WiFi

Overview

WiFi connectivity is available on LeMaker boards either through an onboard wireless module or via external USB WiFi adapters. The Banana Pro features integrated WiFi and Bluetooth through the Ampak AP6210 module, which supports IEEE 802.11 b/g/n on the 2.4 GHz band. Other boards in the LeMaker family, such as the original Banana Pi, require a USB WiFi adapter for wireless networking. This guide covers configuration for both onboard and USB WiFi on all LeMaker boards.

Onboard WiFi (Banana Pro)

The Banana Pro's AP6210 module is based on the Broadcom BCM43362 WiFi chipset and BCM20710 Bluetooth chipset. The kernel driver bcmdhd is included in most LeMaker Linux images. Verify the module is loaded with lsmod | grep bcmdhd. The wireless interface should appear as wlan0 when you run ip link show. If the interface is not visible, load the driver manually with modprobe bcmdhd and check dmesg for any firmware loading errors. The firmware files must be present in /lib/firmware/ap6210/ for the module to initialise correctly.

USB WiFi Adapters

For boards without onboard WiFi, USB adapters provide wireless connectivity. The most reliable chipsets for LeMaker boards are the Realtek RTL8188CUS and RTL8188EUS, which are widely supported in the mainline Linux kernel. The Atheros AR9271 chipset is another excellent choice with open-source driver support through the ath9k_htc module. Avoid adapters based on newer chipsets that may require out-of-tree drivers or proprietary firmware not available for ARM platforms. Plug the adapter into a USB 2.0 port and verify detection with lsusb and dmesg.

Configuration with wpa_supplicant

The most common method for configuring WiFi on LeMaker boards is through wpa_supplicant. Create or edit the configuration file at /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf with the following structure: set ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev and update_config=1, then add a network block with your SSID and PSK using wpa_passphrase "YourNetwork" "YourPassword" >> /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf. Start the connection with wpa_supplicant -B -i wlan0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf followed by dhclient wlan0 to obtain an IP address.

Configuration with NetworkManager

If your distribution includes NetworkManager, you can use the nmcli command-line tool for easier WiFi management. Scan for available networks with nmcli device wifi list. Connect to a network with nmcli device wifi connect "YourNetwork" password "YourPassword". NetworkManager stores connection profiles and automatically reconnects on boot. View saved connections with nmcli connection show and manage them through the nmtui text-based interface for a more user-friendly experience.

Auto-Connect on Boot

To ensure WiFi connects automatically at boot, configure the wireless interface in /etc/network/interfaces by adding an entry for wlan0 with auto wlan0 and iface wlan0 inet dhcp along with the wpa-conf directive pointing to your wpa_supplicant.conf file. Alternatively, if using NetworkManager, the connection profile is automatically set to auto-connect by default. Verify auto-connection works by rebooting the board and checking ip addr show wlan0 after the system has fully started.

Access Point Mode

LeMaker boards can operate as WiFi access points using hostapd. Install it with sudo apt-get install hostapd dnsmasq. Configure /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf with your desired SSID, channel, and WPA2 passphrase. Set up dnsmasq to provide DHCP on the wireless interface. Enable IP forwarding and configure iptables for NAT if you want clients to access the internet through the board's Ethernet connection. This setup is useful for creating a portable router or a captive portal.

Troubleshooting

If the WiFi module is not detected, verify that the kernel driver is loaded with lsmod and check dmesg for error messages. Common issues include missing firmware files, insufficient USB power for external adapters, and driver version incompatibilities. Authentication failures typically indicate an incorrect password or mismatched security settings. For weak signal or limited range, ensure the onboard antenna is not obstructed and try changing the WiFi channel on your router to reduce interference. Use iwconfig wlan0 to check signal strength and link quality.

Related Pages

For board-specific WiFi configuration, see the Banana Pro WiFi configuration guide. For adding third-party WiFi drivers, refer to the Banana Pro WiFi driver guide. General board information is available at LeMaker Banana Pro.

Author: LeMaker Documentation Team
Last updated: 2026-02-10