Install Wifi Hotspot on Raspberry Pi Ubuntu Mate 16.04. Turn your Raspberry Pi as a portable wifi hotspot. The internet connection is coming from Ethernet port or cable and share the connection to a wifi hotspot.
This tutorial starts from a freshly installed Ubuntu Mate operating system.
If you are using Raspberry PI OS Desktop or Lite, please check our 2021 latest tutorial:
How to setup wireless access point
Let’s begin
Turn on your Raspberry Pi, login and update it:
sudo apt-get updateSetting a static IP:
type:
ifconfigCheck the interface name of the ethernet and wifi. Usually its:
eth0 = ethernet wired connection
wlan0 = is the wifi interface name
Now, lets set IP address for these two interfaces:
sudo nano /etc/network/interfacesPaste your desired IP. Below is my connection settings:
auto eth0
iface eth0 inet static
address 192.168.5.200
netmask 255.255.255.0
gateway 192.168.5.1
dns-nameservers 192.168.5.1
allow-hotplug wlan0
iface wlan0 inet static
address 192.168.10.1
netmask 255.255.255.0
broadcast 192.168.10.255
network 192.168.10.0To apply these changes, we need to write a script:
sudo nano dn.shAnd paste this code:
#!/bin/bash
systemctl stop NetworkManager.service
echo "Network Manager stopped"
systemctl disable NetworkManager.service
echo "Network Manager disabled"
echo "Rebooting...."
rebootWhat these codes do are stopping the network manager, disabling it and finally reboot the system. This is necessary so we will not get disconnected once the service stop.
Now let’s run the script:
sudo sh dn.shAfter reboot, delete the script.
sudo rm dn.shInstalling Hostapd
sudo apt-get install hostapdStop the service and configure it:
sudo service hostapd stopsudo nano /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf
Paste the code below:
interface=wlan0
ssid=YOUR_WIFI_NAME
wpa_passphrase=WIFI_PASSWORD
hw_mode=g
ieee80211n=1
channel=6
wmm_enabled=1
ignore_broadcast_ssid=0
auth_algs=1
wpa=2
wpa_key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
rsn_pairwise=CCMPChange the ssid and wpa_passphrase according to your preference. Save and exit
Now type:
sudo nano /etc/default/hostapdUncommend DAEMON_CONF=”” and add value: /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf
You should see this
DAEMON_CONF="/etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf"Start the hostapd service and check the wifi if you can see the SSID we created
sudo service hostapd startInstall DHCP server
sudo apt-get install isc-dhcp-serverStop the service and keep the original copy of the configuration file of DHCP server
sudo service isc-dhcp-server stop
sudo mv /etc/dhcp/dhcpd.conf /etc/dhcp/dhcpd.bakLet’s create a new configuration:
sudo nano /etc/dhcp/dhcpd.confPaste this the below codes. This is my network details, please change this to fit in your network:
default-lease-time 600;
max-lease-time 7200;
option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;
option broadcast-address 192.168.10.255;
option routers 192.168.10.1;
option domain-name-servers 192.168.10.1,8.8.8.8;
option domain-name "diyhobi.com";
subnet 192.168.10.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
range 192.168.10.100 192.168.10.150;
}Apply this changes to our Wifi interface named wlan0
sudo nano /etc/default/isc-dhcp-serverBelow, add the wifi interface wlan0
INTERFACES="wlan0"Start now the DHCP service.
sudo service isc-dhcp-server startActivating the IPv4 forwaring
sudo nano /etc/sysctl.confUn-comment this line by removing #
net.ipv4.ip_forward=1Save it:
sudo sh -c "echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward"Changing the Firewall
sudo iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -o eth0 -j MASQUERADE
sudo iptables -A FORWARD -i eth0 -o wlan0 -m state --state RELATED,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A FORWARD -i wlan0 -o eth0 -j ACCEPTSee the changes
sudo iptables -L -n -vSave the rules
sudo sh -c "iptables-save > /etc/iptables.ipv4.nat"Lets make this rules loaded automatically every time the system reboot
sudo nano /etc/rc.localPaste this code before “exit 0”
iptables-restore < /etc/iptables.ipv4.natPlease connect a device to the hotspot and browsing the internet.
You have successfully installed a hotspot in your Raspberry Pi
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