[2024-feb-29] Sad news: Eric Layton aka Nocturnal Slacker aka vtel57 passed away on Feb 26th, shortly after hospitalization. He was one of our Wiki's most prominent admins. He will be missed.

Welcome to the Slackware Documentation Project

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revisionPrevious revision
Next revision		Previous revision
Next revisionBoth sides next revision
slackbook:wifi [2012/09/17 00:05 (UTC)] – [Wifi Protected Access] corrected a section heading mfillpotslackbook:wifi [2012/09/17 01:22 (UTC)] – [rc.inet1.conf revisited] Added original text and formatting mfillpot
Line 109: Line 109:
 ===== Wifi Protected Access ===== ===== Wifi Protected Access =====
  
-Wifi Protected Access (or WPA for short) was the successor for WEP that aimed to fix several problems with wireless encryption. Unfortunately, WPA had some flaws as well. An update called WPA2 offers even stronger protection. At this time, WPA2 is supported by nearly all wireless network cards and access points, but some older devices may only support WEP. If you need to secure your wireless network traffic, WPA2 should be considered the minimum level of protection required. Unfortunately, iwconfig is unable to setup WPA2 encryption on its own. For that, we need a helper daemon, wpa_supplicant(8).+Wifi Protected Access (or WPA for short) was the successor for WEP that 
 +aimed to fix several problems with wireless encryption. Unfortunately, 
 +WPA had some flaws as well.  An update called WPA2 offers even stronger 
 +protection. At this time, WPA2 is supported by nearly all wireless 
 +network cards and access points, but some older devices may only 
 +support WEP. If you need to secure your wireless network traffic, WPA2 
 +should be considered the minimum level of protection required. 
 +Unfortunately, **//iwconfig//** is unable to setup 
 +WPA2 encryption on its own.  For that, we need a helper daemon, 
 +**//wpa_supplicant//**(8).
  
-Unfortunately, there's no easy way to manually configure a WPA2 protected network; you'll have to edit /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf directly with a text editor. Here we will discuss the simplest form of WPA2 protection, the Pre-Shared Key, or PSK for short. For details on setting up Slackware to connect to more complicated WPA2 encrypted networks, see the man page for wpa_supplicant.conf. 
  
-  # /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf +Unfortunately, there's no easy way to manually configure a WPA2 
-  # ======================== +protected network; you'll have to edit 
-  # This line enables the use of wpa_cli which is used by rc.wireless +''/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf'' directly with a text 
-  # if possible (to check for successful association) +editor. Here we will discuss the simplest form of WPA2 protection, the 
-  ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant +Pre-Shared Key, or PSK for short. For details on setting up Slackware 
-  # By default, only root (group 0) may use wpa_cli +to connect to more complicated WPA2 encrypted networks, see the man 
-  ctrl_interface_group=0 +page for ''wpa_supplicant.conf''.
-  eapol_version=1 +
-  ap_scan=1 +
-  fast_reauth=1 +
-  #country=US +
-   +
-  # WPA protected network, supply your own ESSID and WPAPSK here: +
-  network={ +
-    scan_ssid=1 +
-    ssid="nest" +
-    key_mgmt=WPA-PSK +
-    psk="secret passphrase" +
-  }+
  
-The block of text we're interested in is the network block enclosed by curly braces. Here we have set the ssid for the network "nest", and "secret passphrase" as the PSK to be used. At this point, WPA2 is properly configured. You can run wpa_supplicant and then obtain an IP address via DHCP or set a static address. Of course, this is a lot of work; there must be an easier way to do this. 
  
