Would you like to use your Pi as a WiFi router? Or maybe have it as a special filtering access point? Setting up a Pi as an access point (AP) is a bit more advanced than using it as a client, but still only a half hour of typing to configure. This tutorial will make it so the Pi broadcasts a WiFi service and then routes internet traffic to an Ethernet cable. Since its all Linux you can go in and update or configure it however you like.

This guide is a streamlined version of instructions from the official Raspberry Pi Documentation. If you encounter problems with our directions, check that link, some steps may have changed since this was written. We’ll update periodically!

These directions create a routed wireless access point: wireless devices connecting to the Raspberry Pi can access the internet and other devices on the network, but the reverse isn’t necessarily true. This is the most common “hotspot” WiFi network approach. If you specifically require a bridged access point instead—where the Pi extends your current network and address assignment to wireless devices, and connections can work either way—these alternate directions from the Raspberry Pi Documentation will get you going.