Arch Linux

shva

Member

Registered: 2009-04-25

Posts: 13

questions before I install Arch

Hi everyone. I decide to try Arch after using Ubuntu for almost a year. After reading the installing guide, I find the wireless network is the big problem. I am using wireless, and I can easily get connected with it by wicd. But installing Arch needs a wireless under command line, so I try that in terminal:

# ifconfig wlan0 up
# iwlist wlan0 scan       ( and I see my target wireless network is there)
# iwconfig wlan0 essid "My_Network" key 0123456789
# dhclient wlan0

But it did not work. What I was sure was I managed to connect to this network with this key in Ubuntu Network Manager, or wicd, if using GUI. I later searched for this problem and it seemed that iwconfig recognized the key as hex by default. If using ascii, it should be:

# iwconfig wlan0 essid "My_Network" key s:0123456789

But even that I failed too. So I am just wondering how to get a hex key out of it? Is there any algorithm for this...?

I have downloaded the core version of Arch. But I am wondering if I need the internet by installing X windows and fluxbox, using pacman... If not, I can go directly with it and grab a GUI network manage like wicd and I will have no problems.

Thank you very much.

Last edited by shva (2009-04-25 15:51:59)

graysky

Wiki Maintainer

From: :wq

Registered: 2008-12-01

Posts: 10,731

Website

Re: questions before I install Arch

My experience with wireless networks is very limited (got one up using WPA2 under Debian/unstable).  Perhaps someone more knowledgeable than I will reply to your thread.  Until then, have you read the wireless article on the wiki?

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AUR packages • Zsh and other configs

Alxe

Member

From: /home/alex

Registered: 2009-01-20

Posts: 102

Re: questions before I install Arch

That would only work if you have a WEP password for your router. What I did is "downgrade" from WPA2 to WEP during instalation and basic programs.
Also you could configure wpa_supplicant to help.

If you are using a WEP key, then post the debug when connecting.

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Arch64

shva

Member

Registered: 2009-04-25

Posts: 13

Re: questions before I install Arch

yeah... I read that. I use WEP 40/128-bit, but key is 0123456789. But when I use

# iwconfig wlan0 essid "My_Network" key s:0123456789

but it doesn't work

shva

Member

Registered: 2009-04-25

Posts: 13

Re: questions before I install Arch

when I type:

# iwconfig wlan0 essid "My_Network" key s:0123456789

I get Error for wireless request "Set Encode" (8B2A)

I don't know what it means

jack.mitchell

Member

From: Ely, Cambridgeshire, UK

Registered: 2008-08-28

Posts: 156

Website

Re: questions before I install Arch

I had this on my install the other day. I just removed the s: and just had the key.

# iwconfig wlan0 essid "My_Network" key 0123456789

Last edited by jack.mitchell (2009-04-25 16:36:33)

shva

Member

Registered: 2009-04-25

Posts: 13

Re: questions before I install Arch

I tried. It didn't work for me.

jack.mitchell

Member

From: Ely, Cambridgeshire, UK

Registered: 2008-08-28

Posts: 156

Website

Re: questions before I install Arch

Does it post the same error? Try messing about with the different combinations of quotation marks taking them off both the key and network name, and then try with them on both the key and the network name.

iwconfig wlan0 essid "My_Network" key "0123456789"

iwconfig wlan0 essid My_Network key 0123456789

Last edited by jack.mitchell (2009-04-25 17:25:30)

reed9

Member

Registered: 2008-06-12

Posts: 77

Re: questions before I install Arch

Why not use netcfg?

EVRAMP

Member

From: Czech Republic

Registered: 2008-10-03

Posts: 173

Website

Re: questions before I install Arch

reed9 until you type man iwconfig and find out how to set wep key

# iwconfig wlan0 key 0123456789

using netcfg will not fix habit to type wrong commands into terminal

perbh

Member

From: Republic of Texas

Registered: 2005-03-04

Posts: 765

Re: questions before I install Arch

Hmmm - I havent tried this - but I do believe some form of quoting may be required if the key starts with a '0' ...
Or - maybe even better - change your key so it doesn't start with a '0'