[Solved] Not able to connect anymore

[Daisuke]

Here's the story: I was streaming music on Amarok and browsing on Firefox. Then, the connection just went down. However, when I disconnected and connected again through the wireless thingamajig widget I couldn't stream music or browse anymore. The interesting part is that even though the widget says that I am connected and everything is functioning properly, I can't work on any application that requires internet.

For example, after I'm connected, I try to go to www.thisisawebsite.com and it says: "Adress not found" with the 'possible' options of why it doesn't work (I wrote the adress wrong, host server down, etc.)

I appreciate any help or comment on this issue.

[lmilano]

Re: Not able to connect anymore

Is this a wired connection? I had issues with my wired connection with the default netowrk app (NetworkManager). Installing wicd solved all issues for me

HTH!

[Daisuke]

Re: Not able to connect anymore

No, it's actually a wireless one. What should I do when it's wireless?

[lmilano]

Re: Not able to connect anymore

Mmm, wicd also works with wireless. The issue is that it forces you to uninstall network manager, so you'll probably want to download packages for network manager first and keep them around in case wicd doesn't solve the issue. Before doing anything else, it may be worthwhile rebooting if you haven't already ...

[lmilano]

Re: Not able to connect anymore

It could also be the router, some times switching them off and on recycles them back to normal. Do you have another box to check if the wireless signal from the router is ok?

[lmilano]

Re: Not able to connect anymore

Yes, on my home desktop (with a simple hdcp wired connection to the router):

* In 32 bit Kubuntu 8.10 (upgrade from 8.04) Network Manager would not autoconnect, and I found no way to configure it system wide from NM. So, i had to have each user in the machine connect at login. I just installed wicd and no more problems.

* In 64 bit Kubuntu 9.04 fresh install (a new machine), same thing, no autoconnect. I managed to get an intermittent connection , but enough to install wicd. Again, no more problems.

In the last 5 years, these two incidents were about the only times I've seen any linux not to connect automatically to a wired dhcp lease at boot time.

I saw so many people fixing their problems by switching to wicd, maybe we should propose this in launchpad.

[jglen490]

Re: Not able to connect anymore

Mmm, wicd also works with wireless. The issue is that it forces you to uninstall network manager, so you'll probably want to download packages for network manager first and keep them around in case wicd doesn't solve the issue. Before doing anything else, it may be worthwhile rebooting if you haven't already ...

Losing networkmanager in order to gain wicd, is really not a problem ! Of course, if later networkmanager cures all its ills and becomes the software of choice, you can always grab a fresh/updated package from the repos. Of course, when you do that, then wicd will have to go. The two just can't get along. [puts on old Western movie actor voice] "There ain't enuff room in this here town for the both of us." [returns to normal voice] They can't exist, even on disk, together.

[lmilano]

Re: Not able to connect anymore

Yep, and the sad thing is, when you lose network connection you can't download the software to cure the problem. It's really a pretty crucial thing. The three basic three are the kernel loading, an X Windows environment running and the network. Oh well.

[Detonate]

Re: Not able to connect anymore

I believe the network manager software is on the CD. So just pop in your CD, uncomment it in your sources.list file, and there you are.

[lmilano]

Re: Not able to connect anymore

Good point, maybe they should both be included in the live CD, one as an alternative.

[Daisuke]

Re: Not able to connect anymore

Thank you for all your help. Funny thing: I was just about to connect with a wired connection in order to install wicd but decided to check with network manager (wirelessly) one more time. It worked. However, if it happens again (and I have a funny feeling it will) I shall immediately install wicd. Thank you for all your help and opinions.

Oh, I believe there should be an alternative as you guys mentioned. A proposal could be in order. In any case, thanks again.

[sithlord48]

Re: [Solved] Not able to connect anymore

the other benifit to using wicd it that your wifi connection will connect before you log in to KDE!

[Dawe]

Re: [Solved] Not able to connect anymore

I borrow this thread by saying thanks guys i had the same problem with the original network manager and wifi and i installed wicd witch seems to be a far more great app then the original on kubuntu and my wireless is working fine now. hope it will continue to to that =) because who wants to go with wired connection when u have a wireless router and a laptop.

thanks again this forum has already help me with many things with my kubuntu

[GreyGeek]

Re: [Solved] Not able to connect anymore

Another thing folks should keep in mind: IF your wireless router is connected to your cable modem then it usually has 1 to 4 ethernet ports in back. Keeping a length of Cat5 Ethernet cable handy for when you lose wireless connection keeps you from losing your Internet connection. Just plug one end of the cable into your wireless ethernet socket and the other into your computer eth0 socket. Instant DHCP connection. No essid, no passwords, no connection type needed. Then, you can work out your wireless connection. BOTH your Eth port and your Wireless can be connected to the Internet at the same time. If you don't want your wireless transmitting your essid you can turn it off in the wireless setup and use it as a straight dhcp router. They can't hack it if they can see it.

[lmilano]

Re: [Solved] Not able to connect anymore

Just plug one end of the cable into your wireless ethernet socket and the other into your computer eth0 socket. Instant DHCP connection.

Yes, this has been my experience in the last 8 years or so in at least three distros (Mandriva, Knoppix and Kubuntu). Not any longer in my home desktop connected to my DSL Westell 327W Modem/router. Both in my old desktop and my newly built desktop, Network manager has had many problems just with the wired connection, and I happily moved to wicd in both cases.

Network Manager does work beautifully on my eeepc. It integrates a lot more nicely to KDE4. And it has the architecture I'd like to see in Ubuntu apps: a desktop agnostic lib and KDE/Gnome/etc front ends. Of course this is mostly developed by good ol' RedHat.