How to create an Access Point from the current WiFi connection?

Question

On Ubuntu 14.04, can an adapter have both a hotspot and be connected to a WiFi network at the same time?

If so, how do I share the Internet of the currently connected network over a hotspot in Linux?

If not, why?

Solution 1

can an adapter have both a hotspot and be connected to a WiFi network at the same time?

Yes , it's possible to create a hotspot wifi from the same wifi connection

How do I share the Internet of the currently connected network over a hotspot in Linux?

You should use create_ap

Install the dependencies :

sudo apt-get install dnsmasq haveged hostapd build-essential

To install create_ap run:

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

enable/start the service:

service create_ap start

To check the status run:

service create_ap status

Using the systemd features (it is not available on Ubuntu 14.04):

sudo systemctl start create_ap.service
sudo systemctl enable create_ap.service

Create the AP

To create your access point run:

sudo create_ap wlan0 wlan0 MyAccessPoint MyPassPhrase

Update for Ubuntu 14.04:

the hostapd version in Ubuntu 14.04 is buggy and doesn't work properly. To get AP-Hotspot to work with hostapd in Ubuntu 14.04, you need to downgrade hostapd and use apt to hold the package so it's not upgraded.

Remove the current version of hostapd:

sudo apt-get remove hostapd

64bit

cd /tmp
wget http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/w/wpa/hostapd_1.0-3ubuntu2.1_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i hostapd*.deb
sudo apt-mark hold hostapd

32bit

cd /tmp
wget http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/w/wpa/hostapd_1.0-3ubuntu2.1_i386.deb
sudo dpkg -i hostapd*.deb
sudo apt-mark hold hostapd

Solution 2

See this question.

Basically, find your wifi interface, then sudo iw dev wlp8s0 interface add wlp8s1 type station to create the new interface.

You can use this method to create a virtual interface, use one interface to connect to a network and use another one to create an ad-hoc network for hotspot. This should be pretty straight-forward (googling, of course), since NetworkManager has (a nice) UI. For example, this should do it.

Comments

[Raghav]

Thanks a lot, But there's one small problem though. I am using Ubuntu 14.04 and it seems like systemctl cannot be used. Is there any other known alternative to this command?

[Raghav]

It also disconnects itself from initially connected network. So effectively only the hotspot is created, without any internet sharing. Here's the output from my terminal : pastebin.com/rEBgLBtc

[Raghav]

I might as well resort to Windows for this!

[GAD3R]

@Raghav It work very well for you , just keep the running terminal openned.

[RoCk RoCk]

What do you mean by that?

[Raghav]

Yes, the hotspot gets created, but my computer which is connected to Wi-Fi disconnects itself from the AP (WiFi-Router). Only after that, the hotspot turns on. Thus there is no internet connection on my computer's hotspot which I created from this script. youtube.com/watch?v=KnBNTE40VJg

[GAD3R]

@Raghav I edit my answer , check the current version of hostapd with hostapd -v then downgrade it

[Raghav]

Wine is an emulator for running .exe files. Doing that everytime I wanna create a hotspot is a pain in the ass. What I asked in my question was, was there a way to create a hotspot using Linux itself. Anyway, thank you for your response. :)

[RoCk RoCk]

Oopps, I didn't noticed. But did you try this one? Did it work?

[RoCk RoCk]

Is this applicable to Ubuntu 16.04 ?

[GAD3R]

@RoCk it work without downgrading hostapd

[Nikos Alexandris]

For me this worked also for a 'wwan0' interface connected to the internet.