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howtos:network_services:running_an_access_point_from_a_slackware_box [2016/10/21 07:44 (UTC)] – [4.7.1 Wired Clients] louigi600howtos:network_services:running_an_access_point_from_a_slackware_box [2019/09/01 07:03 (UTC)] – [3.3 Other Software] louigi600
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                  * AP/VLAN                  * AP/VLAN
                  * monitor                  * monitor
-AP need to be amongst the software interface modes.+AP needs to be among the software interface modes. 
 + 
 +Ok there is still some Wireless NICs that support hardware master mode but that's 3 against all the rest I'm not going to bother going into any detail with those 3 exceptions, google is your friend if you want to insist in the hardware master mode way. 
  
 ====== 3 Software Requirements ====== ====== 3 Software Requirements ======
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   - edit the defconfig file and enable any optional features you need (default is fine for a simple setup)   - edit the defconfig file and enable any optional features you need (default is fine for a simple setup)
   - copy the defconfig file to .config   - copy the defconfig file to .config
 +  - make a softlink for netlink includes (cd /usr/include; ln -s libnl3/netlink .)
   - make   - make
   - make install (or optionally just put in /usr/local/bin just the hostapd binary)   - make install (or optionally just put in /usr/local/bin just the hostapd binary)
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 It should then be possible to restart rc.inet1 (or just rc.inet1 wlan0_down and rc.inet1 wlan0_up) and the client should associate. It should then be possible to restart rc.inet1 (or just rc.inet1 wlan0_down and rc.inet1 wlan0_up) and the client should associate.
 +
 +There's also the command line alternative with wpa_cli in this example we'll assume that your client is totally unconfigured and wpa_supplicant is not running. We're going to do everything on the command line:
 +
 +  # wpa_supplicant -B -W -Dwext -i wlan0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
 +  # wpa_cli
 +  wpa_cli v2.4
 +  Copyright (c) 2004-2015, Jouni Malinen <j@w1.fi> and contributors
 +  
 +  This software may be distributed under the terms of the BSD license.
 +  See README for more details.
 +  
 +  Selected interface 'wlan0'
 +  
 +  Interactive mode
 +  
 +  > scan
 +  OK
 +  <3>WPS-AP-AVAILABLE 
 +  > scan_results
 +  bssid / frequency / signal level / flags / ssid
 +  02:0c:42:f9:73:23       2412    -58     [WPA-PSK-CCMP][WPA2-PSK-CCMP][ESS]
 +  a4:51:6f:95:37:b6       2462    -58     [WPA2-PSK-CCMP][WPS][ESS]       Windows Phone0377
 +  00:0c:42:f9:73:23       2412    -62     [ESS]   Insecure-WiFi  
 +  >  add_network
 +  0
 +  > set_network 0 ssid "Windows Phone0377"
 +  OK
 +  > set_network 0 psk "passwordforcrappywindowsphone"
 +  OK
 +  > enable_network 0OK
 +  OK 
 +  <2>Trying to authenticate with a4:51:6f:95:37:b6 (SSID='Windows Phone0377' freq=2437 MHz)
 +  <2>Trying to associate with a4:51:6f:95:37:b6 (SSID='Windows Phone0377' freq=2437 MHz)
 +  <2>Associated with a4:51:6f:95:37:b6
 +  <2>WPA: Key negotiation completed with a4:51:6f:95:37:b6 [PTK=CCMP GTK=CCMP]
 +  <2>CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to a4:51:6f:95:37:b6 completed (reauth) [id=0 id_str=]
 +  > save_config
 +  OK
 +  > quit
 +  #
 +  
 +If all went right and your wpa_supplicant.conf file had 
 +  update_config=1
 +in it the above snippet would have saved the new network to wpa_supplicant.conf and associated you with it.
 +
 +Remember that if you're associating with an non secured AP you need to use this:
 +  > set_network 0 ssid "Insecure-WiFi"
 +  OK
 +  > set_network 0 key_mgmt NONE
 +  OK
 +  >
 +
  