 +<code>
 +
 +# /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
 +# ========================
 +# This line enables the use of wpa_cli which is used by rc.wireless
 +# if possible (to check for successful association)
 +ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
 +# By default, only root (group 0) may use wpa_cli
 +ctrl_interface_group=0
 +eapol_version=1
 +ap_scan=1
 +fast_reauth=1
 +#country=US
 +
 +# WPA protected network, supply your own ESSID and WPAPSK here:
 +network={
 +  scan_ssid=1
 +  ssid="nest"
 +  key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
 +  psk="secret passphrase"
 +}
 +</code>
 +
 +
 +The block of text we're interested in is the network block enclosed by
 +curly braces.  Here we have set the ssid for the network
 +//"nest"//, and //"secret
 +passphrase"// as the PSK to be used. At this point, WPA2 is properly
 +configured.  You can run **//wpa_supplicant//** and
 +then obtain an IP address via DHCP or set a static address.  Of
 +course, this is a lot of work; there must be an easier way to do this.
 +
 +
 +<!-- not closing this yet /section -->
 ==== rc.inet1.conf revisited ==== ==== rc.inet1.conf revisited ====
  
-Welcome back to rc.inet1.conf. You will recall that in Chapter 14, Networking we used this configuration file to automatically configure NICs whenever Slackware boots. Now, we will use it to configure wifi as well.+Welcome back to ''rc.inet1.conf''.  You're recall 
 +that in [[:slackbook:network|networking]] we used this configuration file 
 +to automatically configure NICs whenever Slackware boots.  Now, we 
 +will use it to configure wifi as well. 
 + 
 + 
 +<note> 
 +   
 +    If you're using WPA2, you'll still need to setup 
 +    wpa_supplicant.conf properly first, however. 
 + 
 +</note> 
 + 
 +Recall that each NIC had a name or number that identified the variables 
 +that correspond with it?  The same hold true for wifi NICs, only they 
 +have even more variables due to the added complexity of wireless 
 +networking. 
 + 
 + 
 +<code>
  
-<note>If you're using WPA2, you'll still need to setup wpa_supplicant.conf properly first, however.</note>+# rc.inet1.conf (excert) 
 +# ====================== 
 +## Example config information for wlan0.  Uncomment the lines you need and fill 
 +## in your info.  (You may not need all of these for your wireless network) 
 +IFNAME[4]="wlan0" 
 +IPADDR[4]="" 
 +NETMASK[4]="" 
 +USE_DHCP[4]="yes" 
 +#DHCP_HOSTNAME[4]="icculus-wireless" 
 +#DHCP_KEEPRESOLV[4]="yes" 
 +#DHCP_KEEPNTP[4]="yes" 
 +#DHCP_KEEPGW[4]="yes" 
 +#DHCP_IPADDR[4]="" 
 +WLAN_ESSID[4]="nest" 
 +#WLAN_MODE[4]=Managed 
 +#WLAN_RATE[4]="54M auto" 
 +#WLAN_CHANNEL[4]="auto" 
 +#WLAN_KEY[4]="D5AD1F04ACF048EC2D0B1C80C7" 
 +#WLAN_IWPRIV[4]="set AuthMode=WPAPSK | \ 
 +#   set EncrypType=TKIP | \ 
 +#   set WPAPSK=96389dc66eaf7e6efd5b5523ae43c7925ff4df2f8b7099495192d44a774fda16" 
 +WLAN_WPA[4]="wpa_supplicant" 
 +#WLAN_WPADRIVER[4]="ndiswrapper" 
 +</code>
  
-Recall that each NIC had a name or number that identified the variables that correspond with it? The same holds true for wifi NICs, only they have even more variables due to the added complexity of wireless networking. 
  
