HOSTAPD.CONF(5)

NAME
hostapd.conf - configuration file for hostapd(8) utility

DESCRIPTION
The hostapd(8) utility is an authenticator for IEEE 802.11 networks. It provides full support for WPA/IEEE 802.11i and can also act as an IEEE 802.1X Authenticator with a suitable backend Authentication Server (typically FreeRADIUS).

The configuration file consists of global parameters and domain specific configuration:
•   IEEE 802.1X-2004
•   RADIUS client
•   RADIUS authentication server
•   WPA/IEEE 802.11i

GLOBAL PARAMETERS
The following parameters are recognized:

interface
    Interface name. Should be set in “hostap” mode.

debug
    Debugging mode: 0 = no, 1 = minimal, 2 = verbose, 3 = msg dumps, 4 = excessive.

dump_file
    Dump file for state information (on SIGUSR1).

ctrl_interface
    The pathname of the directory in which hostapd(8) creates UNIX domain socket files for communication with frontend programs such as hostapd_cli(8).

ctrl_interface_group
    A group name or group ID to use in setting protection on the control interface file. This can be set to allow non-root users to access the control interface files. If no group is specified, the group ID of the control interface is not modified and will, typically, be the group ID of the directory in which the socket is created.

IEEE 802.1X-2004 PARAMETERS
The following parameters are recognized:

ieee8021x
    Require IEEE 802.1X authorization.

eap_message
    Optional displayable message sent with EAP Request-Identity.

wep_key_len_broadcast
    Key lengths for broadcast keys.

wep_key_len_unicast
    Key lengths for unicast keys.

wep_rekey_period
    Rekeying period in seconds.

eapol_key_index_workaround
    EAPOL-Key index workaround (set bit7) for WinXP Supplicant.

eap_reauth_period
    EAP reauthentication period in seconds. To disable reauthentication, use “0”.

RADIUS CLIENT PARAMETERS
The following parameters are recognized:

own_ip_addr
    The own IP address of the access point (used as NAS-IP-Address).

nas_identifier
    Optional NAS-Identifier string for RADIUS messages.

auth_server_addr, auth_server_port, auth_server_shared_secret
    RADIUS authentication server parameters. Can be defined twice for secondary servers to be used if primary one does not reply to RADIUS packets.

acct_server_addr, acct_server_port, acct_server_shared_secret
    RADIUS accounting server parameters. Can be defined twice for secondary servers to be used if primary one does not reply to RADIUS packets.

radius_retry_primary_interval
    Retry interval for trying to return to the primary RADIUS server (in seconds).

radius_acct_interim_interval
    Interim accounting update interval. If this is set (larger than 0) and acct_server is configured, hostapd(8) will send interim accounting updates every N seconds.

RADIUS AUTHENTICATION SERVER PARAMETERS
The following parameters are recognized:

radius_server_clients
    File name of the RADIUS clients configuration for the RADIUS server. If this is commented out, RADIUS server is disabled.

radius_server_auth_port
    The UDP port number for the RADIUS authentication server.

radius_server_ipv6
    Use IPv6 with RADIUS server.

WPA/IEEE 802.11i PARAMETERS
The following parameters are recognized:

wpa Enable WPA. Setting this variable configures the AP to require WPA (either WPA-PSK or WPA-RADIUS/EAP based on other configuration).

wpa_psk, wpa_passphrase
    WPA pre-shared keys for WPA-PSK. This can be either entered as a 256-bit secret in hex format (64 hex digits), wpa_psk, or as an ASCII passphrase (8..63 characters) that will be converted to PSK. This conversion uses SSID so the PSK changes when ASCII passphrase is used and the SSID is changed.

wpa_psk_file
    Optionally, WPA PSKs can be read from a separate text file containing a list of PSK and MAC address pairs.

wpa_key_mgmt
    Set of accepted key management algorithms (WPA-PSK, WPA-EAP, or both).

wpa_pairwise
    Set of accepted cipher suites (encryption algorithms) for pairwise keys (unicast packets). See the example file for more information.

wpa_group_rekey
    Time interval for rekeying GTK (broadcast/multicast encryption keys) in seconds.

wpa_strict_rekey
    Rekey GTK when any STA that possesses the current GTK is leaving the BSS.

wpa_gmk_rekey
    Time interval for rekeying GMK (master key used internally to generate GTKs), in seconds.

SEE ALSO
hostapd(8), hostapd_cli(8)

HISTORY
The hostapd.conf manual page and hostapd(8) functionality first appeared in FreeBSD 6.0.

AUTHORS
This manual page is derived from the README and hostapd.conf files in the hostapd distribution provided by Jouni Malinen <j@w1.fi>.