How To Set Up an Access Point with Netplan on Ubuntu Server 18.04

In this article, we will be discussing how to set up an access point with Netplan on Ubuntu Server 18.04. This setup can be beneficial for creating a wireless network or extending your existing network.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure that you have:

• A system running Ubuntu Server 18.04
• A user account with sudo privileges
• A wireless network interface

Step 1: Install Necessary Packages

The first step is to install the necessary packages. We will need the hostapd package, which allows the use of a network interface as an access point.

Open your terminal and enter the following commands:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install hostapd

The sudo apt-get update command updates your package lists, while sudo apt-get install hostapd installs the hostapd package.

Step 2: Unmask and Enable hostapd

Next, we need to unmask and enable the hostapd service. This is done with the following commands:

sudo systemctl unmask hostapd
sudo systemctl enable hostapd

The unmask command removes any masks that prevent the service from starting. The enable command sets the service to start on boot.

Step 3: Create the hostapd Configuration File

Now, we need to create a configuration file for hostapd. This file will contain the settings for our access point.

Use the following command to create and open the file:

sudo nano /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf

In this file, paste the following configuration:

interface=wlan0
driver=nl80211
hw_mode=g
channel=1
ieee80211d=1
country_code=DE
ieee80211n=1
wmm_enabled=1
ssid=yourSSID
macaddr_acl=0
auth_algs=1
ignore_broadcast_ssid=0
wpa=2
wpa_passphrase=yourpassphrase
wpa_key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
rsn_pairwise=CCMP

Here is a brief explanation of some of the parameters:

• interface: This specifies the wireless interface to be used. In our case, it is wlan0.
• driver: This is the driver to be used. nl80211 is generally the standard for most modern wireless devices.
• ssid: This is the name of your wireless network.
• wpa_passphrase: This is the password for your wireless network.

Remember to replace yourSSID and yourpassphrase with your desired network name and password, respectively.

Step 4: Edit the hostapd Configuration File

Next, we need to tell hostapd where to find the configuration file we just created. To do this, open the /etc/default/hostapd file:

sudo nano /etc/default/hostapd

In this file, find the #DAEMON_CONF="" line and replace it with DAEMON_CONF="/etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf".

Step 5: Configure the Network with Netplan

Now, we need to configure the network using Netplan. Open the Netplan configuration file with the following command:

sudo nano /etc/netplan/01-netcfg.yaml

In this file, paste the following configuration:

network:
 version: 2
 renderer: networkd
 ethernets:
 eth0:
 dhcp4: no
 wlan0:
 dhcp4: no
 bridges:
 br0:
 interfaces:
 - eth0
 - wlan0
 addresses:
 - 192.168.1.xxx/24
 gateway4: 192.168.1.x
 nameservers:
 addresses: [1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1]

This configuration sets up a bridge (br0) that includes both the eth0 and wlan0 interfaces. Replace 192.168.1.xxx with your desired IP address, and 192.168.1.x with your gateway address.

Step 6: Apply the New Netplan Configuration

Finally, we need to apply the new Netplan configuration. This is done with the following commands:

sudo netplan generate
sudo netplan apply

The generate command checks the configuration for errors, while the apply command applies the new configuration.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully set up an access point with Netplan on Ubuntu Server 18.04. Now, you can connect to your new wireless network with the SSID and password you set earlier. If you have any questions or run into any issues, feel free to ask for help in the comment section below.