Using the N800 as an WiFi Access Point
 

I have done some searching around, but have not seen a specific post regarding this topic. I have an N800 running the OS2008, I usually use my wireless tethered cell phone (Blackberry 8830 and Sprint PCS) to provide internet access on-the-go. I was wondering if anyone new or have been able to get working a way to have other devices to connect to the N800 (as an access point) to share internet access through the cell phone. The reason I ask, is I have been looking at WiFi devices, particularly the Eye-Fi and thought, it would be great to have general purpose Wifi access when I'm not around any available hotspots to upload pictures, use a laptop that's not already been paired with my cell phone, etc. If anyone has any ideas on this, I'd really appreciate it.

Re: Using the N800 as an WiFi Access Point
 

i dont think its possible cos the n800 is just a reciver, not a transmitter

Re: Using the N800 as an WiFi Access Point
 

And then how do you send requests to servers if you can't transmit (:

Re: Using the N800 as an WiFi Access Point
 

What Slixor means is that the Wifi subsystem in N8x0 cannot but put in what is called "Host Mode" which would allow the use of the N8x0 as an acces point .

Re: Using the N800 as an WiFi Access Point
 

- in theory, yes... add a USB ethernet adapter to the n800, then use iptables to forward the packets through the wifi network interface... (you'll want to use some firewall rules as well)...

http://www.netfilter.org/projects/iptables/index.html

- you'll need a supported adapter, along with a port of iptables (netfilter), and a script...

here are a few script generators (just plug in your values and click a button, then copy and modify the resulting script):

http://easyfwgen.morizot.net/gen/
http://townx.org/simple_firewall_for...using_iptables

Re: Using the N800 as an WiFi Access Point
 

depending on your camera, you could always pop the memory card from the camera into the tablet and use Publishr to upload pics to flickr or whatever else.

Re: Using the N800 as an WiFi Access Point
 

@linux_author: First, thank you for your post! I am not familiar with this, so I'll have to research some more. I do have a question, though. Does that mean I would have to connect the laptop through the ethernet adapter? Either I don't understand your solution, or may be I wasn't clear what I wanted to do. What I'd like to do is use the Wifi in reverse. Have my laptop, or any general purpose wireless device to connect to my N800 and then use my wireless (bluetooth) tethered cell phone to connect to the internet, and allow the device to connect to the internet via my N800. From the other posts, it appears this is not possible. Is that a hardware limitation or just that there's no software available to do this?

Thanks for the responses and any new ones in advance!

Re: Using the N800 as an WiFi Access Point
 

- AFAIK, there should be no restriction on the ability of the n800's Wifi to forward packets...

- if someone ports netfilter (iptables) to maemo, then it's a simple matter...

- you're asking to perform NAT, right? (what linux folks generally call IP masquerading)...

- the only hurdle i've seen so far is the following being required to use a USB adapter:

gconftool -s -t string /system/osso/connectivity/IAP/DEFAULT/type DUMMY

(iwconfig will most likely be required for command-line setup of the wifi interface, which *should* be doable)

- please note that i have not done this! more experienced folks may want to chime in here with specifics or actual experience on limitations...

- alternatively, an HE release (hacker edition) may be required and should most definitely work!

hope this helps...

Re: Using the N800 as an WiFi Access Point
 

If you don't want to transform your N8x0 into an access point you can use an Ad-Hoc Wifi connection between your PC and the N8x0.
Than You'll have to define a network route between your 2 interfaces on the N8x0 (I'm not sure if IP Masquerading is required and if it is you might have to build a custom kernel ... )
All in all it is quite a complicated task when you can buy a Bluetooth dongle for your computer and connect directly to your phone ...

Re: Using the N800 as an WiFi Access Point
 

I think another way you could look at this, which would be both easier and faster to implement, would be to enable USB host mode on your device to connect your camera directly to the N800 to upload directly to Flickr that way (still tethered to your cell phone).

Pros:
- Solution is readily available and stable
- Doesn't require purchase of an Eye-Fi or other wifi devices
- Doesn't require additional software ports to Maemo
- Would enable a multitude of other USB usage scenarios
- Cheap

Cons:
- Requires a USB OTG adapter (it's cheap though)
- Not as gee-whiz super cool wireless as a Wifi solution

Re: Using the N800 as an WiFi Access Point
 

I use ad-hoc mode at home, as my linux firewall has an intel 2915abg minipci card in it, and I'm too lazy to get hostap working. I have no problem using dhcpcd on the linux firewall for the N800 to connect, so I strongly believe you could install dhcpd on the n800 and it would effectively work as an access point provided "clients" (peers, actually) understood ad-hoc mode.

Re: Using the N800 as an WiFi Access Point
 

Does anyone have a update how to do it yet? Any words on how to get the iptable to work / install?

Re: Using the N800 as an WiFi Access Point
 

In that case, couldn't you also just remove the SD card, plug into tablet? Since the n800 doesn't run any image importing software :P

Re: Using the N800 as an WiFi Access Point
 

not to bring up an old thread, but has there been any bit of progress on this? im looking to tether my nintendo ds to the tablet. thx!!!

Re: Using the N800 as an WiFi Access Point
 

Any news about this topic? Did someone get it to work? Some other devices like the palm pre provide the possibility to be turned into an AP now...