Configuring Wireless Networks


Wireless networking used to be a pig to configure for Linux, requiring a lot of complicated steps to connect to a wireless network. However, Ubuntu includes a great utility called Network Manager that makes connecting to and managing wireless networks extremely easy. Thanks to the inclusion of several wireless chipset drivers in the Ubuntu Linux kernel, it is now easy to connect to WEP and WPA encrypted wireless networks.

If you have an Intel Centrino-based system, you need to retrieve the latest firmware from http://ipw2200.sourceforge.net, unpack it, and copy the contents of the file to /lib/firmware. For Broadcom-based wireless systems, you need to retrieve the bcm43xx-fwcutter package via synaptic to extract the firmware from the relevant driver file. Head on over to http://tinyurl.com/eemyd for full instructions on where to retrieve the driver files and how to use fwcutter. When you have extracted the firmware, you need to place it in the /lib/firmware directory.

After you have copied the firmware into the /lib/firmware directory, download and install Network Manager. Retrieve this using synaptic and restart your computer. When you log in, you should see the Network Manager applet appear in the top panel (see Figure 4.14). This is the applet that handles and monitors network connections.

Figure 4.14. The Network Manager notification applet, seen here already connected to a wireless network.


It is worthwhile rebooting at this point so that Ubuntu can detect the presence of the firmware. When you have logged back in, click the nm-applet icon in the toolbar to connect to a wireless network. If your wireless access point broadcasts its SSID, it should appear in the list under wireless networks (similar to Figure 4.14). Simply click on the required network and Network Manager will sense what encryption (if any) is in use and ask you for the passkey. Enter this and Network Manager will start the wireless connection. The passkey is then stored in the default keyring, so if you have not yet used the keyring, you are asked to create a password. From now on, whenever you log in to Ubuntu, you are asked for the key to unlock the keyring.

If for some reason your wireless network does not appear (you might have your SSID hidden), you must use the Connect to Other Wireless Network option, which brings up the screen shown in Figure 4.15.

Figure 4.15. Configure your wireless network connection settings using Network Manager.


Network Manager can handle WEP and WPA Personal encryption. You are advised to use WPA encryption because it is the stronger of the two.

Network Manager can also connect to Cisco VPN connections, using the vpnc software. Install this using synaptic and you will be able to specify connection settings as appropriate, or if you have access to a predefined configuration (.pcf file) you can import it directly into Network Manager.



Ubuntu Unleashed
Ubuntu Unleashed 2011 Edition: Covering 10.10 and 11.04 (6th Edition)
ISBN: 0672333449
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 318

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