WiFi configuration

This page describes the configuration of WiFi networking in DFN camera systems. DFNEXT type has WiFi interface installed, in the other systems it is optional. The default configuration is master mode, the camera system box acts as a WiFi access point (a WiFi network where a user in proximity of the deployed site can connect to the system wirelessly). The network name is the camera system hostname (eg DFNEXT007).

On some sites, or for testing before deployment, it might be useful to set the WiFi interface in camera system to client mode and connect to an existing WiFi network (WLAN). That allows Internet access to the camera system and remote access via LAN IP range and DFN VPN as well.

Both master and client configuration options are pre-set in /etc/network/interfaces, the one that is not currently active is commended out. When changing the configuration, it is recommended ti bring the network interface down (ifdown wlan0), change the config file and then activate the interface again (ifup wlan0).

The default (master mode) state is (here displayed only the USB WiFi sub-section of the /etc/network/interfaces file):

### USB WiFi stick
auto wlan0
allow-hotplug wlan0
### DHCP
#iface wlan0 inet dhcp
### static
#set IP address that is not in the DHCP pool of local wifi router
#also subnet must not clash with eth1 subnet above
iface wlan0 inet static
      address 172.16.0.101
      network 172.16.0.0
      netmask 255.255.255.0
      post-up service isc-dhcp-server restart
   ### WPA/WPA2 section for client mode ###
#      wpa-ssid test1
#      wpa-psk fireball
      ### following two options are not necessary 
      ### - but the WiFi AP must be set to use encoding TKIP, not AES!
      #wpa-key-mgmt WPA-PSK
      #wpa-group TKIP
   ### WEP section for client mode ###
      #wireless-essid test1
      #wireless-key F9674C82E0
   ### hostapd - all client mode settings must be commented out ###
      hostapd /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf

The details for AP/master configuration including the AP name and password are configured in /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf.

For the client mode, we need to comment out the bold text from above and uncomment a few commented lines. Your local WiFi network most likely will use WPA2 encryption, but there is WEP option possible as well.

### USB WiFi stick
auto wlan0
allow-hotplug wlan0
### DHCP
iface wlan0 inet dhcp
### static
#set IP address that is not in the DHCP pool of local wifi router
#also subnet must not clash with eth1 subnet above
# iface wlan0 inet static
#       address 172.16.0.101
#       network 172.16.0.0
#       netmask 255.255.255.0
#       post-up service isc-dhcp-server restart
   ### WPA/WPA2 section for client mode ###
      wpa-ssid test1
      wpa-psk fireball
      ### following two options are not necessary 
      ### - but the WiFi AP must be set to use encoding TKIP, not AES!
      #wpa-key-mgmt WPA-PSK
      #wpa-group TKIP
   ### WEP section for client mode ###
      #wireless-essid test1
      #wireless-key F9674C82E0
   ### hostapd - all client mode settings must be commented out ###
#       hostapd /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf

Obviously one needs to put in the specific local WiFi network name (wpa-ssid) and password (wpa-psk).