network vs NetworkManger services ??

[Mike]

Matthew Saltzman <mjs <at> clemson.edu> writes:

> Sorry if I wasn't clear.  In system-config-network, there is a check-box
> for each interface indicating whether it is controlled by
> NetworkManager.  If you have NetworkManager service running and the
> network service off, you want that box checked.  If you have
> NetworkManager off and network running, you want that box unchecked.

Just to add another twist to the options....
Of course you can define the interfaces in /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/
ifcfg-****

 and then start/run these using 
service network start
chkconfig network on

But not have NetworkManager running.... or

you can 
service network stop
chkconfig network off

and then use NetworkManager during a logged in session to control connections.

I have an alternative way of running my wireless network on a laptop 
which I want to have the wireless running before a user logs in... that
way I can log in wirelessly and do updates etc without the extra load from
an X desktop.  How I do this is to run wpa_supplicant directly, after
setting up the config files /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
and /etc/sysconfig/wpa_supplicant and then have NetworkManager not running
and do
service wpa_supplicant start
chkconfig wpa_supplicant on

This is also useful if administering a laptop for a user who knows little
about networking - and wpa_supplicant can be set up to run with local
wpa encrypted LANs, or wireless networks elsewhere or open networks all
governed by sets of lines defining the networks in 
/etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_suppliant.conf

So there are three choices - though for running wpa encrypted wireless
I had problems trying with the "network" service.... and could only get
things to work with NetworkManager and wpa_supplicant