Configure WiFi connection

Knulen · December 23, 2019, 10:47am

I want to try hassio so I installed it on a Raspberry Pi 3B, but I can’t get the WiFi working. I tried by using an USB drive named CONFIG and with help of this page:

github.com

home-assistant/operating-system/blob/e4bff62923b8412ce9ea051d43d00b2f674bad24/Documentation/network.md

# Network

## Configure Network
HassOS uses NetworkManager to control the host network. In future releases, you will be able to set up the configuration using the API/UI. Currently only a manual configuration using NetworkManager connection files is supported. Without a configuration file, the device will use DHCP by default. These network connection files can be placed on a USB drive and imported to the host as described in [Configuration][configuration-usb].

## Configuration Examples

You can read the [Official Manual][keyfile] or find many configuration examples across the internet. The system is read-only, if you don't want the IP address to change on every boot, you should set the UUID property with a generic [UUID4][uuid]. Inside `\CONFIG\network\` on the USB or SD, create a file called `my-network` and add the appropriate contents below:

### Default

We have a preinstalled connection profile:

```ini
[connection]
id=my-network
uuid=f62bf7c2-e565-49ff-bbfc-a4cf791e6add
type=802-3-ethernet

[ipv4]

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With MY_SSID and MY_WLAN_SECRET_KEY replaced by my own, but it doesn’t seem to work. I also tried by creating the CONFIG folder inside the boot partition with the same above as mentioned here:

github.com

home-assistant/operating-system/blob/e4bff62923b8412ce9ea051d43d00b2f674bad24/Documentation/configuration.md

# Configuration

## Automatic

You can use an USB drive with HassOS to configure network options, SSH access to the host and to install updates.
Format a USB stick with FAT32/EXT4/NTFS and name it `CONFIG` (in all capitals). Alternative you can create a `CONFIG` folder inside boot partition. Use the following directory structure within the USB drive:

