Configure Linux Wifi Manually (Part I)
Setting up wireless networking on Linux is not so easy than Windows. In this first part article, I’d like to share about how to setting up wifi manually in LAN environment ~ eg: at office ~, at least it’s worked for me on my Acer Travelmate 6291 running Fedora 7. As we know, most of wireless LAN is configured more protected by the network administrator as they will not share the connection to everybody like public hot spot access area. The LAN wireless access line oftenly locked by some string parameters such as private key.First, let assumed that the wireless device has been setup correctly on your system (On my system, the wireless device using its native built-in driver from Fedora 7). Then, collect the wireless information completely from your local network administrator. These information including the wireless ESSID, the access point hexa-decimal address, the private key (password), the network topology wether the connection established in static or automatic (DHCP) & some others required parameters regarding to each administrator policy.
If both above pre-condition is sufficient, then you are ready to enter the next step configuration. To simplyfy the process, create a bash executable script & write down commands below to it. Note that the commands are depend on your existing environment. Below script is a simple example which working in my test environment (wlan0 is my wireless device file):
iwconfig wlan0 essid the_name_of_the_essid
iwconfig wlan0 ap 00:0a:79:75:eb:60
# which channel? (optional)
iwconfig wlan0 channel 11
# the rate? (optional)
iwconfig wlan0 rate 24M
# un-checked below if it managed
# iwconfig ath0 mode managed
# the rts? (optional)
iwconfig wlan0 rts 1792
# the frag? (optional)
iwconfig wlan0 frag 1792
# what is the passphrase key?
iwconfig wlan0 key open the_passphrase_key
# un-checked 2 below if it a static IP addressing
# ifconfig ath0 up
#ifconfig ath0 192.168.10.27/24 up
# checked below if it a DHCP IP addressing
dhclient wlan0
# un-checked below if the kwifimanager is exist to validate the existing configuration
# kwifimanager
Test to run the script to check that the configuration is valid or not, then ping to others system in LAN wether your logged in succesfully or not. If you are using laptop, make sure to switch-on the wifi button. That’s all, hope this article will benefit to you & please share me about your experience about this article.
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Sunday, March 30, 2008 11:40:00 PM
Hmm, where did you get the values for rts and frag?
Monday, March 31, 2008 8:33:00 AM
@mac: No, I don't think you want to set RTS/FRAG.
Optimal fragmentation can be adjusted by using the ping command with larger packets, CMIIW. Just set to off or auto if you don't want to set this.
Monday, September 15, 2008 12:16:00 AM
Dear Mr,
I have had some problems with my wireless driver for linux.I will express what I have done with my driver and please help me to check where it is wrong.
step1:
I use the command: "lspci" and "lspci -n" to show the wireless card I have.
=>Broadcom Corporation Dell Wireless 1390 WLan Mini-PC I card (rev02)
step2:
I take 2 files "bcmwl5.inf" and "bcmwl5.sys" to /home/BUN/programe_files.
step3:
I take ndiswrapper.tar.gz into the above folder, unzip and install "make" and "make install"
step4:
after that, I use this command:
"ndiswrapper -i /link/to/bcmwl5.inf"
step5:
I write to the ndiswrapper config file
"ndiswrapper -m"
step6:
modprobe ndiswrapper
*** everything goes on smoothly but my wireless card have still not been recognized.Please tell me what I have to do next.
Thank a lot.
Monday, September 15, 2008 12:17:00 AM
Please reply as soon as possible.My email: binhlh86@yahoo.com