Pi as a Modem AND Router

[lucid]

So just out of curiosity, is there a way to plug an RG-6 cable into a raspberry pi? Or is there some kind of adapter that could help me achieve this. Either a pi or a laptop I guess.

The reason why I'm asking is because I've been using an old Motorola modem connecting to the coaxial cable which brings the signal into my house. From there I have a separate router. I'm not really living in the present I guess. Anyway, I'm planning on using either a pi, or an old laptop as my router, but I'm wondering if I can just cut out the middleman(the modem) and just use the aforementioned pi or laptop as a modem/router combination.

Because, I mean, who uses a standalone modem with a separate router anymore?

EDIT: More importantly, is it possible to use a Pi as a wifi router all on it's own at all? Everywhere I've read suggests that you configure the Pi to forward requests to the actual router

[sakthibruce]

Try this :

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/networking/convert_old_pc_to_new_router.htm

[Stackprotector]

So just out of curiosity, is there a way to plug an RG-6 cable into a raspberry pi? Or is there some kind of adapter that could help me achieve this. Either a pi or a laptop I guess.

The reason why I'm asking is because I've been using an old Motorola modem connecting to the coaxial cable which brings the signal into my house. From there I have a separate router. I'm not really living in the present I guess. Anyway, I'm planning on using either a pi, or an old laptop as my router, but I'm wondering if I can just cut out the middleman(the modem) and just use the aforementioned pi or laptop as a modem/router combination.

Because, I mean, who uses a standalone modem with a separate router anymore?

EDIT: More importantly, is it possible to use a Pi as a wifi router all on it's own at all? Everywhere I've read suggests that you configure the Pi to forward requests to the actual router

As far as my knowledge reaches on this topic i say NO. The incoming signal to your house is very specific to your provider and a modem will usually be preconfigured to your provider. You can turn a Raspberry PI into a router but i see no use into using it as a modem, even if you might be able to get it it might be buggy etc. (Also don't forget all the authentication systems by your provider)

Just keep your current modem and disable most router features, then use a good router after it.

[lucid]

As far as my knowledge reaches on this topic i say NO. The incoming signal to your house is very specific to your provider and a modem will usually be preconfigured to your provider. You can turn a Raspberry PI into a router but i see no use into using it as a modem, even if you might be able to get it it might be buggy etc. (Also don't forget all the authentication systems by your provider)

Just keep your current modem and disable most router features, then use a good router after it.

Indeed, I didn't think so. Ah well doesn't matter that much. So in most if not all cases, a modem will be provided by the ISP? Like when I go to someone's house and see an all-in-one router/modem, that was provided by the ISP as well? This is the first network that's ever been mine..

Also, I'm still a bit fuzzy on if you can actually use a Pi or laptop as a router all on it's own, or if it needs the help of an actual router.

[Stackprotector]

Indeed, I didn't think so. Ah well doesn't matter that much. So in most if not all cases, a modem will be provided by the ISP? Like when I go to someone's house and see an all-in-one router/modem, that was provided by the ISP as well? This is the first network that's ever been mine..

Also, I'm still a bit fuzzy on if you can actually use a Pi or laptop as a router all on it's own, or if it needs the help of an actual router.

Yes you can, most routers just run linux and have a frontend for configuring. https://openwrt.org/ Is a example of a opensource OS wich you can install on most routers, i have flashed it onto my TP-link router. I could also just install nmap on my router lol

[lucid]

I figured as much. DD-WRT or Open-WRT with DHCP, DNS, and while I'm at it turn that bitch into a dedicated sniffer and firewall it with iptables, or that vurmuur thing ande is always talking about lol.

I don't know why I didn't think it was possible. I was reading a lot of articles on my phone at work, and all of them seemed to claim that you used the pi to route traffic for your actual router... which seems absolutely pointless.

I always used to wonder how one would use a laptop as a wireless router. I mean a laptop with some routing related services like DHCP and whatnot and a switch makes sense. But to make it broadcast a wireless signal like an AP? Couldn't quite get my head around it before. So I could actually put DD or Open Wrt on a laptop as the operating system?

[Stackprotector]

I figured as much. DD-WRT or Open-WRT with DHCP, DNS, and while I'm at it turn that bitch into a dedicated sniffer and firewall it with iptables, or that vurmuur thing ande is always talking about lol.

I don't know why I didn't think it was possible. I was reading a lot of articles on my phone at work, and all of them seemed to claim that you used the pi to route traffic for your actual router... which seems absolutely pointless. I always used to wonder how one would use a laptop as a wireless router.

I also use vuurmuur, it's a nice iptables front-end.

[ande]

I figured as much. DD-WRT or Open-WRT with DHCP, DNS, and while I'm at it turn that bitch into a dedicated sniffer and firewall it with iptables, or that vurmuur thing ande is always talking about lol.

I don't know why I didn't think it was possible. I was reading a lot of articles on my phone at work, and all of them seemed to claim that you used the pi to route traffic for your actual router... which seems absolutely pointless.

I always used to wonder how one would use a laptop as a wireless router. I mean a laptop with some routing related services like DHCP and whatnot and a switch makes sense. But to make it broadcast a wireless signal like an AP? Couldn't quite get my head around it before. So I could actually put DD or Open Wrt on a laptop as the operating system?

As for running any wrt based OS on a x86/64 I dunno, maybe? You could surely VM it but that would fuck it up a bit, performance wise etc. Have a look at http://m0n0.ch/wall/ .

But you could easily get a WiFi adapter (decent one) and use your laptop as a WiFi router.

Wall socket -> ISP modem -> PI/computer with router functionality -> clients

This will allow for neat stuff like firewalls, logging, IDS/IPS etc on the PI or computer.

[lucid]

Thanks for the link. Looks good.

I see, so all it really takes to make your custom router wireless is a decent wireless network card then. Wonderful. I've got an Alpha AWUSsomethingorother USB adapter, which I haven't used very much recently. Sounds like I have a new use for it. Looking forward to this.

[proxx]

Yeah basically you can turn a wireless card into an AP with hostapd.
Be really careful though , you need a proper chipset, not that  realtek/broadcom crap.

Wanted to jump on the topic boat a lot earlier but I am way too fucking busy, my head is gonna explode.
[Insert some interesting ideas for the subject here]

[nemon1c]

The Alfa AWUS036H uses a realtek chipset. If proxx is correct, you may want to look into another card.

[proxx]

The Alfa AWUS036H uses a realtek chipset. If proxx is correct, you may want to look into another card.

It does and as far as I recall it does not support bridging, that is a driver issue (realtek lamers).
Even the windows drivers blow for that chip/card, never got why its so populair, highly overrated.

Someone posted this thread about a rogue ap , airbase-ng can create an AP but its not really stable nor fast.
Best way to go is hostapd and you need to bridge that if you want it to work properly.

Lol I am not gonna mention That brand again but I have good experience with Intel / ralink(some).

[nemon1c]

Even the windows drivers blow for that chip/card, never got why its so populair, highly overrated.

The wireless card is popular because it works out of the box with Kali and BT5. It supports packet injection and is primarily bought and used to crack WEP and WPA. Not really a popular choice for windows and is unsupported by mac last time I checked.

[proxx]

The wireless card is popular because it works out of the box with Kali and BT5. It supports packet injection and is primarily bought and used to crack WEP and WPA. Not really a popular choice for windows and is unsupported by mac last time I checked.

So do plenty of proper chips, but this is going off-topic.