Re: Some questions

[Ryan Novosielski <novosirj umdnj edu>]

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You might want to write a more specific subject next time, for
everyone's benefit. Everyone who writes to the list has "some questions."

Robert Moskowitz wrote:
> Hello, I am new here.  Running 0.6.4 in Centos 5.1 on an HP nc2400 
> notebook with the Intel ipw3945 dkms code from rpmforge.
> 
> I just switched my operation over the this nc2400 from my old nc4010 
> which had an Atheros card using the madwifi dkms code from rpmforge and 
> I did everything via wpa_supplicant.conf (and the wpa_cli program!).
> 
> So with this install, I could not get the wpa_supplicant working.  Seems 
> like it only supports the ipw2200 card?  And I found NetworkManager; 
> good job! So far  :)

Incorrect. It probably best supports that card, but as far as I know,
all Intel cards are supported. Really any card that has a driver
supporting Wireless Extensions.

> I am plowing through the archives to find answers, but this is slow!  No 
> way that I can find to download them and import them into Thunderbird 
> for better searching.  So here goes:
> 
> The nc2400 expects the OS to manage the card.  There are no buttons to 
> turn the radio on and off like on my old nc4010.  Here I am on a plane 
> with the radio on.  Now I work with Boeing people (and work on 802.11 
> standards), so I have some inside knowledge of 802.11 and airplanes in 
> flight, but that is not the point.  The radio is eating power!  I need 
> that battery life!  How can I turn off the radio.  I tried iwconfig 
> eth1 power on (to turn on power management), but the card is still 
> happily scanning for APs, I think.
> 
> I seem to recall a way with lmsensor to turn the LEDs on and off, but I 
> think that only tied the LEDs into the reality of the operation of the 
> card, not impacting the card at all.
> 
> This notebook also has builtin ethernet.  But shortly I will be at the 
> IETF conference in Philly, and I want to run Firestarter with its NATing 
> functions so I can plug another computer into the notebook to give it 
> access through my one wireless connection.  How can I get NetworkManager 
> to leave the wired alone so Firestarter can manage it and run services 
> like DHCP?

Often, adding this to your distro's configuration files (like
/etc/network/interfaces, etc.) will cause this to be left alone.

> My home network runs WPA-PSK (yeah, I know the risks, I wrote the attack 
> paper, but my Radius server is currently down).  I frequently run into 
> the situation where NetworkManager is not succeeding in authenticating 
> to the AP.  I have no sniffing data; I would like to see some packets, 
> but Wireshark does not show interface eth1 (the wireless one).  I end up 
> having to reboot to get wireless working, or switch to wired.
> 
> Now I notice that my AP is on channel 1, and I am picking up "Oakland 
> Wireless" also on channel 1.  This should NOT be causing the problem (I 
> hope), but I add the data point.  Actually I would like the option to 
> tell NetworkManager to ignore "Oakland Wireless" when I am at home, just 
> not when I am over at the local park, come springtime.  When I used 
> wpa_supplicant.conf, I could comment out various configs (or uncomment 
> them) and reload the conf file at least.  Ah the pains of a real nice 
> integrated gui!
> 
> I can't test anything at home until I get back on friday, but thought I 
> would mention it now while I am venting.
> 
> Plane is decending.  Will be connected in a couple hours.

- --
 ---- _  _ _  _ ___  _  _  _
 |Y#| |  | |\/| |  \ |\ |  | |Ryan Novosielski - Systems Programmer II
 |$&| |__| |  | |__/ | \| _| |novosirj umdnj edu - 973/972.0922 (2-0922)
 \__/ Univ. of Med. and Dent.|IST/AST - NJMS Medical Science Bldg - C630
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