```text
network/
modules/
modprobe/
udev/
authorized_keys
timesyncd.conf
hassos-xy.raucb
```

- The `network` folder can contain any kind of NetworkManager connection files. For more information see [Network][network.md].
- The `modules` folder is for modules-load configuration files.
- The `modprobe` folder is for modules configuration files (/etc/modprobe.d)

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But that also doesn’t work. So I just connected it to an ethernet connection and that works. I installed SSH and Configurator. But I don’t want to use it through ethernet but connect it to a WiFi network (it’s another network).
Can I do this through Configurator or with SSH?

Knulen · December 25, 2019, 1:05pm

Is this the right place to ask this question? I really want to use Home Assistant, but to do so, it really needs to be on that WiFi network. Please help me

CaptTom · December 25, 2019, 3:46pm

When I was just starting, I had the same questions. I was fortunate to find a lot of help in this thread, to which I added my own experience:

Maybe there’s a step you missed.

Knulen · December 30, 2019, 4:49pm

When I open the GUI of configurator, then I can see these files:

I don’t know where to find the my-network file.

Knulen · December 30, 2019, 4:49pm

And when I put the SD card in my computer, then I get these files:
HomeAssistant_SDCard

There is also no my-network in the overlays folder

CaptTom · December 30, 2019, 5:15pm

You don’t edit the SD card which holds the Hass.io operating system. You boot Hass.io (off the SD card) with a properly formatted and named USB memory stick inserted. As it boots, it will read the appropriate file(s) off that memory stick to configure the desired settings.

I tried to lay it out step by step in this post:

Click the link (not just skim the snippet above) and read the whole thing. Let me know if there’s something I left out, and I’ll update it there (and here) for future users.

Knulen · December 30, 2019, 6:19pm

As I already mentioned in my startpost I already did that. So I thought maybe you meant something else.

So what I already tried:
USB drive:

fat32
usb name: CONFIG
create folder: network
in this folder: my-network (without extension)
Code in this file:

[connection]
id=my-network
uuid=72111c67-4a5d-4d5c-925e-f8ee26efb3c3
type=802-11-wireless

[802-11-wireless]
mode=infrastructure
ssid=NAMEROUTER
# Uncomment below if your SSID is not broadcasted
#hidden=true

[802-11-wireless-security]
auth-alg=open
key-mgmt=wpa-psk
psk=PASSWORD

[ipv4]
method=auto

[ipv6]
addr-gen-mode=stable-privacy
method=auto

This didn’t work. So what I also tried is:
SD-card option 1:

create folder in hassos-boot (sc-card plugged into PC): network
create the same file in this folder as above: my-network

SD-card option 2:

(almost the same as option 1) create folder in hassos-boot: CONFIG\network
create the same file in this folder as above: my-network

So I probably do something wrong, because it doesn’t work. But what am I doing wrong?

I can also use WinSCP to my RPi, can I edit/add something through this?

Knulen · December 30, 2019, 9:22pm

I think I found the problem. I saved the file as ANSI with notepad++ but when you reopen it and save it again, it isn’t ANSI anymore. So it’s working now! Unfortunately I can’t access hassio on that specific network, probably because it’s a guest network (Ziggo modem). When I log into the router I can see hassio is connected to the guest network, but I can’t access it. Also not when I use the ip adres instead of http://hassio.local:8123 (and yes, I’m connected to the same wireless guest network)

danhpro9 · April 16, 2020, 4:05am

I am looking for that menu in the GUI, what is the full path?

Erik_Siemens · April 19, 2020, 12:37pm

I got still the same problem.
installing with ethernet no problem, wifi not possible
I also used an old image from hasbian, with the same wifi settings, and that still works.
Not a clue what I’m doing wrong ???

jsapede · May 22, 2020, 10:47am

Same here, impossible to access by wifi. According to the tutorial i made the usb stick injecton for config but if the wire is not connected it does not work.

using nmcli one can see that the wifi is connected but de UI isn’t reachable by wifi only.

dsheen · June 3, 2020, 10:14pm

I need to setup eduroam, which requires a custom ca_cert to be set up.

Any ideas how I can achieve this?

Many thanks

andyjacobs · June 3, 2020, 10:33pm

This is the method I used after trying and failing with the method where you put a file in a directory, etc. HA is brilliant but setting up WiFi is a massive omission in today’s climate and I can’t for the life of me workout why it’s not part of the setup.

For me personally, my Pi is hardwired. But I will often need to move it to pair a device so wifi is the only real option. I pair the device and. then move the Pi back to its normal location with a cable.

antoniomolram · November 1, 2020, 10:15am

Hi guys, I read & made exactly the same described in this thread. As a test, I installed a normal Raspberry pi OS and was working the wifi and everything. But as far as I can’t have Supervision installed manually I need to go thru this procedure.

This installation method should be working better… I got the image hassos_rpi2-4.15.img.gz

antoniomolram · November 1, 2020, 11:15am

Hi again,

I tried all the time with a Rasberry pi 2b, and as The Pi Hut USB Wi-Fi Adapter. With no success. I have also a raspberry pi zero w, and in this board this method was working.

I assume that there is something in the layout of the system that doesn’t enable the wifi usb sticks on the Raspberry pi 2b.

at the end a went with this method forward: Guide: Connecting Pi with Home Assistant OS to wifi (or other networking changes)

maxym · November 1, 2020, 12:23pm

A few months ago I was trying the same with RPi4.
nmcli device wifi connect "YOUR_SSID" password "YOUR_WIFI_PASSWORD"
was the the only method working. All other methods found official docs and forum (like configuring wifi network) didn’t work.

The main problem with this particular guide is it assumes HA already installed. If you want to configure WiFI for initial start it’s almost impossibe to find complete guide (and as I said I failed to apply knowledge found in official docs). But as I said, the command found in the guide above works for initial settings to (but you have to connect monitor and keyboard to your rpi)

KristianJ98 · November 20, 2021, 12:15pm

I had the same problem, an I found out my raspberry pi 3B+ only work on band channels 1- 9 and the 10-13 is not visible to it.

My fix was to go in the router setting and change the channel

JupiterFred · January 22, 2022, 9:08pm

Hello all,

I had the same connection problem. I think that this problem mainly affects windows users. Thx to Knulens instruction I was able to set up the wifi connection successfully. There are only additional small things to consider when creating the usb-stick and the “my-network” file. I have extended Knulen’s instructions accordingly.

USB drive:

max 32GB (take the smallest you have)
usb drive format: fat32
** Windows CMD: format /FS:FAT32 <YOUR-USB-DRIVE-LETTER>:
usb name: CONFIG
create folder: network
in this folder: my-network (file without extension)
** use notepad++
** set encoding to utf-8
** set EOL conversion to UNIX (Edit->EOL Conversion->UNIX)

Paste this Code in my-network-file:

[connection]
id=my-network
uuid=72111c67-4a5d-4d5c-925e-f8ee26efb3c3
type=802-11-wireless

[802-11-wireless]
mode=infrastructure
ssid=<YOUR-WIFI-SSID>
# Uncomment below if your SSID is not broadcasted
#hidden=true

[802-11-wireless-security]
auth-alg=open
key-mgmt=wpa-psk
psk=<YOUR-WIFI-PASSWORD>

[ipv4]
method=auto

[ipv6]
addr-gen-mode=stable-privacy
method=auto

save the file.
plug the usb drive to your raspi and reboot. check your router if homeassistant appears in your network

That did it for me.

bearhntr · February 23, 2022, 1:40am

@JupiterFred ,

Thanks for sharing this - I am trying to get the WiFi working on my Intel NUC installation (should really be no different than a Pi installation - at the OS level).

I have an HP t620 ThinClient which has a miniPCI WiFi adapter (with Bluetooth 4.0 as well).

If I install Ubuntu 20.04 to this box, it sees everything in it – the m.2 SSD, the Wifi and the Bluetooth - and everything works after the install and boot.

It is driving me insane that the Hass.io shows me with an nmcli radio command that wifi is there… but I cannot for the life of me get it to work.

I have tried the USB (using a 32GB USB drive) and the folders and files like you did - still nothing. The file never gets imported (that I can find) – or used.

This really should not be this difficult.

Curtis

vctr · March 25, 2022, 10:05pm

Hi,

This worked for me:

Connect the raspberry pi to HDMI (to display the cli) and power
Wait for the Home Assistant OS to boot (you should see some loading things on the monitor)
When it launched the CLI (with the prompt ha >), type in the following comand: network info and find for your wifi interface (mine was wlan0)
Run the following command network update <interface, for me was wlan0> --ipv4-method auto -- ipv6-method auto --wifi-auth wpa-psk --wifi-mode infrastructure --wifi-ssid <wifi name, in quotes if there’re spaces> --wifi-psk <wifi password>

This allowed me to connect my raspberry pi to the wifi network without going through the config file