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Wi-Fi Client (STA)

Use these steps to connect the Omega4 to an existing Wi‑Fi network as a station (client).

1. Prep the network interface​

The default image already includes a wwan interface. If it is missing, create it:

uci set network.wwan=interface
uci set network.wwan.proto='dhcp'
uci commit network
About htmode (channel width)

In OpenWrt, htmode sets the Wi‑Fi “PHY mode” and channel width. The suffix (20/40/80) is the channel width in MHz:

  • HT20 / HT40: 802.11n (High Throughput).
  • VHT20 / VHT40 / VHT80: 802.11ac (Very High Throughput, 5 GHz).
  • HE20 / HE40 / HE80: 802.11ax (High Efficiency) if your wpad/hostapd build supports it.

Wider channels can increase the negotiated link rate, but they also use more spectrum and are more sensitive to interference. On crowded 2.4 GHz networks, HT20 is often more stable (and sometimes faster in real throughput) than HT40.

Omega4 note: the Wi‑Fi module is connected over SDIO 2.0, which supports up to 400 Mbps on the bus. Even if the link rate shows higher values (for example on VHT80), real throughput will be limited by the SDIO link and protocol overhead.

2. Scan for networks (optional)​

If you are not sure which SSID to join (or which encryption mode it uses), do a quick scan first.

In STA mode, bring up the STA interface first so it exists, then scan using the interface name from wifi status:

iwinfo radio0 scan

To scan 5 GHz networks, the radio must be set to band='5g' (see the 5 GHz config below). Switching bands will interrupt any existing Wi‑Fi link because this is a single radio.

Pick one of the following band-specific setups. Both start from the same clean wireless config; skip the section that does not apply to your AP.

3. Configure for 2.4 GHz​

Station settings tuned for 2.4 GHz networks:

uci set wireless.radio0.disabled='0'
uci set wireless.radio0.he='0'
uci set wireless.radio0.band='2g'
uci set wireless.radio0.channel='11'     # or leave unset for auto
uci set wireless.radio0.htmode='HT40'
uci set wireless.radio0.country='US'     # replace with your country code

uci set wireless.default_radio0.mode='sta'
uci set wireless.default_radio0.network='wwan'
uci set wireless.default_radio0.ssid='YOUR_SSID'
uci set wireless.default_radio0.encryption='psk2'
uci set wireless.default_radio0.key='YOUR_PSK'   # 8–63 characters

uci commit wireless
wifi reload

4. Configure for 5 GHz​

Station settings tuned for 5 GHz networks:

uci set wireless.radio0.disabled='0'
uci set wireless.radio0.he='0'
uci set wireless.radio0.band='5g'
uci set wireless.radio0.channel='36'     # prefer non-DFS channels (36/40/44/48) to avoid radar vacates
uci set wireless.radio0.htmode='VHT40'   # drop to HT40 if your wpad build lacks 11ac
uci set wireless.radio0.country='US'     # replace with your country code

uci set wireless.default_radio0.mode='sta'
uci set wireless.default_radio0.network='wwan'
uci set wireless.default_radio0.ssid='YOUR_SSID'
uci set wireless.default_radio0.encryption='psk2'
uci set wireless.default_radio0.key='YOUR_PSK'   # 8–63 characters

uci commit wireless
wifi reload

Check that the interface comes up and that wwan gets an address:

wifi status                          # look for ifname like phy0-sta0 and mode sta
ubus call network.interface.wwan status
ifconfig phy0-sta0                   # UP and RUNNING once associated (use the ifname from wifi status)

When connected, ubus ... status shows up: true and lists an IPv4/IPv6 address under \"ipv4-address\"/\"ipv6-address\".

6. Troubleshooting​

  • Log review: logread | grep -i wpa_supplicant and logread | grep -i cfg80211.
  • Wrong key/SSID: re-run the uci set wireless.default_radio0.* lines, uci commit wireless, then wifi reload.
  • 11ac config errors: if logread reports unknown ieee80211ac/vht_* options, your wpad build lacks 11ac; keep htmode at HT20/HT40 or install a full wpad build.
  • One role at a time: enabling STA mode disables the AP interface on this single radio; switch back to AP by restoring mode='ap' and your AP network (for example network='wlan').

Tested on Omega-2D29: wifi status reports interface phy0-sta0 in mode: sta targeting SSID TestNet; ubus call network.interface.wwan status shows the interface available (no AP in range during test).