Using my Raspberry Pi as an acess point?

[MannDude]

I've got several net-connected devices in my house, all but one running Linux and lately I've been thinking I should do something with my Raspberry Pi that is sitting idle on a shelf right now. Was wondering if anyone here was using theres as a local internet connected access point? (Apologies if my terminology is all wrong). Ideally I'd like to use my Raspberry Pi to host some commonly used files that would otherwise be requested from the web every-time they're needed, I'd like to have one set list of DNS servers to use instead of adjusting the configuration individually for each machine, etc.

Is this doable with my Raspberry Pi?

Things I have laying around:

• Wireless Router
• Switch
• Too many ethernet cables
• A Raspberry Pi

This is more for a random learning project than anything. I could tunnel my traffic to the Pi if I want, or could connect direct to the net via WiFi if I didn't want to use that connection.

 

[Echelon]

Are you looking towards the route of using it as a passthru for your traffic, or to act as a DHCP server + web server? Either way, should be able to accomplish this with Raspbian with little issue.

 

[drmike]

Well you want to use your Pi to dole out or centralize stuff like DNS.  That was the only clear service thus far.

You can do that by putting the Pi and your other computers on the same subnet and attach them to the same switch.

On the Pi, install dnsmasq.   Once you have that up and going I can instruct further.  But basically, the Pi becomes your DNS servers across your network.  It in turn speaks to remove DNS servers.   

But that's where the fun begins, not ends.  Additionally, you can  use DNSMASQ for IP blocking and DNS filtering, caching and a bunch of other functionality.

I use this to clean up advertising, spam-like networks and a host of other malicious stuff.  

You mention WIFI, there are plenty of folks using their Pi for Wifi.   I haven't had luck procuring wifi USB devices that play nice with the Pi.  Lots of the cheapo devices "recommended" for Pi are shipping these days with chipsets that aren't Debian supported without tons of hackery - which I am not inclined to mess with very long.  Then again looking for real wifi with external antennas, not these tiny wifi stumps that likely are hellacious on power and range.

 

[scv]

For the sake of hackery, nothing wrong with setting up your Pi as an AP. But if you really want to get good performance just buy a real AP. The Pi can't supply enough current for many USB wireless adapters and the few that do work aren't going to give you very good signal range. (Disclaimer: my roommate uses an RPi for our AP at home and it fucking sucks, so I'm a bit prejudiced).

 

[drmike]

No doubt, powered hub seems to be how one does most stuff with RPI.

There are a few tutorials out there for using the Pi as an access point.  They don't do much for me since satisfied with my current wifi gear.  So the Pi gets stuck back behind there for various services.

Setting up a Raspberry Pi as a WiFi access point

http://learn.adafruit.com/setting-up-a-raspberry-pi-as-a-wifi-access-point/overview

 

[ndelaespada]

You won't get that much performance using it as an AP unless you have no more than 3 AP clients and don't do much streaming..

I have a pi that takes rsnapshots of my servers and dumps them on a NAS, that same pi is a dns server, hosts many .sh scripts of my own, but runs out of a usb stick, which is a bit faster than the sd and it's overclocked to 1ghz.

I have another pi in my car plugged into my 8" screen running raspbmc with a 1tb 2.5 drive, very useful when traveling with the kids.