Re: NetworkManagerInfo/nm-applet development question

[Eric Wenger <eric_wenger yahoo com>]

Don't get me wrong...the key indexes are silly and
insecure (they simply obfuscate the passphrase which
doesn't make WEP any more secure).  The problem is
that NM cannot connect to a Linksys router unless you
are using the first key index.  I had mine set to key
index 3 and NM won't connect even if the ifcfg-eth1
and keys-eth1 are setup properly since NM generates
it's own WEP key from the passphrase.  It doesn't grab
the information (defaultkey, key1,key2, etc.) from
your keys-ethX files.

I realize this is not a core area for someone to work
on but I figured it would make things easier for a few
other people out there.  I also wanted something
simple to get started on some open-source development.


--- Bill Moss <bmoss clemson edu> wrote:

> Eric wrote:
> 
> I have a Linksys router with the painfully annoying
> "key index" setup.  I have written a patch for
> NetworkManager to be able to interface with the WEP
> "key indexes" on the router.  I used the Linksys GPL
> code to figure out their system.  Anyway, I used
> glade
> to edit the nm-applet and add four radio buttons for
> key indexes but I cannot get the nm-applet to run on
> my system.  The NetworkManagerInfo binary that came
> with FC4 works fine but I can't seem to figure out
> how
> to use the nm-applet.
> 
> Any ideas?
> 
> PS: Do you guys know if any other routers use the
> key
> index scheme?  I believe I could check the AP MAC to
> enable/disable the key indexes on a per manufacturer
> basis.
> ___________________________________________
> 
> In the more recent versions of NM, the name
> NetworkManagerInfo changed to nm-applet 
> and the location change to /usr/libexec which may be
> why you cannot find it. See
> http://www.ces.clemson.edu/linux/nm.shtml for more
> details.
> 
> Cisco 350 series cards use key indexing. Since Cisco
> now owns Linksys, it is
> not surprising that Linksys does as well. I have a
> Cisco AIR-PCM352 card that I
> use in my T42/Intel Pro 2200BG for testing of
> patches to the airo driver for
> the Cisco 350 series cards. This card has keys
> stored in key[0]-key[4]. The
> command 'iwconfig eth1 key on', for example, will
> configure key[0]. There is no need
> to use key indexing with NM. The keys that you enter
> in the NM passphrase or other-networks
> dialogs will be stored in Gnome Keyring and
> available to NM as needed. I see no
> advantage to using key indexing. If that is all you
> use, you limit the number of
> keys you can use.
> 
> 
> -- 
> Bill Moss
> Professor, Mathematical Sciences
> Clemson University
> 
> _______________________________________________
> NetworkManager-list mailing list
> NetworkManager-list gnome org
>
http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/networkmanager-list
> 


---------------------------------------------------------
Eric Wenger
eric_wenger yahoo com