Arch Linux

Cape

Member

From: Mogliano Veneto, Italy

Registered: 2008-11-15

Posts: 105

Clarification on Wireless Management

Hi Eve.!
I've recently installed arch and i'm super very happy of it (i'll donate as soon as i get a credit card)!
I now have to decide witch network manager to use for my wifi.

I'm an hardcore homeless wifi user, so i have to switch from a net to another very often, using different setups and protection modes, plus i use a cable connection that i have to bridge for connecting other computers to the Internet trough my wlan.

I understand that netcfg doesn't waste a lot of resources, but has no GUI while other programs, like networkmanager ("NM" from now on) needs daemons and lot more packages to be installed but offers a good GUI and easiness of use expecialy to set up wlans and possibly bridged connections without loosing time with network profiles....
(BTW, does NM have a graphical interface to scan for available wlans?)

I don't think i need network profiles, as soon as i only have to choose witch connection i want to use (lan or wlan), and manually searching and connecting to a wlan is not a big waste of time... so i thought about NM, but other programs like wifiradar seems to be more reasonable since they are less complicated, and maybe more WiFi oriented...

PS: i have an intel wifi link 5100. I installed the iwlwifi-5000 drivers, but i than read on http://www.intellinuxwireless.org/ that

The iwlwifi driver has been merged into mainline kernel since 2.6.24. If you are using kernels after this release, please use the intree (drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi) driver directly. After 2.6.26 the intree driver iwlagn also supports the new 5100BG, 5100ABG, 5100AGN, 5300AGN and 5350AGN series hardwares.

Does it means that i don't need these drivers to make my wlan work?

iBertus

Member

From: Greenville, NC

Registered: 2004-11-04

Posts: 2,228

Re: Clarification on Wireless Management

First, I would go with the system you find easier given the usage pattern you defined. Judging by the number of changes you must make per day, I'd say the NetworkManager is a good bet. You'll have to run the daemon though and some people dislike that for some reason.

Second, the package you installed is the firmware NOT the driver. Intel cannot release the firmware to be open-source because of screwball FCC regs that make it illegal for the consumer to be able to modify the radio characteristics.

zyghom

Member

From: Poland/currently Africa

Registered: 2006-05-11

Posts: 432

Website

Re: Clarification on Wireless Management

I suggest wicd, seems much more stable for me than NetworkManager

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Zygfryd Homonto

firecat53

Member

From: Lake Stevens, WA, USA

Registered: 2007-05-14

Posts: 1,542

Website

Re: Clarification on Wireless Management

There's a command line front end for netcfg in the AUR call wifi-select that works well for scanning and selecting networks when you're out and about.

Good luck!
Scott

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Github

Cape

Member

From: Mogliano Veneto, Italy

Registered: 2008-11-15

Posts: 105

Re: Clarification on Wireless Management

mmm... i guess i'll stick with NM than, if i don't like it i can just uninstall it no?
Wicd seems cool but is in phyton... sounds a little fishy.

Intel cannot release the firmware to be open-source because of screwball FCC regs that make it illegal for the consumer to be able to modify the radio characteristics.

Ah ok! BTW, i've read somewhere that there was a trick to enable the antenna to work at a frequency that was illegal in the US but very common in EU. Is it possible?

Last edited by Cape (2009-02-20 21:42:46)

_alexmyself

Member

From: france

Registered: 2005-09-18

Posts: 89

Re: Clarification on Wireless Management

just for knowledge
'netcfg-menu' command prompt the same menu you have at boot time when you use 'menu' in your rc.conf.

but i don't know about bridges stuff with netcfg.