68
votes
Accepted
Does Wi-Fi traffic from one client to another travel via the access point?
Yes, the communication is traveling through the access point. In this case the AP is functioning exactly like a switch does in a wired network.
It is possible to have two devices communicate directly,...
- 1,471
37
votes
Does Wi-Fi traffic from one client to another travel via the access point?
Obviously the Access Point (AP) must be in range of both (assuming no fancy mesh modes, etc.) for the network to be deemed available, but does the data actually travel through it?
Yes, data actually ...
- 1,300
16
votes
Accepted
Does a Wi-Fi repeater handle any networking on behalf of the router?
Does a wifi repeater have the ability to sniff the network data that
it is boosting or is it nothing more than a signal booster?
Well, all of the traffic is passing through it, so the answer is: ...
- 110k
15
votes
Accepted
Two-way high power outdoor Wi-Fi
In short, no they don't unless the AP has a directional, high gain antenna, but it's not going to have that because you want to cover a wide area.
If possible, go for multiple APs. It's always ...
- 110k
9
votes
Accepted
Can't connect ssh via wireless interface but t works using eth0
I had the same debug3: set_sock_tos: set socket 3 IP_TOS 0x10 trace that you mention and turns out that, for my specific case, I solved it with this answer, which was related to how my router managed ...
- 237
7
votes
Accepted
What is the unit of Signal as output in "nmcli dev wifi"
SIGNAL value is a percentage.
Maximum signal value is 100. You can test this by getting closer to the router.
If you want the output in dBm, use iwlist.
In this case, "-25" is better that "-50".
- 3,201
6
votes
How do captive portal network connections work?
There is a great description of this at https://www.arubanetworks.com/vrd/GuestAccessAppNote/wwhelp/wwhimpl/js/html/wwhelp.htm.
Here's part of it:
Captive Portal Authentication Process
...
- 165
6
votes
How do captive portal network connections work?
First for achieving the redirection, you need an inline authenticator (access controller).
In context of your topic, you will need a Wireless lan controller if you opt for central management of AP. ...
- 623
6
votes
Slow ping responses on LAN, but only in one direction
It looks like machine X might have 802.11 power saving enabled, so it enters lower power mode between pings and has to wake up each time you ping it. When going in the other direction, your laptop ...
- 211
6
votes
Dangers of using computers as wireless access points?
No. No. No.
To list just a few things (of the dozens) that are horrible about this proposal:
Traffic behind each workstation would be NATted, making auditing impossible. Also, likely breaking ...
- 110k
6
votes
Accepted
Setting up an Access Point, Raspberry Pi, and Laptop to serve a website in a classroom. "The internet in a suitcase"
That all sounds like a perfectly sensible solution to your problem, and you've more or less answered your own questions correctly already.
Specifically:
I am not sure how the Raspberry Pi knows that ...
- 2,697
5
votes
Can two users on an 802.11n network with WPA/WPA2 intercept each other's traffic?
Sadly, the answers to this question are out of date and therefore incorrect.
Even user 'ctuffli' claims that the short answer is 'no' while providing a possible way afterwards. It is indeed possible ...
- 159
5
votes
How do I capture all packets on local wifi network using Wireshark settings -
Ok. After your comments and update, I will try to answer, even though I'm still not sure I'm getting the question right.
I guess you have 2 WiFi devices, lets call "host" the legitimate network ...
- 1,943
5
votes
Accepted
How to determine whether an internet connection is wired or wireless?
Do not use MAC address for security or authentication purposes. Those addresses can be trivially changed.
Instead, implement a (or use your existing) network access control solution. These use some ...
- 34.2k
5
votes
WiFi 6 2x2 vs WiFi 5 4x4
Mimo Wifi speed is a factor of the single-channel speed ("1x1" aka SISO) multiplied by the antenna mimo configuration shared by the transmitter and receiver. Wifi generations tends to ...
- 360
4
votes
Does Wi-Fi traffic from one client to another travel via the access point?
