Fwd: Issue : wireless networking "on-the-fly"

[Aaron Whitehouse]

Hello Lionel,

First of all I'll add a disclaimer here that I am not an experienced
Linux hacker, but I have set up NM a few times and really like it.

Lionel Dricot (aka Ploum) wrote:
> If I understand, the goal seems to switch to NetworkManager, sooner or
> later. Interesting, I was not aware of that.

It sounds as though the transition to NetworkManager would solve a lot
of your complaints.

> I've apt-getted "network-manager" and I've lost my connection. I don't
> understand how to use it. (two processes are running, NM and NM
> daemon).  Can someone explain to me ?  (I don't see any new icon, any
> new applet... strange)

I can definitely empathise with you about this as it is not obvious. For
some reason the package doesn't set things up properly. If you read the
wiki at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/NetworkManager it tells you that you
need to add "nm-applet" to your start-up sessions. I think that the
package should do this, but it doesn't and it catches everyone that I
have seen try to use it. You also need to remove the old network applet
from the panel (IIRC) or you get problems.

> - The first window will contains a list of available (because already
> configured) places with the current one highligthed AND a the content of
> the currently active configuration (displayed in a non-editable way).
> - You can  "add a place", "modify a place", "remove a place" and, of
> course, "use this place".

NM does not have 'Places', but I have found it to be even more
intuitive. It remembers APs that you have connected to in the past and
will reconnect to them automatically when you are in range. It
automatically uses a wired connection if it is present. I like the
automatic approach myself and haven't had any problems with it doing the
incorrect thing. If it does, there is a very good manual interface that
I will come to later.

> - When you will click on networking applet, it wil bring you a menu with
> all available places so switching will really be easy.

This is one of the nicest things about NM. Have a look at the
screenshots on http://www.gnome.org/projects/NetworkManager/ and try it
for yourself.

> - If a connection fails, it will tell you that it cannot connect to the
> network XXX. Maybe are we not at place YYY ? (in the range for wifi,
> cable connected for wired)

Again, I think that a lot of the need for this is removed because of the
intelligent guesses NM can make. It assumes that if you plug in a
network cable, you want to use it. If you are in range of an AP that you
have connected to in the past and have set up all the information for,
it will use it.

> - It will works ;-)

I'm actually surprised that the NM isn't planned for Dapper. I have had
very few problems with it (especially compared to the old applet).

I encourage you to try NM and decide whether it solves the issues you
see. If it does not, you can file the bugs against NetworkManager and
they can be addressed :).

Thanks for your comments,

Aaron
--
http://www.whitehouse.org.nz
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: smime.p7s
Type: application/x-pkcs7-signature
Size: 3268 bytes
Desc: S/MIME Cryptographic Signature
Url : https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-desktop/attachments/20060216/c90a808e/smime.bin