Core-Update 200: Wireless Access Point fails to start

[rivalblue (D W)]

Hello, I updated to Core-Update 200 including hostapd-f747ae0-74 today and now my Wireless Access Points fails to start.

Looking at the logs I see the following:

13:46:44 hostapd: Configuration file: /etc/hostapd.conf
13:46:44 hostapd: ctrl_interface_group=0
13:46:44 hostapd: HT (IEEE 802.11n) in 11b mode is not allowed, disabling HT capabilities
13:46:44 hostapd: nl80211: Kernel version: Linux 6.18.7-ipfire (#1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Tue Feb 24 14:01:17 GMT 2026; x86_64)
13:46:44 hostapd: nl80211: Maximum supported attribute ID: 345
13:46:44 hostapd: nl80211: Initialize interface blue0 (driver: rt2800usb)

hostapd goes through a whole discovery process and then concludes with…

13:46:45 hostapd: Driver does not support configured HT capability [HT40*]
13:46:45 hostapd: blue0: interface state COUNTRY_UPDATE->DISABLED
13:46:45 hostapd: blue0: AP-DISABLED

I did not configure any HT capabilities, but I do see that the auto-generated etc/hostapd.conf does include the following…

ht_capab=[HT40+][HT40-] [TX-STBC] [SHORT-GI-20] [SHORT-GI-40] [GF] [RX-STBC12]

Any suggestions on how I can get the Wireless Access Point back up and running? Thank you for your time!

[alexand (Alexander)]

Try checking and modifying it if necessary:

Core Update 200 Testing is available

I modified the configuration file for hostapd. /var/ipfire/wlanap/config #VHTCAPS=[MAX-MPDU-3895][SHORT-GI-80][SU-BEAMFORMEE] #HTCAPS=[MAX-AMSDU-3839][HT40+][SHORT-GI-20][SHORT-GI-40][DSSS_CCK-40] [root@ipfire ~]# /etc/rc.d/init.d/hostapd status hostapd is running with Process ID(s) 1815. After the change, the status of Add-On - Services is displayed correctly.

[rivalblue (D W)]

OK. So happy resolution on this one… Odd, but happy…

I simply navigated back to IPFire >> Wireless Access Point in the WUI and clicked “Save” - I modified nothing, but just clicked it after re-reviewing the available settings for correctness.

Upon refresh of the page in my browser, the WUI displayed Wireless Access Point as “Running”… I looked over at my phone and it was connected to Wireless within a couple of seconds.

When I looked at the log it no longer complained about HT capabilities…

14:44:37 hostapd: Configuration file: /etc/hostapd.conf
14:44:37 hostapd: ctrl_interface_group=0
14:44:37 hostapd: nl80211: Kernel version: Linux 6.18.7-ipfire (#1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Tue Feb 24 14:01:17 GMT 2026; x86_64)
14:44:37 hostapd: nl80211: Maximum supported attribute ID: 345
14:44:37 hostapd: nl80211: Initialize interface blue0 (driver: rt2800usb)

And later concluded with…

14:44:37 hostapd: HT40: control channel: 6 (2437 MHz), secondary channel: 10 (2457 MHz)
14:44:37 hostapd: DFS support is enabled
14:44:37 hostapd: Completing interface initialization
14:44:37 hostapd: Mode: IEEE 802.11g Channel: 6 Frequency: 2437 MHz

This is definitely an upgrade bug of some sort.

[ms (Michael Tremer)]

Hello,

[HT40+] and [HT40-] mean that you like to extend the selected channel to a 40 MHz channel either above or below the selected channel. If you are selecting channel 1, there simply is no lower channel, and if you are selecting channel 12/13 (depending on where you are) there is no higher channel.

The capability will be enabled if your hardware reports that it supports it.

But I am glad this is working fine for you now.

[bbitsch (Bernhard Bitsch)]

The (V)HTCAPS are now selected by the hostapd addon.
But to be active, a save is needed. The save operation of the WUI starts the configuration part.
First problems with hostapd originated in an unsufficient transition to the new functionality. These issues are solved by CU200, as far as I can see.