The standard configuration for Wi-Fi (with Access Points) is to operate as a repeater. The AP will pick up the data it receives and retransmit. This configuration is the standard for centralized radio ...
- 2,206
4
votes
Need help choosing a router and/or wireless AP for a 15-40 person office?
The smart solution would be to engage a local company with specific expertise in this area. The last thing you probably want is to spend time and money on a solution that doesn't work. There's no ...
- 111k
4
votes
Why is ping time much higher using wifi than Ethernet connection?
If you drive straight to work and back it'll take one amount of time, if you go via Starbucks and McD's on the way there and back it'll take longer right?
A wifi connection does extra things that a ...
- 102k
3
votes
Windows 10 clients can't connect to HostAPD
Try to set
wpa=2
this configuration worked for me
interface=wlan0
ssid=$SSID
hw_mode=g
wpa=2
ieee8021x=0
eap_server=0
ignore_broadcast_ssid=0
wpa_passphrase=$PASSWORD
wpa_key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
...
3
votes
keep ssh connection alive and persistant while switching network interface connections
You can bond the Ethernat and Wifi connections.
This is how I do it on RHEL:
# Run as sudo:
$ sudo -i
$ modprobe bonding
# To enable after reboot, add " bonding " to:
$ vi /etc/modules-...
- 317
3
votes
WiFi dropping connection - several AP in the area - how do you link to one AP and lock onto it
Many wifi cards have a WIFI roaming aggressiveness setting in the adapter settings:
But chances are you are having a problem with the wifi controller and band steering where the AP will slowly ...
- 1,180
3
votes
Accepted
Distinguishing Mobile and Non-mobile Devices on Wi-Fi
Whatever wifi system the restaurant uses probably has some sort of device identification capabilities built in to it. The MDM system I use at my day job does. It uses a combination of characteristics ...
- 23.2k
3
votes
Captive portal with video login in wi-fi network
Yes it can be achieved.
Redirect all the user traffic to 3rd party captive portal (can be an open sourced like free radius or similar) and over that portal, you can write whatever logic you want.
...
- 638
3
votes
Is there any open source solution for controlling multiple Access Points from a central server?
http://openwisp.org/
What is OpenWISP?
OpenWISP is a software platform designed to ease and automate the management of networks, with a special focus on wireless networks, mainly used in public wifi,...
- 91
3
votes
Accepted
Modem for optimal Wi-Fi router placement
You're fighting physics here, and you're not going to win. Various regulatory bodies limit the Tx power of wifi gear, so there's not a whole lot of room for improvement there. Remember that RF power ...
- 110k
3
votes
MacOS clients sporadically disconnect from WPA Enterprise wireless network
This is a well known bug in a mac, but they fixed that a few months ago. If you have the latest update check the router instead or buy a cheap router. Select extender mode when setting it up, then ...
- 31
3
votes
Accepted
Customize Windows8 dot1x / PEAP WiFi username per SSID
Try this:
Open the Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center
Select your network ID, click on Wireless Properties > Security tab.
Ensure that WPA2 Enterprise is selected as the security type.
Under "...
- 685
3
votes
Accepted
Trusted SSL in internal network without internet access
You have two options:
roll your own CA
get a domain and get certificates (i.e. from letsencrypt) for subdomains, which have A on the internet pointing to an online server and A records pointing to ...
- 1,743
3
votes
Does a Wi-Fi repeater handle any networking on behalf of the router?
Yes the Wifi repeater can see all your traffic. If you are not using WPA encryption so can everyone else in range of the wifi signal.
No it can not see your banking details, because your browser(...
- 858
3
votes
Accepted
Multiple VLAN's - Multiple SSID or Single SSID and Multiple VLAN's (radius)
Ideally you want only one SSID for each 802.11 security method you wish to employ (802.1X, PSK, and/or Open). To accommodate multiple VLANs, you would typically return a VLAN assignment from a RADIUS ...
- 1,257
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible