AlpineLinux with wlan settings

wlan.md

AlpineLinux with wlan settings.

Install necessary drivers and software

First make sure your wireless drivers are loaded properly.
Install wpa_supplicant & dhcpcd.

apk add wpa_supplicant dhcpcd

Configuration

Use the interface to scan for wireless access points. Make sure the ESSID you want to connect to appears here.

iwlist wlan0 scanning | grep ESSID

Create a wpa_supplicant configuration stanza for the wireless access point.

wpa_passphrase 'YourRouterESSID' 'YourRouterPassword' > /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

Start wpa_supplicant in the foreground to make sure the connection succeeds.

wpa_supplicant -i wlan0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

If all is well, run it as a daemon in the background by setting the -B option.

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

Automatic Configuration on System Boot

Add a stanza for the desired interface (e.g. wlan0) to /etc/network/interfaces:

# /etc/network/interfaces

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

Add configure /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

# /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

country=JP
ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev

Make sure /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf is the correct configuration for the wireless access point you want to connect to.
Bring the interface down.

ifconfig wlan0 down

Manually start wpa_supplicant.

/etc/init.d/wpa_supplicant start

If all is well (confirm with the sanity checks in Manual Configuration), configure wpa_supplicant to start automatically on boot.

rc-update add wpa_supplicant boot

Note: If this errors with ioctl 0x8914 failed: No error information, that's busybox ip's way of saying your wireless radio is rfkill'd. See here for information on how to unblock your wireless radio; the base installation should have busybox rfkill available.

the first step needs to be

apk add wpa_supplicant dhcpcd wireless-tools