 ==== 4.7.3 Other Linux Distributions Wireless Clients ==== ==== 4.7.3 Other Linux Distributions Wireless Clients ====
-I've tried various other flavor distributions ... most don't use wpa_gui for associating to AP but  some sort of other tool that generally pops up when you click on the icon that notifies the presence of an Access Point. After a few headaches I found that best association success is achieved by forcing setup for hidden AP even if the AP I'm configuring has not the hidden essid.+I've tried various other flavor distributions ... most don't use wpa_gui for associating to AP but  some sort of other tool that generally pops up when you click on the icon that notifies the presence of an Access Point. After a few headaches I found that best association success is achieved by forcing setup for hidden AP even if the AP I'm configuring has not the hidden essid. You can always use wpa_cli on the command line if it's shipped with whatever distro you prefer.
  
  
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 You can dump dnsmasq's lease file to see the dhcp leases You can dump dnsmasq's lease file to see the dhcp leases
  
-  root@router:~# cat /run/dnsmasq/dnsmasq.leases +  root@router:~# cat /run/dnsmasq/br0.leases 
   1411875361 00:01:02:03:04:05 192.168.0.3 b3bo *   1411875361 00:01:02:03:04:05 192.168.0.3 b3bo *
   1411874427 0a:0b:0c:0d:0e:0f 192.168.0.4 printsrv *   1411874427 0a:0b:0c:0d:0e:0f 192.168.0.4 printsrv *
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 Please note the above script only works on 2.6 kernels or above. This probably also applies to socklist. Please note the above script only works on 2.6 kernels or above. This probably also applies to socklist.
  
-====== 6 Wrapping It Up ======+====== 6 Remote Administration ====== 
 +I'm not advocating that allowing remote administration from your WAN connection is a good thing but there are times where it may be necessary so here are some tips for minimizing the risk of having your router suffering brute force attacks or other bad things happen to it. 
 + 
 +I'm an old fashioned system administrator so for me remote administration is done via ssh, if you've added a nice web administration tool to your AP/Router keep in mind that running apache just for the sake of having remote web administration will expose you to a whole lot of security issues that need to be addressed and maintained over time.  
 + 
 +  - use non standard ports 
 +  - disallow password authentication 
 +  - minimize your attack surfaces 
 +Let me give you a little reasoning for the list. 
 + 
 +===== 6.1 Use Non Standard Ports ===== 
 +Whatever is your remote administration tool of choice it's a good idea not to leave access to it from WAN on it's well known port, making it less obvious that you run such a service. If you do this there's a good chance that your AP/Router will never get unwanted attention.  
 + 
 +===== 6.2 Disallow Password Authentication ===== 
 +Allowing password authentication is a welcome for brute force attacks so avoid it wherever possible (ie for ssh administrations only allow authentication with keys). If you're doing web based remote administration you could send in a key via get and then set a cookie or something like that along with password protected htaccess. 
 + 
 +===== 6.3 Minimize Your Attack Surfaces ===== 
 +Your AP/Router should expose to the WAN connection nothing more then what is really needed. Scanning your own AP/Router and closing or disabling unnecessary services to WAN is something you should allays do so that you minimize the attack surfaces should you ever get unwanted attention. 
 + 
 +==== 6.3.1 Avoid Running Remote Administration 24x7 ==== 
 +If you can have remote administration active only when you need it you're not leaving the attack surface available all the time but then you need an easy way to turn it on when you're away from home. 
 +I've two means of doing so: 
 +  * If any family member is home it can be temporarily activated by pressing a specific button on the router itself (it's the second button under the blue led in the images below). 
 +  * If nobody is home I've modified a 200 line minimal web server (nweb) to listen to requests on a non standard port and temporarily allow remote administration if a specific url is requested. 
 + 
 +Whichever way the temporary remote admin is enabled it also get's automatically turned off after some time (should you ever forget to turn it off once you're done). 
 + 
 +Nweb is a really basic webserver that only servers static html images and a few archive formats, it does not even allow directory listing. Besides that I have it parse and enable before serving the page ... so if you don't physically have the page that enables the remote administration a 403 is returned anyway leaving no clue as to waht was done in response to that request. 
 + 
 +If you're interested in nweb you can get it by googling "nweb tiny web server". You should hit github with something like nweb23.c with some 204 lines of C code. It should be easy for you to modify the source to match your needs. 
 +  
 + 
 + 
 +====== 7 Wrapping It Up ======
 Now that you've done the configuration maybe next time you want to start the AP you want to do it surely more efficiently. Now that you've done the configuration maybe next time you want to start the AP you want to do it surely more efficiently.
  
