# [solved] hostapd won't start.

## Ant P.

```
~ # rc-service hostapd start

 * Starting hostapd ...

rmdir[ctrl_interface]: No such file or directory

 * start-stop-daemon: failed to start `/usr/sbin/hostapd'                                                     [ !! ]

 * ERROR: hostapd failed to start
```

And that's it. No syslog messages (with it set to verbose debug level), no output from hostapd -dd /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf, nothing. I haven't changed any config since it last worked. I did notice trying to reinstall hostapd that it pulled crda in, not sure why that wasn't installed previously but it didn't change anything regardless. strace tells me nothing useful.

Solved: It decided it didn't like the ht_capab= string I had set any more. What a headache...

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## angrymouse

Man, you just save me a pack of brain cells and a couple of hours!

Thanks a lot!  :Wink: 

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## greanie

Actually, from what I can gather, this is a warning rather than an error.  The rmdir is of course the command to delete a directory.  the [ctrl_interface] is the one defined in hostapd.conf, usually /var/run/hostapd.  At start up, hostapd will try to clean that directory.  If it isn't there, you get that warning.  You only see the warning if hostapd doesn't start for some reason or another.

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