I have been playing dietpi for almost two months. It’s really the most wonderful firmware for Raspi.
But, there is an uncomfortable thing disturbed me very much. Once I configured the dietpi.txt for initialize, it was hard to connect to another wifi without SSID & password.
I wonder if we can add a new function to the dietpi, witch we could call dietpi-wifi.
Once a dietpi started, and there is no network connected, it would set up a Hotspot. An other computer can connect dietpi by the Hotspot, then configure SSID & PASSWORD for the right WIFI.
I drawn a diagram for the process. It may be usefull.
The issue with such a feature would be that a novice would likely require a DHCP server to provide any client device with an IP. Without it, a default IP and a requirement for the user to configure their device with a compatible IP would put it beyond many novices.
And then there is the requirement for hostap to be installed and configured.
In the end, how would it be different to the wifi hotspot software using dietpi-software? Would you require a scheduled task to have the Pi detect a returning wireless network?
How many people using this feature would be unable to simply connect via a LAN cable and rely on the auto-ip (169.254.x.x)?
As I know, people seldom use Lan cable.
This function is not for novice, it is right for one who have no idea what a dietpi is.
One who is familier with dietpi could configure a dietpi, and then give the pi to a layman for use.
The layman just needs to know how to simply connect the dietpi to the WIFI, then he could use it.
User need not care about IP. Once a computer or a cellphone connect to the Hotspot set up by dietpi, any time it run a browser, it will open the specific webpage which would let you input the SSID and PASSWORD. Then, user can use a dietpi without know how does it works.
Even we don’t configure WIFI by webpage, we can set the IP for Hotspot as a constant like “10.0.0.1”.
User can simply connect dietpi and set the WIFI with assistance from a specialist.
I like this idea too, especially if we can enable/controll it via dietpi.txt.
It will be more universal for many devices, then using for example RPi USB Gadget Mode to setup a device.
But it will be a lot of work, because every supported image have to be build up new, to integrate Wifi-Hotspot and available WiFi drivers/modules.
And, after initial setup, it have to automated uninstall before reboot and reinitialize the new wifi setup.
Hmm, for “layman” a inital web-setup could be helpfull.
Something like this:
The service calls a script that checks for presence of the SSID entered into wpa_supplicant.conf, and if not present then starts hostapd and dnsmasq and creates a hotspot. It presently requires mucking about in /etc/network/interfaces and replacing the entire contents with the following.
# interfaces(5) file used by ifup(8) and ifdown(8)
# Please note that this file is written to be used with dhcpcd
# For static IP, consult /etc/dhcpcd.conf and 'man dhcpcd.conf'
# Include files from /etc/network/interfaces.d:
source-directory /etc/network/interfaces.d
I am about to try it out and will report back it works or doesn’t.
