:00
2: eth0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc mq state UP qlen 1000
link/ether dc:a6:32:4a:eb:b5 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
3: wlan0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST> mtu 1500 qdisc noop state DOWN qlen 1000
link/ether dc:a6:32:4a:eb:b6 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
If that really is your device (ar9271 is out of production for about half a decade), you'll need to install kmod-ath9k-htc.
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Also would need the ath9k-htc-firmware package.
Troubleshooting would be as usual, start by reading the kernel log.
As @slh said these were one of the better USB adapters but they are 2 GHz only, weren't very common in the market to begin with, and have been discontinued for a long time.
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There have been 5 GHz capable ath9k_htc supported USB wlan cards in the past (ar7010+ar9280), but those were really rare (pretty much UK only, Virgin Media branded Netgear WNDA3200); personally I never got my hands on those, only on the 2.4 GHz only ar9271.
here comes the shooting in the dark again.. repeating unverified and wrong information over and over like a broken record...
my awus036nha had uptime of more than 200days in last year test
It's just great how well you claim know me, again…
Please tell that to my tl-wr821n v1 (ar9170) and tl-wr721n v1 (ar9271), I have used them as third radio and AP interface on a tl-wdr3600 (tl-wdr4300 respectively) for about 2 years each. Results were basically functional, but unreliable, with sometimes huge latencies and a tendency to overheat - the cheapest AHB/ PCI(e) based ath9k card however works fine in those conditions (even back to the dreaded/ buggy AR5008 or AR9102).
funny how you suggest the newest ipq soc to others but are stuck on some obsolete soc...
this is what works for me, self built image on an average soc:
Thank you , after installing the drivers, everything works
I think @slh might refrain from getting into this, but I must address the obvious flaw in your argument.
When someone asks for an advice to buy a new device, it makes perfect sense to recommend a device that comfortably meet their requirements and have some degree of future proofing.
Giving this recommendation, however, doesn't mean that we throw away the existing devices we already have of they do the job.
I have a C7 here and it's working alright, but I don't recommend buying it now because there are more capable devices in the same, or similar, price range. (And by the way this is just an example--just saying before you make a thing of it).
2 Likes
yeah, and their next post is about complains that it cannot reach half of the gigabit speed and are buying another one.
that are really perfect sense recommendations...
Does it show up in Luci?
The built in Broadcom doesn't and it doesn't keep an AP for more than a few seconds (no error, just slow loss of signal).
I tried Realtek 8812bu ones but I couldn't get it to work.
I tried a Realtek 8812au but I can only scan (I got the AP to work on my x86_64 machine with wpa_supplicant but not hostapd).
There seems to be a newer driver for it but I haven't figure out oh the get it over to openwrt yet.
I don't think Luci will ever support it.
I am willing to try an N adapter as long as it supports an external antenna and is 5GHz.
Running openwrt and what kernel?
Have you tried making an AP?
@bjlockie to use the MediaTek MT7612U kmod-mt76x2u need to be installed after that it will show up on Luci and can be configured as AP or STA.
The built in Broadcom on the Pi 4, it should work with this setting :Raspberry pi 4 access point
Realtek 8812au seems to be broken on the latest snapshots ,it used to work before, like in this old snapshot :https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HXlbTqis-QoOi8QrJBUg0ZAvtovOz26B/view?usp=sharing