-  # rc.inet1.conf (excerpt) +When we discussed wired ethernet, each //n// in the 
-  # ====================== +variable corresponded with the //n// in 
-  ## Example config information for wlan0.  Uncomment the lines you need and fill +//eth**n**//.  Here however, that 
-  ## in your info.  (You may not need all of these for your wireless network) +no longer holds true. Notice that the variable IFNAME[4] has a value 
-  IFNAME[4]="wlan0" +of //wlan0//. It is common for wireless cards to have an interface name 
-  IPADDR[4]="" +other than //ethn// and that is reflected here.  When 
-  NETMASK[4]="" +''rc.inet1.conf'' is read by the start-up scripts, 
-  USE_DHCP[4]="yes" +Slackware knows to apply all these options to the //wlan0// wifi NIC 
-  #DHCP_HOSTNAME[4]="icculus-wireless" +instead of the (probably non-existant) eth4 wired NIC.  Many of the 
-  #DHCP_KEEPRESOLV[4]="yes" +other options are the same. IP address information is added in 
-  #DHCP_KEEPNTP[4]="yes" +exactly the same way we discussed for wired network cards in [[:slackbook:network|networking]]; however, we have a lot of new variables that need 
-  #DHCP_KEEPGW[4]="yes" +some explanation.
-  #DHCP_IPADDR[4]="" +
-  WLAN_ESSID[4]="nest" +
-  #WLAN_MODE[4]=Managed +
-  #WLAN_RATE[4]="54M auto" +
-  #WLAN_CHANNEL[4]="auto" +
-  #WLAN_KEY[4]="D5AD1F04ACF048EC2D0B1C80C7" +
-  #WLAN_IWPRIV[4]="set AuthMode=WPAPSK | \ +
-  #   set EncrypType=TKIP | \ +
-  #   set WPAPSK=96389dc66eaf7e6efd5b5523ae43c7925ff4df2f8b7099495192d44a774fda16" +
-  WLAN_WPA[4]="wpa_supplicant" +
-  #WLAN_WPADRIVER[4]="ndiswrapper"+
  
-When we discussed wired ethernet, each n in the variable corresponded with the n in ethn. Here however, that no longer holds true. Notice that the variable IFNAME[4] has a value of wlan0. It is common for wireless cards to have an interface name other than ethn and that is reflected here. When rc.inet1.conf is read by the start-up scripts, Slackware knows to apply all these options to the wlan0 wifi NIC instead of the (probably non-existent) eth4 wired NIC. Many of the other options are the same. IP address information is added in exactly the same way we discussed for wired network cards in [[:network|networking]] however, we have a lot of new variables that need some explanation. 
  
-To begin, WLAN_ESSID[n] and WLAN_CHANNEL[n] should be self-explanatory by now; they refer the the essid and frequency to use. WLAN_MODE[n] is either managed or ad-hoc. Anyone connecting to an access point will want to use managed mode. WLAN_KEY[n] is the WEP key to use, if you're forced to use WEP. WLAN_IWPRIV[n] is a very complicated variable that sets other variables inside itself. WLAN_IWPRIV[n] is used for WPA2 networks. Here you tell Slackware what authentication mode, encryption type, and key to use for WPA2 connections. Please note that WLAN_KEY[n] and WLAN_IWPRIV[n] are mutually exclusive; you can't use both on the same interface. If you successfully configure all this, then Slackware will attempt to connect to your wireless network as soon as the system boots.+To begin, //WLAN_ESSID[n]// and 
 +//WLAN_CHANNEL[n]// should be self-explainatory by now; 
 +they refer the the essid and frequency to 
 +use. //WLAN_MODE[n]// is either 
 +**managed** or **ad-hoc**. 
 +Anyone connecting to an access point will want to use managed mode. 
 +//WLAN_KEY[n]// is the WEP key to use, if you're forced 
 +to use WEP.  //WLAN_IWPRIV[n]// is a very complicated 
 +variable that sets other variables inside itself. 
 +//WLAN_IWPRIV[n]// is used for WPA2 networks.  Here you 
 +tell Slackware what authentication mode, encryption type, and key to 
 +use for WPA2 connections.  Please note that 
 +//WLAN_KEY[n]// and //WLAN_IWPRIV[n]// 
 +are mutually exclusive; you can't use both on the same interface.  If 
 +you successfully configure all this, then Slackware will attempt to 
 +connect to your wireless network as soon as the system boots.
  
-But wait, that's so much work! And what if I need to connect to multiple wireless networks? I take my laptop to work and school and need to seamlessly setup those wireless connections as soon as one is within range. Doing things this way is simply too much work. You're absolutely correct. 
  
 +But wait, that's so much work!  And what if I need to connect to
 +multiple wireless networks?  I take my laptop to work and school and
 +need to seemlessly setup those wireless connections as soon as one is
 +within range.  Doing things this way is simply too much work.  You're
 +absolutely correct.
 ===== Wicd ===== ===== Wicd =====
  

Trace:

slackbook:wifi ()