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Turn Any Linux Machine into a WiFi Hotspot with lnxrouter

· 3 min read
BankaiTech
BankaiTech
Homelab Enthusiast & Self-Hosting Advocate

Need a quick WiFi hotspot? Want to share your wired connection wirelessly? lnxrouter turns any Linux machine with a WiFi adapter into a full-featured router. Here's how.

What is lnxrouter?​

lnxrouter is a single script that creates a NATed WiFi hotspot on Linux. It handles:

  • AP creation - Uses hostapd
  • DHCP server - dnsmasq for IP assignment
  • NAT routing - iptables rules
  • DNS - Local DNS server
  • Bandwidth limiting - Optional QoS

All in one command!

Installation​

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/garywill/linux-router.git
cd linux-router

# Or direct download
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/garywill/linux-router/master/lnxrouter
chmod +x lnxrouter

Basic Usage​

Create a hotspot sharing your internet:

# Basic hotspot
sudo ./lnxrouter -i wlan0 --ap MyHotspot --password mysecretpass

# Share ethernet connection
sudo ./lnxrouter -i wlan0 -o eth0 --ap HomeShare --password strongpassword

Options:

  • -i - WiFi interface to use as AP
  • -o - Interface with internet (optional, auto-detected)
  • --ap - SSID name
  • --password - WPA2 password

Finding Your WiFi Adapter​

# List wireless interfaces
iwconfig

# More detailed info
iw dev

# Check adapter capabilities
iw list | grep -A 10 "Supported interface modes"

Look for "AP" in supported modes - not all adapters support AP mode!

Advanced Configuration​

Change WiFi Channel and Band​

# Use channel 6 (2.4GHz)
sudo ./lnxrouter -i wlan0 --ap MyHotspot --password pass123 -c 6

# Use 5GHz (channel 36)
sudo ./lnxrouter -i wlan0 --ap MyHotspot --password pass123 -c 36

Custom DHCP Range​

sudo ./lnxrouter -i wlan0 --ap MyHotspot --password pass123 \
  --dhcp-dns 1.1.1.1 \
  --dhcp-range 192.168.12.10,192.168.12.100

Run as Background Service​

# Create systemd service
cat << EOF | sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/lnxrouter.service
[Unit]
Description=Linux Router Hotspot
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
ExecStart=/path/to/lnxrouter -i wlan0 --ap MyHotspot --password pass123
ExecStop=/bin/kill -s QUIT \$MAINPID
Restart=always

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
EOF

# Enable and start
sudo systemctl enable lnxrouter
sudo systemctl start lnxrouter

Troubleshooting​

"rf-kill" Error​

Your WiFi might be software blocked:

# Check rfkill status
rfkill list

# Unblock WiFi
sudo rfkill unblock wifi

Interface Busy​

NetworkManager might be controlling the interface:

# Stop NetworkManager's control
sudo nmcli device set wlan0 managed no

# Or add to NetworkManager conf
cat << EOF | sudo tee /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/unmanaged.conf
[keyfile]
unmanaged-devices=interface-name:wlan0
EOF
sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

Driver Issues​

Some USB adapters need specific drivers:

# Realtek adapters
sudo apt install realtek-rtl88xxau-dkms

# Update kernel modules
sudo modprobe 88XXau

Use Cases​

1. Travel Router​

Bring a Raspberry Pi, connect to hotel ethernet, share via WiFi.

2. Captive Portal Bypass​

Connect to captive portal once, share to all devices.

3. Network Testing​

Create isolated networks for testing.

4. IoT Network​

Dedicated network for smart devices.

5. Guest Network​

Isolated WiFi for visitors.

Security Considerations​

  • Always use WPA2 - Never create open networks
  • Strong passwords - 12+ characters
  • Isolate networks - Don't bridge to sensitive LANs
  • Monitor connections - Check connected clients
# View connected clients
arp -a

# Or with detailed info
iw dev wlan0 station dump

Alternatives​

If lnxrouter doesn't work for your use case:

  • hostapd - Manual AP configuration
  • create_ap - Similar tool, different approach
  • RaspAP - Web interface for Raspberry Pi

Learn More​

Using Linux as a router? Share your setup on Discord!