WiFi Configuration

Illustration for WiFi Configuration documentation

Summary

This guide explains how to configure WiFi on the Banana Pro using its onboard AP6210 wireless module (Broadcom BCM43362, 802.11 b/g/n). If you have a Banana Pi, note that it does not include onboard WiFi — you will need a compatible USB WiFi dongle instead (see Add WiFi Driver).

Who This Is For

Banana Pro owners who want to connect their board to a wireless network for headless operation, IoT projects, or general internet access.

What You Will Do

  • Verify that the WiFi hardware is detected.
  • Configure WPA2 credentials.
  • Connect to your wireless network.
  • Set up auto-connect on boot.

Step-by-Step Procedure

Step 1 — Verify WiFi Hardware

After booting, confirm the wireless module is loaded:

lsmod | grep bcmdhd

You should see bcmdhd in the output. Also check that a wireless interface exists:

iwconfig

Look for wlan0 (or similar). If no wireless interface appears, the kernel module may not be loaded — run sudo modprobe bcmdhd and try again.

Step 2 — Scan for Networks

sudo iwlist wlan0 scan | grep ESSID

This lists the SSIDs of nearby access points. Confirm your network name appears in the output.

Step 3 — Generate WPA Configuration

Create an encrypted passphrase entry for your network:

wpa_passphrase "YourNetworkName" "YourPassword" | sudo tee /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

This writes a configuration block with your SSID and a hashed PSK. You can remove the plain-text comment line from the file for added security.

Step 4 — Connect Using wpa_supplicant

sudo wpa_supplicant -B -i wlan0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
sudo dhclient wlan0

The -B flag runs wpa_supplicant in the background. dhclient obtains an IP address via DHCP.

Step 5 — Alternative: Use NetworkManager

If your distribution includes NetworkManager, connecting is simpler:

nmcli device wifi connect "YourNetworkName" password "YourPassword"

NetworkManager will save the connection profile and automatically reconnect on future boots.

Step 6 — Auto-Connect on Boot

For distributions without NetworkManager, add the following to /etc/network/interfaces:

auto wlan0
iface wlan0 inet dhcp
    wpa-conf /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

This ensures the WiFi interface is brought up automatically during the boot process.

Verification

Confirm the connection is active:

iwconfig wlan0
ip a show wlan0
ping -c 4 8.8.8.8

iwconfig should show your SSID and signal quality. ip a should display an assigned IP address. The ping should succeed with no packet loss.

Troubleshooting

  • Module not loaded (bcmdhd missing): Ensure your kernel includes the AP6210 driver. Some community images omit it — try an official LeMaker image or compile the module manually.
  • Authentication failure: Double-check your SSID and password. Ensure your router uses WPA2-PSK (AES) rather than WPA/TKIP only.
  • Weak signal or frequent disconnects: Move the board closer to the router. The onboard antenna has limited range. Consider an external antenna modification if your use case requires greater distance.
  • No IP address obtained: Verify your DHCP server is running on the router. Try sudo dhclient -v wlan0 for verbose output.
  • wlan0 disappears after reboot: Add bcmdhd to /etc/modules to ensure the driver loads automatically at boot.

Related Pages

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