permanent wireless config [Solved]

[Learnincurve]

Hi,

I'm still struggling to find a difinitive recipe for setting up a default wireless configuration. Gave up on Knetwork managaer when it always asked for a kwallet password and (eventually) had success using http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Wireless_C ... nd_Startup.

Even as a (moderately) experienced debian and RedHat user, I find the method using conf.d/net and wpasupplicant.conf confusing, and don't trust that the information on the howtos is up to date. For newbies this would be a complete show stopper.

So, having done a re-install and losing my wpa_supplicant configs:

Am I missing something, or do we not have a simple method for setting up a default wireless network (with wep ...the only security my freebsd/acx combo will give me), so that it will come up at every boot when within range?

This is my only major gripe with a distro that I have found a real pleasure to use in every other respect.

Cheers!

[rikd]

The HOWTO isn't too far off - just take your time and read it.

For mine (using WEP as I'm limited to it by one device) I did the following:
Configure the Device
edit /etc/conf.d/wireless to setup the wifi network, for my net device ath0

Code: Select all

# Set the ESSID to the network ID
essid_ath0="MY_ESSID"
# Using Managed Mode (not Adhoc)
mode_ath0="managed"
# Ensure I only use my ESSID
preferred_aps=( "MY_ESSID" )
# Force the order
associate_order="forcepreferredonly"
# Set the key for MY_ESSID to "open" and the wep key to an ASCII String
key_MY_ESSID="open 's:.simple3;Pw2!'"


You'll need to change the interface, ESSID and password. Note: FOR the BE version I didn't need to put the password in ' but for 3.4a I did.
And for /etc/conf.d/net just simple setup a DHCP

Code: Select all

iface_ath0="dhcp"


Setting up for boot time
First remove (as root) NetworkManager

Code: Select all

# rc-update del NetworkManager
# rc-update del dhcdbd


Ensure you have an init script for your interface (ath0 for me)

Code: Select all

# ls /etc/init.d/net.ath0
/etc/init.d/net.ath0


If it doesn't exist just softlink the net.lo, i.e.

Code: Select all

# ln -s /etc/init.d/net.lo /etc/init.d/net.ath0


Finally now, add to the default runlevel

Code: Select all

# rc-update add net.ath0 default


Hope that works.

[Learnincurve]

Thanks!

That's just what I was looking for. Perfect for lazies like me not to have too google around and wonder whether they're using wpa_supplicant or iwconfig, and whether bits of the config should be in /etc/wireless or /etc/net ...

Happy camper