🛠 Wi-Fi 802.11ac et Bluetooth 4.2 depuis le SoC

Objectives

Leverage the LattePanda Alpha's network connectivity on the SoC side: dual-band 2.4/5 GHz Wi-Fi 802.11ac (1×1), Bluetooth 4.2, and Gigabit Ethernet (PCIe, with Wake-on-LAN). You will learn how to connect via command line on Linux (NetworkManager) and on Windows (PowerShell), and identify common pitfalls in community Linux support.

Hardware

• LattePanda Alpha with its integrated Wi-Fi/BT module (provided on the boards)
• Monitor + keyboard, or SSH access after wired network configuration (the easiest way to get started)
• 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz access point; optionally a Bluetooth device (keyboard, BLE sensor)
• Note: The official documentation only covers Ubuntu 16.04; on newer distributions, Wi-Fi/audio support is community-driven

Complete Code

On Linux (NetworkManager, identical across standard UEFI distributions):

# Vérifier que l'interface sans fil est vue
nmcli radio wifi on
nmcli device wifi list

# Se connecter à un réseau
nmcli device wifi connect "MonReseau" password "monmotdepasse"

# Vérifier l'adresse IP et la passerelle
ip -4 addr show && ip route

# Bluetooth : scanner les périphériques à portée
bluetoothctl
#   power on
#   scan on        # les adresses MAC apparaissent
#   pair 66:11:22:33:44:55

On Windows 10/11 (PowerShell):

# Lister les réseaux à portée
netsh wlan show networks mode=bssid
# Se connecter
netsh wlan connect name="MonReseau" ssid="MonReseau"
# Vérifier la connexion
Get-NetIPAddress -AddressFamily IPv4 | Where-Object InterfaceAlias -NotLike "Loop*"

Expected Verification

nmcli device status displays the Wi-Fi interface as "connected" with an assigned IP; ping -c 3 1.1.1.1 reaches the Internet. The Bluetooth scanner shows the MAC addresses of nearby devices. Gigabit Ethernet typically works out of the box (standard PCIe driver).

Common Errors

• Installing a very recent distribution expecting official support: DFRobot's documentation stops at Ubuntu 16.04; Wi-Fi/audio/eDP support on recent kernels relies on community reports — test before committing.
• Connecting to 5 GHz with a 1×1 module at the edge of range: prefer 2.4 GHz through walls.
• Forgetting nmcli radio wifi on when Wi-Fi is soft-blocked.
• Relying on Bluetooth for high-end audio: the board uses version 4.2, not later generations.