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Turning a mini-pc into a WiFi access point
(lemmy.world)
After a hardware upgrade I ended up with a spare mini pc. Noticed these two icons and thought I might be able to use it as a WiFi access point with VLANs using OPNsense.
Is that possible? If so, what do I even need to buy to plug into there?
I don't need it to do any fancy dhcp, dns or firewall stuff, I just need a WiFi access point with support for VLANs.
Before you start with this project, consider the power use of a full X86 system even at idle and compare that to a standard router.
If you are looking to run this as an access point permanently, the cost of power may add up.
I am not saying that you shouldn't do it, but take it into account before deciding.
The architecture doesn't determine the power draw so much as the system design. I've got a Chromebox running an i3 and sipping 4.5w at idle.
I get that, it was just something I noticed when looking to build a NAS a few months ago, I was considering the power usage over time when compared with a Synology, and I seem to recall the Synology being much more power efficient, and when I saw OP talking about using a full X86 machine for an AP, I just thought it sounded very inefficient.
That's a good point, I'll see if I can figure out the power draw of this system somehow. Any tips?
Since you have the equipment at home you can just get a power meter and measure the computer and a router to see which uses most power over two hours.
Make sure to install the baseline for the computer before the test so it is fairly representative