Table of Contents
Wireless functionality is available for selected wireless cards. The 1.2.x version of m0n0wall allows some 802.11b wireless adapters/chipsets (most notably Lucent Hermes and Intersil Prism II/2.5 to join a wireless network with WEP encryption. The upcoming 1.3.x version which is based on FreeBSD 6, supports (almost) all Atheros-based 802.11a/b/g cards as well (and some Ralink cards too) and offers more capabilities. Version 1.3.x allows the use of enhanced encryption, using the m0n0wall as an access point, and the capability to use a Radius server for authentication.
Version 1.3.x m0n0wall is still in beta testing and features can change before it is released as a stable version.
Some of the m0n0wall wireless features include:
support for wi and ath wireless cards
support for 802.11b/g/a
channel selection from 1 to 14
support for hostap, BSS ad IBSS modes
enable/ disable wireless interface
SSID (hiding SSID in the upcoming 1.3 m0n0wall)
64bit or 128bit WEP encryption for ASCII or hexadecimal digits
Bridging with another Ethernet interface if using hostap mode
WPA and WPA2 encryption using PSK and Enterprise mode (in hostap mode of the upcoming 1.3 m0n0wall)
AES/CCMP and TKIP ciphers (in the upcoming 1.3 m0n0wall)
WPA Radius server parameters (in the upcoming 1.3 m0n0wall)
A Wireless Distribution System (WDS) is currently not supported in either 1.2.x or 1.3.x.
The default m0n0wall configuration includes a LAN and WAN interface. If you have an installed wireless card you will have to add the interface manually. Below are the steps needed to install this interface using the web interface of your m0n0wall device.
log into the web interface of your m0n0wall device
click the + symbol at the bottom right of the Interface Assignment table
click on the drop down list and select a wireless interface (if no wireless cards are shown then either your wireless card is not correctly installed or it is not compatible with m0n0wall.
click the save button (your new wireless interface will appear under the Interfaces menu item of the web interface)
reboot your m0n0wall firewall for the changes to take effect
click the new wireless interface (probably named OPT1) and make your desired wireless configuration.