Re: [gentoo-user] Wireless Configuration...

[BRM]

----- Original Message -----

> From: Mick <michaelkintzios@×××××.com>
> On Saturday 03 Sep 2011 15:14:27 BRM wrote:
>>  ----- Original Message -----
>>  > Assuming that you have built in your kernel or loaded the driver
> module
>>  > for your NIC and any firmware blobs have also been loaded, please
> show:
>>
>>  Yes. As I noted, it's worked before. The driver loads it find the
> firmware,
>>  etc. Configuration information is below.
>>  
>>
>>  > /etc/conf.d/net
>>
>>  # This is a network block that connects to any unsecured access point.
>>  # We give it a low priority so any defined blocks are preferred.
>>  ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=wheel
>
> I think the above should be either:
>
>   ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
>   ctrl_interface_group=wheel
>
> or,
>
>   DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=wheel

Ok. Corrected that to the first one.
 
>>  #ctrl_interface_group=wheel
>>  ap_scan=1
>>  fast_reauth=1
>>  # This blank configuration will automatically use DHCP for any net.*
>>  # scripts in /etc/init.d.  To create a more complete configuration,
>>  # please review /etc/conf.d/net.example and save your configuration
>>  # in /etc/conf.d/net (this file :]!).
>>
>>  # Standard Network:
>>  config_eth0=( "dhcp" )

> The old syntax you use here, which was ( "value" ) is now deprecated. 
> You
> should replace all such entries by removing the brackets, e.g. the above
> becomes:
>
> config_eth0="dhcp"
>
> This is explained in: http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/openrc-migration.xml

Corrected that one too. eth0 was working fine though.
 
>>  dns_domain_lo="coal"
>>  # Wireless Network:
>>  # TBD
>>  #config_wlan0 ( "wpa_supplicant" )
>>  #
>>
>>  # Enable this to use WPA supplicant; however, need to change the
>>  configuration of the Wireless first. modules=( "!plug"
> "!iwconfig"
>>  "wpa_supplicant" )
>>  #modules=( "!plug" "wpa_supplicant" )
>>  #modules=("iwconfig")
>>  #wpa_supplicant_wlan0="-Dwext"
>>  #wpa_timeout_wlan0=15
>>
>>  #modules=("iwconfig")
>>  #iwconfig_wlan0="mode managed"
>>  #wpa_timeout_wlan0=15
>
> You should also add something like:
>
> modules="wpa_supplicant"
> wpa_supplicant_wlan0="-Dwext"
> config_wlan0="dhcp"

I re-enabled those and added the last line.
 
>
>>  > and
>>  >
>>  > grep ^[^#] /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
>>
>>  ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=wheel
>>  ap_scan=1
>>  fast_reauth=1
>>  country=US
>>
>>  # Home Network
>>  #network={
>>  #       ssid="MY-NETWORK"
>>  #       key_mgmt=IEEE8021X
>>  #       eap=TLS
>>  #       wep_key0=DEADBEAF0123456789ABCDEF000
>>  #       priority=1
>>  #       auth_alg=SHARED
>>  #}
>>  #
>>  #network={
>>  #       key_mgmt=NONE
>>  #       priority=-9999999
>>  #}
>>
>>  The network information is commented out as I was trying to get it to work
>>  with the normal user-space tools (e.g. Network Manager); however, it is no
>>  longer working in that configuration either. It doesn't seem to ever
> get
>>  to doing the SCAN portion of trying to find networks.
>>
>>  I can see wlan0 in wpa_gui, but I can't get it to scan at all. And
> I'd much
>>  rather use Network Manager if I could over wpa_gui; but it doesn't even
>>  see wlan0 (it happily finds eth0, my wired NIC.)
>>
>>  Ben
>
> You need to add or uncomment the following to your wpa_supplicant.conf:
> =====================
> network={
>         key_mgmt=NONE
>         priority=0
> }
> =====================
> The above will let latch on the first available AP.

I wasn't sure that that one was for. I've re-enabled it and the original one for my network.
 
> Also, you can then add any AP of preference with passphrases and what not:
> =====================
> # Home Network
> network={
>       ssid="MY-NETWORK"
> #      key_mgmt=IEEE8021X  <--You don't need these entries here, unless
> #      eap=TLS             <--you run SSL certs for authentication
>       wep_key0=DEADBEAF0123456789ABCDEF000
>       priority=1
>       auth_alg=OPEN
> }
> =====================

Interestingly, wpa_supplicant complains if those two lines are not there even though I am not doing SSL auth.
 
> and something like this for WPA2:
> =====================
> network={
>         ssid="what-ever"
>         proto=RSN
>         key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
>         pairwise=CCMP
>         auth_alg=OPEN
>         group=CCMP
>         psk"pass_123456789"
>         priority=5
> =====================

I want to try to get away from adding things directly to the wpa_supplicant.conf file as I would rather that the connection information be managed by a GUI tool.
 
> Something like the above should get you online again, but you may need to
> experiment with different settings depending on the encryption used by the
> chosen AP.
>
> When wardriving open the wpa_gui, scan and double-click on your desired AP. 
> Then enter the key for it (if it has one) and you should be able to associate. 
> At that point dhcpcd will kick in and you'll get an IP address and be able
> to
> connect to the Internet (as long as the AP is not asking for DNS
> authentication or some such security measure).
>
> Of course if you use networkmanager you do not need to use wpa_gui.

I'd rather use the NetworkManager in KDE than wpa_gui.

That said, NetworkManager in KDE seems to be using wicd for some reason.

I also have KDE running under Kubuntu on my work computer (4.6.2) and the Network Manager is completely different (don't know why) - it's not wicd as far as I can tell.

However, They are still not working. wpa_gui refuses to scan and find networks; while wicd is not finding networks either - but there's so little information in the GUI that it is practically useless to say why.
Perhaps I've got something at the KDE layer screwed up?

I also updated everything so I am now using KDE 4.6.5 (I think it was 4.6.2 or 4.6.3 before).

TIA,

Ben