Re: NMLaunchHelper and encrypted wireless networks

[Dan Williams <dcbw redhat com>]

On Sun, 2004-11-21 at 04:22 +0100, j bootlab org wrote:
> right now NMLaunchHelper blocks NetworkManager in the init scripts until
> it has a connectio,n or until a timeout occurs. which in my case is the 
> timeout in 99% of the time (wireless encrypted networks).

This was done when I was attempting to use NetworkManager in place of
the normal Fedora network scripts.  That's not going to happen though,
since it would require installing NetworkManager in /bin and would also
require moving hal and dbus to /bin (because you're not guaranteed a
read-write or even a mounted /usr at the point when Fedora network
scripts start up).

> right now i have to log in to gnome, and select the wireless network,
> which i want to connect to, since NetworkManagerInfo gets the key from
> gconfd. what can be done about that? 

This was part of the design goal, to not connect to Wireless networks
unless the user is logged in.  In the original use-case for
NetworkManager (which may have changed as it originally was mostly
corporate laptops where security is an issue) would require NMI to be
running.  The user must explicitly at some time have chosen to connect
to the network.  However, in a perfect world, NM would automatically
choose the wireless network you last used in that location (based on the
timestamp).  That works for me fairly well right now from CVS because my
card supports scanning.

What's the problem with logging in?  I know it does take a bit of time
for NM to connect once you've logged in, is that the issue here?

> for the short term, it would be the best to remove NMLauncherHelper from
> the init scripts - in the long term, i think, we need a way to connect

I'll remove it, agreed.  Its not really useful any longer.

Dan