Connect wireless automatically (Solved)

[The Liquidator]

Hi

Just upgraded to 9.04. I remember when I first started with 8.10 that when I first got my wireless working the password defaulted to kwallet, requiring me to type a password before connection. I was able to disable this and get it to connect automatically at startup. This requirement has now resurfaced but unfortunately if I disable kwallet and set up the connection again it won't connect. Has anyone else found this and is there a solution for it?

I have also noticed that for the first time the wireless LED on my dell 630m laptop now comes on without me having to do anything. Interestingly it stays on even if I turn the wireless off Not to worry!

[k1936]

Re: Connect wireless automatically

same issue here...however can't help you regarding a solution...
at least for the time being.

[flarson]

Re: Connect wireless automatically

Network-Manager does not seem to support a wireless connection as a system connection. It will only start it after you start the applet (kde,gnome whatever) .That means kdenetwork will not configure a wireless interface until you login. to get around this you can configure your wireless in /etc/network/interfaces or install wicd with
sudo aptitude install wicd

The last one is far easier and it is very dependable.

[The Liquidator]

Re: Connect wireless automatically

That's what I don't understand because it worked fine in 8.10 with knetwork manager and also on an old laptop I've got running 8.10 with gnome.

I think the issue is that in configuring the network connection to "connect automatically" it launches kwallet instead of KNW like before. I'll look into WICD but my last experience of it was not a successful one but that was on thr gnome laptop.

[flarson]

Re: Connect wireless automatically

A few weeks ago I tried quite hard to get Network-Manager to use a wlan as a system connection but I could not find any indication that the capability for this was even intended to be supported by Network-Manager. I think that system absolutely must have an applet running before it fries to establish a wlan connection. If I am wrong I would sure like someone to show me how, as I would prefer to be able to stay entirely KDE.

Meanwhile I have found wicd to be very easy to install and configure, and very dependable. I keep thinking I should go hit some local hotels and see if I can connect to some of these systems that require a web browser, and are mostly designed for Windoze.

[The Liquidator]

Re: Connect wireless automatically

Don't know what it is about wicd but this is the 2nd laptop I've tried it on at home only to find it totally fails to connect to the wireless, although the wired ethernet connects.

The only think I can think of is it might not properly support wpa on my machine. It detects the router and correctly identifies that it's WPA. I click connect and get the stark message "encryption needs to be enabled". I select the other tab and see all sorts of WPA drivers and try them all (although I suspect ipw is the right one given my card is an ipw 2200). However, there doesn't appear to be any facility whereby I am invited to type in the psk. Very odd!

So I have reinstated things as they were, for the time being.

[flarson]

Re: Connect wireless automatically

When you open Wicd it will have an entry for each network it finds with a connect or disconnect button below. If you click on the line that has the essid of your router it will open and you can click "Advanced Settings" and check Use encryption and then use a drop box to select the setup you need for your router (eg.wep wpa,wpa2) and key type.

[The Liquidator]

Re: Connect wireless automatically

Ahh.. thanks.

I'll reinstall tonight and take another look.

[The Liquidator]

Re: Connect wireless automatically

Eureka!

Thanks for the help Mando

[GreyGeek]

Re: Connect wireless automatically

Network-Manager does not seem to support a wireless connection as a system connection. It will only start it after you start the applet (kde,gnome whatever)
....

Actually, network-manager makes an excellent system wireless connection. On the wireless tab, where you enter the connection name, the ssid, etc., is a checkbox which sets "Connect Automatically".

I use the Network-Manager widget and find it works very well.

The only complaint I have about it is that if you click on the icon in the tray it display a list of wireless connections in the area but does not always say which one it is connected to unless you connect from that icon manually. When the list of wireless transmitters in the area shows you can click on one and it will attempt to connect to it. Very nice!

[flarson]

Re: Connect wireless automatically (Solved)

Connect automatically does not say when to connect. In the case of a wireless connection with network-manager that is when the applet starts. That is the biggest problem I have with it, although others seem to have had trouble getting it to connect.

[Oceanwatcher]

Re: Connect wireless automatically (Solved)

Seems like wicd is the way to go. How do I keep NetworkManager from interfering? In my mind, I will then have two systems fighting for control...

[flarson]

Re: Connect wireless automatically (Solved)

Actually, before you install wicd you have 2 systems fighting for control of you network devices, network-manager and ifupdown. When you install wicd the package conflicts with network-manager so it will be removed. You should have only the lo (loopback) inteface in /etc/network/interfaces and you will then have only wicd controlling your ethernet and your wifi.

[GreyGeek]

Re: Connect wireless automatically (Solved)

Actually, before you install wicd you have 2 systems fighting for control of you network devices, network-manager and ifupdown. When you install wicd the package conflicts with network-manager so it will be removed. You should have only the lo (loopback) inteface in /etc/network/interfaces and you will then have only wicd controlling your ethernet and your wifi.

On the update of the 6th, IIRC, my network-manager stopped working! So, I uninstalled it and installed wicd, which worked perfectly, although a little odd in its gui. There was another update yesterday and when I booted this morning I got the circular icon in the panel again. Network-manager is back and working. Wicd is no where to be found. Strange.

[Oceanwatcher]

Re: Connect wireless automatically (Solved)

Well - wicd solved my problems as well. Set and forget. The interface is not KDE style, and the advanced settings are not too obvious. But the controls are easy to understand and it just works.

Thanks.

BTW - As usual.. KpackageKit had problems installing it while just doing a apt-get install did the job. This should not be like that...