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slackware:network [2010/05/02 11:56] – Do not forget about wicd-curses. alien | slackware:network [2017/06/25 16:25] – [Alternative network managers] Added NM alien |
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* There is a way to generate the hexadecimal value for the PSK if you have an access point which uses a passphrase. As root, run: <code> | * There is a way to generate the hexadecimal value for the PSK if you have an access point which uses a passphrase. As root, run: <code> |
wpa_passphrase YOURSSID passphrase | wpa_passphrase YOURSSID passphrase |
</code> with the //YOURSSID// being the ESSID of your Access Point and //passphrase// is the ascii string you entered in the ccess Point's //WPA-PSK// configuration section. You'll receive an output, which looks like this: <code> | </code> with the //YOURSSID// being the ESSID of your Access Point and //passphrase// is the ascii string you entered in the Access Point's //WPA-PSK// configuration section. You'll receive an output, which looks like this: <code> |
network={ | network={ |
ssid="YOURSSID" | ssid="YOURSSID" |
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==== Alternative network managers ==== | ==== Alternative network managers ==== |
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| The information presented in the article up to here is historical and provides you with in-depth information about how Slackware itself can manage your computer's network configuration.\\ |
| However, with the advance of mobile computers and graphical desktops, alternative means of managing network connectivity have been developed which allow for seamless roaming, VPN support and other complex scenarios.\\ |
| Several alternative network managers have been added to Slackware over time, and these come with graphical front-end programs. This section of the article on networking in Slackware deals with the alternatives. |
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| === networkmanager === |
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| The Networkmanager was added to Slackware 14.0. Originally developed by Red Hat, it is now hosted by the GNOME project and has been adopted by virtually all Linux distributions.\\ |
| NetworkManager is able to switch automatically between wired and wireless networks, allows VPN connections of various types and supports modems. |
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| Read more about NetworkManager on is homepage [[https://wiki.gnome.org/Projects/NetworkManager]] |
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| The ''NetworkManager'' package installs a daemon which talks to your computer's //dbus// messagebus to detect network connects/disconnects. The daemon is started at boot by making its //rc script// executable: <code> |
| chmod +x /etc/rc.d/rc.networkmanager |
| </code> |
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| Configuration of your wireless as well as wired interfaces is done via a client program. You can either use the GTK-based graphical ''network-manager-applet'' in your X Window session (KDE, XFCE, blackbox, ...), or use the //text user interface// program ''nmtui'' if you are not using X. If you are running KDE 4 as your Desktop Environment, then the package ''plasma5-nm'' will show a system tray widget. If you are running Plasma 5 Desktop Environment, then ''plasma5-nm'' installs a Plasma widget for the graphical management of NetworkManager. To enable that widget, right-click on the system tray and select //add widgets//, then search for //network// and drag the widget to your system tray. Once the widget is visible in your Plasma system tray you can use it to interact with the daemon. |
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| <note warn>If you want to use NetworkManager, you will have to remove any network interface configuration information from ''/etc/rc.drc.inet1.conf'' in order to prevent a struggle for power between NetworkManager and Slackware's ''rc.inet1'' script.</note> |
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=== wicd === | === wicd === |
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Wicd (pronouced as //wicked//) aims to provide a simple interface to connect to networks with a wide variety of settings. Some of Wicd's features include: | Wicd (pronounced as //wicked//) aims to provide a simple interface to connect to networks with a wide variety of settings. Some of Wicd's features include: |
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* Ability to connect to wired and wireless networks | * Ability to connect to wired and wireless networks |
Read more about it here: [[http://wicd.net/|http://wicd.net/]] | Read more about it here: [[http://wicd.net/|http://wicd.net/]] |
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Wicd installs a daemon which talks to your computer's //dbus// messagebus to detect network connects/disconnects. Configuration of your wireless as well as wired interfaces is done via a //wicd client//. You can either run the graphical //wicd-client// in your X Window session (KDE, XFCE, blackbox, ...), or use the console program //wicd-curses// if you are not using X. | You can find the ''wicd'' package in the ''/extra'' section of the Slackware distribution. It is not installed by default as part of a full installation.\\ Wicd installs a daemon which talks to your computer's //dbus// messagebus to detect network connects/disconnects. The daemon is started at boot by making its //rc script// executable: <code> |
| chmod +x /etc/rc.d/rc.wicd |
| </code> |
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| Configuration of your wireless as well as wired interfaces is done via a //wicd client//. You can either run the graphical //wicd-client// in your X Window session (KDE, XFCE, blackbox, ...), or use the console program //wicd-curses// if you are not using X. If you are running KDE4 as your Desktop Environment, then the package ''wicd-kde'' installs a KDE widget for the graphical management of your wicd daemon. To enable the ''wicd'' widget, right-click on the system tray and select //add widgets//, then search for //wicd// and drag the widget to your system tray. Once the widget is visible in your KDE system tray you can use it to interact with the daemon. |
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<note warn>If you want to use wicd, you will have to remove any network interface configuration information from ''/etc/rc.drc.inet1.conf'' in order to prevent a struggle for power between wicd and Slackware's ''rc.inet1'' script.</note> | <note warn>If you want to use wicd, you will have to remove any network interface configuration information from ''/etc/rc.drc.inet1.conf'' in order to prevent a struggle for power between wicd and Slackware's ''rc.inet1'' script.</note> |