Bringing Up Wireless Connections Automatically

[Matthew Saltzman]

On Sun, 27 Aug 2006, Robert L. Cochran wrote:

>> In system-config-network, you can check Activate at boot, Obtain IP 
>> settings, and Obtain DNS information for the interface.  Under the DNS tab, 
>> don't set the Hostname field.  Reboot after making these settings, as the 
>> hostname only takes effect at boot.
>> 
>> I *think* that will do it.  I know there is some combination of options 
>> settable there that will do it.
>> 
>
> When I start system-config-network in a terminal, I get this warning for my 
> wireless device (which is the Broadcom 4306, not the 4311 as I suggested 
> earlier):
>
>
> "Warning: Driver for device eth1 has been compiled with version 20 of 
> Wireless Extension, while this program supports up to version 19. Some things 
> may be broken...".

This *should* not be a problem....

>
> system-config-network sees the wireless device, but doesn't seem to let me 
> edit it so I can activate it on boot and enter wireless information such as 
> the ssid and encryption key.

...so I'm not sure what's happening here.

>
> Another reader, Jafar, suggested I use NetworkManager but before I can do 
> that or play with system-config-network (on a consistent basis I mean) I'm 
> having a problem with the device name. Sometimes when I boot iwconfig shows 
> the device name as 'dev1804289383'. Then after repeated reboots the device 
> name shows as 'eth1'. This started after I wondered what would happen if I 
> used
>
> iwconfig eth1 key restricted xxxxx
>
> rather than
>
> iwconfig eth1 key open xxxxx
>
> when I used 'key restricted' the command worked (no error message) but then 
> when I then issued
>
> dhclient eth1
>
> the entire system locked up and I had to turn power off to the laptop (a 
> Compaq nx9010.)
>
> After that I started seeing iwconfig list eth1 as 'dev1804289383'. Anyone 
> know how I can get rid of this?

This has been discussed here (I think, or possibly on 
networkmanager-list at gnome.org).  Look in the archives.   Make sure you 
have the latest initscripts update.

>
>
>
>>> I'm only getting an 11 Mbps bitrate and I know this wireless connection 
>>> can do 54.
>> 
>> 802.11g?  Does the WAP support it?  Is there an 802.11b device associated 
>> with the same WAP?  That will force g connections to run at 11Mpbs.
>
> I have 3 devices on my network. The access point is a brand new Linksys 
> WRT54G and is 11g capable.There is also a Hewlet Packard Deskjet 5850 printer 
> with built-in wireless networking. It is powered off but still plugged in. 
> Perhaps the radio is alive nevertheless? The final device is my laptop with
> the BCM4306. I know it runs at 11g speeds because it also boots Windows XP 
> and the Broadcom driver on that reports the speed at 54 Mbps.

You should be able to use the router's config screens to see what 
connections it is supporting, but if you have a g device and it is 
reporting 54Mpbs, then this isn't your issue.

>
> Thanks for any help that can be offered.

I'm plumb out now.  As I said, I don't have the actual device you are 
using.

>
> Bob Cochran
>
>
>
>

-- 
 		Matthew Saltzman

Clemson University Math Sciences
mjs AT clemson DOT edu
http://www.math.clemson.edu/~mjs