Configure hostapd with separate dhcp_server - Error: unknown configuration item "dhcp_server"

[Nicolas Cavallari]

On 15/10/2022 20:04, Dan Hayes wrote:
> I've installed AlmaLinux 9.0 on a machine with eth/wifi ports. The
> machine connects to my network via ethernet. I want to set the machine
> up as an AP for wifi clients within range using hostapd. I've
> installed hostapd-2.10-1.el9.x86_64.
> 
> I have everything working except DHCP. If I manually configure IP/DNS
> on wireless client and then connect to hostapd, the wireless client
> works fine.  Since I already have a DHCP server on the network and
> want to setup multiple linux hostapd servers in different locations, I
> want to use a single DHCP instance for all hostapd servers.
> 
> If I'm understanding it correctly, the documentation in
> /usr/share/doc/hostapd/hostapd.conf seems to support this:
> 
>      # DHCP server for FILS HLP

FILS is Fast Initial Link Setup. It's an optional feature to reduce the 
number of round trips when connecting to an access point. Many, if not 
most, devices do not support this feature, so your DHCP setup must work 
without this option.  If it doesn't then there is a problem.

You can probably check with tcpdump or wireshark to see where dhcp/bootp 
packets are dropped.

If your DHCP server is not directly accessible from br0, then install a 
DHCP relay.