-===== 6.1 Simple Starter Script =====+===== 7.1 Simple Starter Script =====
 Just put a few commands in a script to start it up really quickly: Just put a few commands in a script to start it up really quickly:
  
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 If you want a neater solution totally integrated in the init scripts read on. If you want a neater solution totally integrated in the init scripts read on.
  
-===== 6.2 Modifying Slackware Init Scripts  =====+===== 7.2 Modifying Slackware Init Scripts  =====
 I've not yet done this but I can suggest a possible way of doing it. I've not yet done this but I can suggest a possible way of doing it.
  
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-===== 6.3 Automating AP Startup For USB WiFi Dongles =====+===== 7.3 Automating AP Startup For USB WiFi Dongles =====
 Udev is very powerful and can do a variety of actions upon detecting certain events, like the appearance of a NIC. In fact it already does that and renames interfaces according to MAC address (have a look at /etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules and see how your interfaces get the same name even if you remove the modules and reinsert them in the wrong order). Udev is very powerful and can do a variety of actions upon detecting certain events, like the appearance of a NIC. In fact it already does that and renames interfaces according to MAC address (have a look at /etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules and see how your interfaces get the same name even if you remove the modules and reinsert them in the wrong order).
 Apart from renaming NICs and creating device files it can also execute commands or external helper scripts ... this is particularly handy if, for example, you wish that upon plugging a USB Ethernet dongle it automatically assigns an address via DHCP. Apart from renaming NICs and creating device files it can also execute commands or external helper scripts ... this is particularly handy if, for example, you wish that upon plugging a USB Ethernet dongle it automatically assigns an address via DHCP.
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 I used to devote 2 usb dongle for this: one that would be left inserted most of the time and has random generated WAP-PSK (only for family use) and one that would get temporarily plugged in for guests with a much simple WPA-PSK to aid them accessing my home network.  I used to devote 2 usb dongle for this: one that would be left inserted most of the time and has random generated WAP-PSK (only for family use) and one that would get temporarily plugged in for guests with a much simple WPA-PSK to aid them accessing my home network. 
  
