🌐 6. Raspberry Pi – Networking & Web Projects

Estimated reading: 4 minutes 37 views

📶 Raspberry Pi – Create Wi-Fi Hotspot (2025 Guide to Sharing Network Access)

🧲 Introduction – Use Your Raspberry Pi as a Wireless Access Point

Need to share an internet connection, host a local network, or build an isolated IoT LAN? You can turn your Raspberry Pi into a Wi-Fi hotspot using its built-in wireless adapter. This transforms your Pi into a portable router or access point—perfect for remote projects, classroom labs, or headless setups.

🎯 In this guide, you’ll learn:

How to install and configure Raspberry Pi as a Wi-Fi hotspot
Set up DHCP, DNS, and NAT routing
Secure your hotspot with WPA2
Real-world use cases like captive portals, sensor networks, or offline hubs

📡 Requirements

🧰 Hardware/Software	✅ Needed
Raspberry Pi 3/4/5 or Zero W	Built-in Wi-Fi required
Raspberry Pi OS (Lite or Full)	Debian-based OS preferred
Ethernet or mobile dongle	Optional – if bridging to internet

✅ Works fully offline, or with internet sharing via Ethernet/USB.

⚙️ Step 1: Install Required Packages

sudo apt update
sudo apt install hostapd dnsmasq

Enable services:

sudo systemctl unmask hostapd
sudo systemctl enable hostapd

📁 Step 2: Configure Static IP for wlan0

Edit:

sudo nano /etc/dhcpcd.conf

Add to the bottom:

interface wlan0
    static ip_address=192.168.4.1/24
    nohook wpa_supplicant

Restart:

sudo service dhcpcd restart

📡 Step 3: Configure dnsmasq (DHCP Server)

Backup and create a new config:

sudo mv /etc/dnsmasq.conf /etc/dnsmasq.conf.orig
sudo nano /etc/dnsmasq.conf

Insert:

interface=wlan0
dhcp-range=192.168.4.2,192.168.4.20,255.255.255.0,24h

🔐 Step 4: Set Up hostapd (Wi-Fi Access Point)

Create config file:

sudo nano /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf

Insert:

interface=wlan0
driver=nl80211
ssid=Pi_Hotspot
hw_mode=g
channel=7
wmm_enabled=0
macaddr_acl=0
auth_algs=1
ignore_broadcast_ssid=0
wpa=2
wpa_passphrase=yoursecurepassword
wpa_key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
rsn_pairwise=CCMP

Link to default:

sudo nano /etc/default/hostapd

Add:

DAEMON_CONF="/etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf"

🔄 Step 5: Enable IP Routing & NAT (Optional Internet Sharing)

Edit sysctl.conf:

sudo nano /etc/sysctl.conf

Uncomment:

net.ipv4.ip_forward=1

Apply immediately:

sudo sh -c "echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward"

Setup NAT via iptables:

sudo iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -o eth0 -j MASQUERADE

Save rule:

sudo apt install iptables-persistent
sudo netfilter-persistent save

🚀 Step 6: Start Services

sudo systemctl start hostapd
sudo systemctl start dnsmasq

✅ Your Raspberry Pi is now broadcasting the Pi_Hotspot SSID!

📶 Connect Devices

Wi-Fi SSID: Pi_Hotspot
Password: yoursecurepassword
IP range: 192.168.4.2 – 192.168.4.20
Router IP: 192.168.4.1

🧠 Real-World Applications for Raspberry Pi Hotspot

💡 Use Case	🌐 Description
Classroom Coding Hub	Offline site hosting and programming tools
IoT LAN	Host and isolate ESP32/sensor networks
Captive Portal	Redirect Wi-Fi users to a welcome/login page
Travel Router	Bridge hotel Ethernet to personal Wi-Fi
Remote Sensor Dashboard	Access project UIs with no internet

🔐 Security Tips

Use WPA2 with a strong passphrase
Limit DHCP range for fewer clients
Use firewall rules to restrict inter-device traffic
Disable hotspot during idle times with:

sudo systemctl stop hostapd dnsmasq

📌 Summary – Recap & Next Steps

Your Raspberry Pi can now act as a Wi-Fi access point, creating its own local network for devices to join. Whether you’re building a LAN dashboard, IoT hub, or isolated environment, this feature gives your Pi more flexibility than ever.

🔍 Key takeaways:

hostapd = broadcast SSID, dnsmasq = assign IPs
Configure static IP on wlan0
Optionally enable internet sharing with NAT routing
Ideal for field projects, education, and offline access

⚙️ Real-world relevance: Used in STEM labs, mobile testing setups, Raspberry Pi kiosks, and network-isolated control environments.

❓ FAQs – Raspberry Pi Wi-Fi Hotspot

❓ Does this hotspot need internet?

✅ No. It creates a LAN. But you can add internet sharing via Ethernet or dongle.

❓ Can I change the hotspot name (SSID) and password?

✅ Yes! Edit /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf and restart the service.

❓ Can I use the hotspot to serve a web page?

✅ Absolutely! Host local websites in /var/www/html and connect via hotspot IP.

❓ How do I restart the hotspot manually?

sudo systemctl restart hostapd dnsmasq

❓ Can I use Raspberry Pi Zero W as a hotspot?

✅ Yes, but performance is lower. Great for minimal setups or testing environments.

« Previous Next »

Share Now :