Cannot start created Wifi Access point in Ubuntu 14.04 LTS

Question

My target is to create a Wifi hotspot using a wifi USB adapter in my computer that is already wireless connected.

I'm using Ubuntu 14.04 LTS / 64 bit The USB adapter is a: TP-Link TL-WN823N

This post describes exactly how to do this: How to setup an Access Point mode Wi-Fi Hotspot?

In short there are 4 steps:

1.) Create the initial hotspot entry by: System Settings > Network > Use as hotspot

2.) Edit the created hotspot using GUI Networking > Edit Connections Add SSID, WPA2, password etc.

3.) Since the ap mode cannot be set in the GUI yet is must be done with the command line.

'sudo -i gedit /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/Hotspot'

4.) Start the now correctly defined hotspot

This is the point where I got stuck and reason for asking this question. The previous mentioned post says:

"Click on 'Create New Wi-Fi Network' from Network Indicator menu."

There is a field "connection" that allows you to create a new connection of select an existing one. The intention is to select the hotspot that is created before.

However, for me it is only possible to create a new hotspot because the field "connection" is missing. See picture.

no connection to select

What I can do is select one of both adapters. That is good because I want the USB wifi and not the laptop adapter. If I type the new network name in the field "network name" a NEW network is created that shows up in '/etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/'

So that doesn't help. However I noticed that it was possible to use: "connect to a hidden wifi network". The created network is in the list and is selectable. Starting the wifi gives the error: "Failed to activate the connection"."AP mode is not supported by this device"

Any help would be appreciated. I want to stick to the basic functionality of Ubuntu as much as possible. I do not want to install ap-hotspot. Yes, it might be working but is not maintained any longer.

Answer 1

1) Install iw

sudo apt-get install iw

type the following command:

iw list

the output is something like

Supported interface modes:
     * IBSS
     * managed
     * AP
     * AP/VLAN
     * monitor
     * mesh point

If you can't see AP , you need to setting up your Wifi Adapter to support master mode

visit https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/MasterMode to get more informations how to setting up wifi adapter to support master mode

2) Using create_ap

  git clone https://github.com/oblique/create_ap
  cd create_ap
 make install

Examples

No passphrase (open network):

  create_ap wlan0 eth0 MyAccessPoint

WPA + WPA2 passphrase:

  create_ap wlan0 eth0 MyAccessPoint MyPassPhrase

AP without Internet sharing:

  create_ap -n wlan0 MyAccessPoint MyPassPhrase

Bridged Internet sharing:

    create_ap -m bridge wlan0 eth0 MyAccessPoint MyPassPhrase

Bridged Internet sharing (pre-configured bridge interface):

    create_ap -m bridge wlan0 br0 MyAccessPoint MyPassPhrase

Internet sharing from the same WiFi interface:

   create_ap wlan0 wlan0 MyAccessPoint MyPassPhrase

Choose a different WiFi adapter driver

   create_ap --driver rtl871xdrv wlan0 eth0 MyAccessPoint MyPassPhrase

replace rtl871xdrv with your adapter

No passphrase (open network) using pipe:

    echo -e "MyAccessPoint" | create_ap wlan0 eth0

WPA + WPA2 passphrase using pipe:

    echo -e "MyAccessPoint\nMyPassPhrase" | create_ap wlan0 eth0

Enable IEEE 802.11n

    create_ap --ieee80211n --ht_capab '[HT40+]' wlan0 eth0 MyAccessPoint MyPassPhrase

Source https://github.com/oblique/create_ap