-==== 6.3.1 Automation With Custom Scripts ====+==== 7.3.1 Automation With Custom Scripts ====
 Over the years trying to maintain modified rc scripts functional across updates that involved the rc scripts themselves became cumbersome so I started moving away from modifying the stock scripts and started developing my own stuff. Don't get me wrong I still use and appreciate the stock stuff for my desktop systems.  Over the years trying to maintain modified rc scripts functional across updates that involved the rc scripts themselves became cumbersome so I started moving away from modifying the stock scripts and started developing my own stuff. Don't get me wrong I still use and appreciate the stock stuff for my desktop systems. 
 The idea behind my own scripts is based on udev detecting the interfaces (even at boot time). The basic idea is still the same: upon detection udev executes nethelper.sh script that looks for and executes /etc/rc.d/network/<NIC> start. This is not for everyone because it requires manually writing the /etc/rc.d/network/<NIC> script but I think most have the basic knowledge and maybe with a little help most can manage. The idea behind my own scripts is based on udev detecting the interfaces (even at boot time). The basic idea is still the same: upon detection udev executes nethelper.sh script that looks for and executes /etc/rc.d/network/<NIC> start. This is not for everyone because it requires manually writing the /etc/rc.d/network/<NIC> script but I think most have the basic knowledge and maybe with a little help most can manage.
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 If you've gone so far you might want a neater way to deal with unplugging dongles as anything udev could possibly do would be too late. One possible approach is to use gpio pins with buttons attached to them and a script that monitors the button status and takes appropriate action when each button is pressed. I've done this on mi RPi2 with 5 buttons and 5 leds indicating whether the button press has been caught by the monitor script: one shuts down the RPI2 while the other 4 are for deactivating whatever is in the respective usb port to prepare it for unplugging. If you've gone so far you might want a neater way to deal with unplugging dongles as anything udev could possibly do would be too late. One possible approach is to use gpio pins with buttons attached to them and a script that monitors the button status and takes appropriate action when each button is pressed. I've done this on mi RPi2 with 5 buttons and 5 leds indicating whether the button press has been caught by the monitor script: one shuts down the RPI2 while the other 4 are for deactivating whatever is in the respective usb port to prepare it for unplugging.
 Here's a [[http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg113/louigi600/ARM/IMG_20160109_084509_zpshwu4p9x9.jpg|picture]] of such a setup while the script for handling it is [[http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/slackware-arm-108/initiating-shutdown-from-a-button-press-4175494505/page3.html#post5476882|here]]. Here's a [[http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg113/louigi600/ARM/IMG_20160109_084509_zpshwu4p9x9.jpg|picture]] of such a setup while the script for handling it is [[http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/slackware-arm-108/initiating-shutdown-from-a-button-press-4175494505/page3.html#post5476882|here]].
-====== 7 Setting up on an Embedded Device ======+====== 8 Setting up on an Embedded Device ======
 Supposing you want all this but you don't want to leave a laptop or desktop on all the time you might want to put in on an embedded ARM system that will only use a fraction of the power required to run an X86 laptop/desktop of any sort. (intel Curie might kick in with a 2.2W x86 SOC when the segfault bug is sorted out). Supposing you want all this but you don't want to leave a laptop or desktop on all the time you might want to put in on an embedded ARM system that will only use a fraction of the power required to run an X86 laptop/desktop of any sort. (intel Curie might kick in with a 2.2W x86 SOC when the segfault bug is sorted out).
 Well the official ARM Slackware port userland runs on almost any ARM device out in the market today. There is a number of machines that are officially supported from the ARM port and a god deal of [[http://docs.slackware.com/howtos:hardware:arm:start | community supported efforts]] for the platforms that are not officially supported. Well the official ARM Slackware port userland runs on almost any ARM device out in the market today. There is a number of machines that are officially supported from the ARM port and a god deal of [[http://docs.slackware.com/howtos:hardware:arm:start | community supported efforts]] for the platforms that are not officially supported.
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 If you're interested in actually making such changes to the init scripts I've shared how I go about it on [[http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/slackware-arm-108/anyone-else-interested-in-running-some-of-their-arm-devices-with-root-mounted-read-only-4175590642/ | Linux Questions]]. If you're interested in actually making such changes to the init scripts I've shared how I go about it on [[http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/slackware-arm-108/anyone-else-interested-in-running-some-of-their-arm-devices-with-root-mounted-read-only-4175590642/ | Linux Questions]].
-====== 8 Unexpected Trouble Sources ======+====== 9 Unexpected Trouble Sources ======
 When you start doing your own stuff you may run into problems that are hard to debug because the cause is pretty much unexpected. When you start doing your own stuff you may run into problems that are hard to debug because the cause is pretty much unexpected.
  
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 Obviously there may be innumerable other trouble source you may run into (some of which you have no control ... like when your ISP makes clumsy NAT for you) but if you're doing your own stuff be prepared to put up and debug them. Obviously there may be innumerable other trouble source you may run into (some of which you have no control ... like when your ISP makes clumsy NAT for you) but if you're doing your own stuff be prepared to put up and debug them.
  
-====== 9 Conclusions ======+====== 10 Conclusions ======
 You have set up an AP with entry level security and the most common options available in the low end appliances but you have gained: You have set up an AP with entry level security and the most common options available in the low end appliances but you have gained:
   * ability to easily keep your AP software up-to date    * ability to easily keep your AP software up-to date 

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howtos:network_services:running_an_access_point_from_a_slackware_box ()