WiFi or not WiFi? Any suggestions for USB WiFi dongle or M.2 WiFi card?

[oscarr]

FreeBSD and OPNsense are new for me, but I already learned that WiFi is very dificult topic here.
My OPNsense "experiment" is built on cheap HP desktop with miniITX mobo and celeron N3050 on it.
It has only one NIC built in, but this already sorted with TPlink UE300 connected to one of 2 USB 3.0.
Unfortunately as I already checked - buil in WIFI M.2 card is not supported, as NETGEAR N150 dongle from drawer as well.

I know, I could use my curent router as AP only, but I wish to clean up the shelf a bit, so prefered option is to add WiFi functionality to OPNsense machine.

And here are my questions:

Is there any WiFi M.2 card or USB dongle that would work with OPNsense as AP and would support both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz ?
I prefer 5GHz, but need to use also 2.4GHz for compatibility with one or two devices. But 5GHz is essential.
What chipset, or maybe exact device from amazon would you suggest?

Or maybe it is better to use external device anyway? What to use in that case? Would WiFi extender be good?

BTW. I don't need AX or even AC3200 - I think that any AC would be good for me.

Thanks

[lar.hed]

I used to have a pfSense installation before, and just as you, tried to go with a WiFi card installed on that Mini-ITX motherboard. However BSD is sooo far behind that will most likely never work, at least not with any good performance or distance.

My suggestion is Unifi AP and the controller software installed on OpnSense box (there is a GIT somewhere which might be used for installing?). Of course the best would be to run the Unifi controller software on a separate server, but well if you are trying to eliminate boxes... And yes you could just as well keep the current AP...

[dave]

BSD's wifi support is kinda limited.  It works if you're looking for the cheapest solution, but I ended up going with a UniFi AP.  The controller software doesn't need to be constantly online (there's a Java app you can fire up when needed) unless you want all the logging and sys stats; it doesn't limit configuration in any way.

[oscarr]

OK, I understand - it's better to not bother.

But, your answers confused me, a bit.
If I use external AP, why I need any scripts for OPNsense if I can simply use WEBUI of AP?
Is there any benefit of using these scripts?

And after all, why OPNsense is not based on Linux? What has freeBSD that Linux hasn't ?

[lar.hed]

OPNsense is based on BSDLinux, but it is a special version: HBSD - Hardened BSD Linux, it does not have more than just enough to drive OPNsense. Adding script, has turned out to be hard, will nog be possible, so my initial suggestion about installing Unifi controller software on OPNsense will not work (it did on pfSense - but that is somewhat another story).

However as dave posted, you do not need the Unifi controller software to use the Unifi AP all the time - just when setting it up, maybe install a Ubuntu or some other flavour as virtuel guest os on something and then just close it down?

You only need Unifi Controller software for the Unifi AP products - if you use for example a ASUS router in AP mode, then you do not need any additional software (as a reference: I am still using my Asus AX88 router in AP mode with my OPNsense installation - I am still waiting for AX Unifi AP to be available sometime in the future).

[oscarr]

Ubiquity is not in my price range
Luckyli I found that Mediatek/Ralink RT5572 works pretty well with OPNsense.
Unluckyli it can't manage two bands, a time - so I will need another device to get both 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

[monstermania]

Luckyli I found that Mediatek/Ralink RT5572 works pretty well with OPNsense.
Unluckyli it can't manage two bands, a time - so I will need another device to get both 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

Please Note. Ralink-Driver don't support 5Ghz wifi with OPNsense. Only 802.11g will be supportet (54Mbit!!!).
https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?run(4)

So look out for an wifi ap! On ebay you can buy used dual band AP for around 30€!

[oscarr]

As vsible on attached screenshots it's not exactly true, what you say.
Speed indeed is limited to 54MBps (I must check if there is no other reason), but 5GHz definetely works with RT5572.
And I can confirm that my mobile did connect on that frequency.

[monstermania]

Ok,
that 5Ghz ist working is new to me. My last experiences with usb wifi an OPNsense are more than 2 years ago!
When it's working for your needs it is ok. I've used usb wifi for about 2 years on my old OPNsense box. Since 2018 i used an ap. I'll never change back to usb wifi.
 

[oscarr]

Thimg is that for now my box is still in test phase. I'm still setting it up, and I'm not sure what I gonna use.
USB WiFi would be good if it would have more TX power. I'm a bit afraid that 200mW is not enough for my needs, and anyway I need also 2.4GHz because still have some devices that can't do 5GHz.
Now I'm using Linksys EA6900 (Router) which has 400mW transmit power - this is big difference.
I have also Linksys RA6500 (AP) but its TX power is probably similar to Ralink USB device, so I'm not sure if I gonna use it.

Thing is that RT6500 has 4 port switch built in - which I need anyway. If I will stay with USB dongle, I will have to buy another switch + second USB dongle for 2.4 GHz.

But external AP is managed externally, so it means I wont have control over in OPNsense.
I heared that there are Ubiquiti APs that can be managed with special scripts, but I don't believe they are in my price range

I'm still not sure how to resolve that WiFi/Switch issue