pikvm/docs/wifi.md

Setting up Wi-Fi

The following describes how to setup a Wi-Fi connection on the default pikvm builds based on Arch Linux. The process might vary for other Linux distros. We recommend to do this while having a display and keyboard connected directly to the Raspberry Pi as you will loose network connectivity once you connect to a Wi-Fi. Alternatively you can connect to the PiKVM via SSH. The built-in Web Terminal (available through the browser) should also work.

!!! warning There is nothing more reliable than wired Ethernet, so it's better to use it. But who are we to stop you... :)

Step by step

1. Make filesystem writable using rw command.

2. Optional: If you want your Raspberry Pi to automatically connect to any configured and available Wi-Fi networks you have to set the following option. On Raspberry Pis wlan0 is the default name of the wlan device.

   # systemctl enable netctl-auto@wlan0.service
   

3. Create Wi-Fi profiles

   • Using the interactive dialog

     You can create Wi-Fi profiles either manually or by using wifi-menu. This requires the Wi-Fi you want to connect to in signal range.

     # wifi-menu -o
     

     The -o makes sure that the Wi-Fi passphrase is stored encrypted. Otherwise it will be stored in cleartext in the profile file. wifi-menu will scan for all available Wi-Fi networks and provide you a list:

     

     Select the Wi-Fi you want to connect to and give the profile file a name. The default name is wlan0-wifiname:

     

     Enter the WPA-Passphrase:

     

     Afterwards wifi-menu will try to connect to the Wi-Fi. If you're connected via ssh or the Web Terminal you'll loose connection to the Raspberry Pi. Most DHCP servers will give the Raspberry Pi a new (and usually different) IP address for each interface (LAN / WLAN).

     If everything worked out you should be connected to your Wi-Fi now. wifi-menu created a new profile file for you in /etc/netctl.

   • Manually

     If you want to store the Wi-Fi passphrase encrypted you have to generate it via wpa_passphrase:

     # wpa_passphrase wifiname this_is_my_great_and_secure_key_1234567890
     

     

     Copy the second hexadecimal string without psk=. In this example 814c45d0f88f60636532b034c463639a506670f8ba3c7965e62cdbc1989f6d66.

     Create a new file with the editor of your choice (nano, vim, etc.):

     # nano /etc/netctl/wlan0-wifiname
     

     Copy the following template into the file and modify it with your parameters.

     Note the \" after Key= is required for encrypted passphrases. If you want to put your Wi-Fi passphrase in cleartext the \" is not required. See this for the quoting rules and more Wi-Fi profile configuration options.

     Description='My great Wi-Fi'
     Interface=wlan0
     Connection=wireless
     Security=wpa
     ESSID=wifiname
     IP=dhcp
     Key=\"814c45d0f88f60636532b034c463639a506670f8ba3c7965e62cdbc1989f6d66
     

     Save the file and you're good to go. You can manually connect to the profile you've just created with:

     # netctl-auto switch-to wlan0-wifiname
     

4. To add the hidden ESSID you need to edit /etc/netctl/wlan0-<SSID> file and add the hidden option:

   Description='Hidden SSID template'
   Interface=wlan0
   Connection=wireless
   Security=wpa
   ESSID=WIFI-Name
   IP=dhcp
   Key=supersecretpassword
   Hidden=yes
   

5. Optional: If you want to connect to a 5GHz Wi-Fi in the US and it's not listed, create /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant-wlan0.conf with a single line country=US, and enable it with:

   # systemctl enable wpa_supplicant@wlan0
   

6. Make filesystem read-only again using ro command

Useful console commands

• iwconfig - Manipulate the basic wireless parameters.
• iwlist - Allow's you to initiate scanning and list frequencies, bit-rates, encryption keys, etc.
• iwspy - Displays per node link quality.
• iwpriv - Allow's you to manipulate the Wireless Extensions specific to a driver (private).

!!! example "Some examples" # iw dev wlan0 scan | egrep "signal:|SSID:" | sed -e "s/\tsignal: //" -e "s/\tSSID: //" | awk '{ORS = (NR % 2 == 0)? "\n" : " "; print}' | sort # iwlist wlan0 scan | egrep "Cell|ESSID|Signal|Rates" # iwlist wlan0 scan # iw wlan0 info

Additional resources

• Arch Linux Wiki for netctl