[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.

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slackbook:wifi [2012/09/17 00:06 (UTC)] – [Wifi Protected Access] Added original text and formatting mfillpotslackbook:wifi [2012/09/17 01:22 (UTC)] – [rc.inet1.conf revisited] Added original text and formatting mfillpot
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 ==== 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 holds true for wifi NICs, only they have even more variables due to the added complexity of wireless networking.+<note> 
 +   
 +    If you're using WPA2, you'll still need to setup 
 +    wpa_supplicant.conf properly first, however.
  
-  # rc.inet1.conf (excerpt) +</note>
-  # ====================== +
-  ## 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"+
  
-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.+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.
  
-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. 
  
-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.+<code>
  
 +# 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>
 +
 +
 +When we discussed wired ethernet, each //n// in the
 +variable corresponded with the //n// in
 +//eth**n**//.  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-existant) 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 [[:slackbook: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-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 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 =====
  

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