From: "Joshua Saddler (nightmorph)" <nightmorph@gentoo.org>
To: gentoo-doc-cvs@lists.gentoo.org
Subject: [gentoo-doc-cvs] gentoo commit in xml/htdocs/doc/en/handbook: hb-net-wireless.xml
Date: Mon, 24 May 2010 20:36:52 +0000 (UTC) [thread overview]
Message-ID: <20100524203652.AF9B22CDEB@corvid.gentoo.org> (raw)
nightmorph 10/05/24 20:36:52
Modified: hb-net-wireless.xml
Log:
Redo the wireless handbook. Wifi on linux has come a long way in the last ten years. I recommended graphical clients as the easiest, fastest way to join wifi networks *before* trying command line tools like wpa_supplicant and wireless-tools. Bug 320567.
Revision Changes Path
1.17 xml/htdocs/doc/en/handbook/hb-net-wireless.xml
file : http://sources.gentoo.org/viewvc.cgi/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/handbook/hb-net-wireless.xml?rev=1.17&view=markup
plain: http://sources.gentoo.org/viewvc.cgi/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/handbook/hb-net-wireless.xml?rev=1.17&content-type=text/plain
diff : http://sources.gentoo.org/viewvc.cgi/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/handbook/hb-net-wireless.xml?r1=1.16&r2=1.17
Index: hb-net-wireless.xml
===================================================================
RCS file: /var/cvsroot/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/handbook/hb-net-wireless.xml,v
retrieving revision 1.16
retrieving revision 1.17
diff -u -r1.16 -r1.17
--- hb-net-wireless.xml 15 Apr 2009 07:28:50 -0000 1.16
+++ hb-net-wireless.xml 24 May 2010 20:36:52 -0000 1.17
@@ -4,38 +4,69 @@
<!-- The content of this document is licensed under the CC-BY-SA license -->
<!-- See http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5 -->
-<!-- $Header: /var/cvsroot/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/handbook/hb-net-wireless.xml,v 1.16 2009/04/15 07:28:50 nightmorph Exp $ -->
+<!-- $Header: /var/cvsroot/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/handbook/hb-net-wireless.xml,v 1.17 2010/05/24 20:36:52 nightmorph Exp $ -->
<sections>
<abstract>
-Wireless isn't straightforward. Hopefully we'll get you working!
+Wireless configuration can be tricky. Hopefully we'll get you working!
</abstract>
-<version>8.1</version>
-<date>2009-04-15</date>
+<version>9.0</version>
+<date>2010-05-24</date>
<section>
<title>Introduction</title>
<body>
<p>
-Currently we support wireless setup either by <c>wireless-tools</c> or
-<c>wpa_supplicant</c>. The important thing to remember is that you configure for
-wireless networks on a global basis and not an interface basis.
+Wireless networking on Linux is usually pretty straightforward. There are two
+ways of configuring wifi: graphical clients, or the command line.
</p>
<p>
-<c>wpa_supplicant</c> is the best choice, but it does not support all drivers.
-For a list of supported drivers, <uri
+The <e>easiest</e> way is to use a graphical client once you've installed a <uri
+link="/doc/en/?catid=desktop">desktop environment</uri>. Most graphical clients,
+such as <uri link="http://wicd.sourceforge.net">wicd</uri> and <uri
+link="http://www.gnome.org/projects/NetworkManager">NetworkManager</uri>, are
+pretty self-explanatory. They offer a handy point-and-click interface that gets
+you on a network in just a few seconds.
+</p>
+
+<note>
+<c>wicd</c> offers a command line utility <e>in addition</e> to the main
+graphical interface. You can get it by emerging <c>wicd</c> with the
+<c>ncurses</c> USE flag set. This <c>wicd-curses</c> utility is particularly
+useful for folks who don't use a gtk-based desktop environment, but still want
+an easy command line tool that doesn't require hand-editing configuration
+files.
+</note>
+
+<p>
+However, if you don't want to use a graphical client, then you can configure
+wifi on the command line by editing a few configuration files. This takes a bit
+more time to setup, but it also requires the fewest packages to download and
+install. Since the graphical clients are mostly self-explanatory (with helpful
+screenshots at their homepages), we'll focus on the command line alternatives.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+You can setup wireless networking on the command line by installing
+<c>wireless-tools</c> or <c>wpa_supplicant</c>. The important thing to remember
+is that you configure wireless networks on a global basis and not an interface
+basis.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+<c>wpa_supplicant</c> is the best choice. For a list of supported drivers, <uri
link="http://hostap.epitest.fi/wpa_supplicant">read the wpa_supplicant
-site</uri>. Also, <c>wpa_supplicant</c> can currently only connect to SSIDs
-that you have configured.
+site</uri>.
</p>
<p>
<c>wireless-tools</c> supports nearly all cards and drivers, but it cannot
-connect to WPA only Access Points.
+connect to WPA-only Access Points. If your networks only offer WEP encryption or
+are completely open, you may prefer the simplicity of <c>wireless-tools</c>.
</p>
<warn>
@@ -54,8 +85,7 @@
<p>
<uri link="http://hostap.epitest.fi/wpa_supplicant">WPA Supplicant</uri> is a
-package that allows you to connect to WPA enabled access points. Its setup is
-fairly fluid as it is still in beta - however it works fine for the most part.
+package that allows you to connect to WPA enabled access points..
</p>
<pre caption="Install wpa_supplicant">
@@ -67,6 +97,13 @@
<c>wpa_supplicant</c> to work.
</impo>
+<note>
+Depending on your USE flags, <c>wpa_supplicant</c> can install a graphical
+interface written in Qt4, which will integrate nicely with KDE. To get it, run
+<c>echo "net-wireless/wpa_supplicant qt4" >> /etc/portage/package.use</c> as
+root before emerging <c>wpa_supplicant</c>.
+</note>
+
<p>
Now we have to configure <path>/etc/conf.d/net</path> to so that we prefer
<c>wpa_supplicant</c> over <c>wireless-tools</c> (if both are installed,
@@ -98,7 +135,7 @@
which ships with <c>wpa_supplicant</c>.
</p>
-<pre caption="an example /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf">
+<pre caption="An example /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf">
<comment># The below line not be changed otherwise we refuse to work</comment>
ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
next reply other threads:[~2010-05-24 20:37 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 6+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2010-05-24 20:36 Joshua Saddler (nightmorph) [this message]
-- strict thread matches above, loose matches on Subject: below --
2013-07-22 14:06 [gentoo-doc-cvs] gentoo commit in xml/htdocs/doc/en/handbook: hb-net-wireless.xml Sven Vermeulen (swift)
2013-01-18 22:59 Joshua Saddler (nightmorph)
2010-11-07 20:16 Joshua Saddler (nightmorph)
2010-08-22 6:16 Joshua Saddler (nightmorph)
2009-04-15 7:28 Joshua Saddler (nightmorph)
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