Try this to connect to unknown networks in 2.3

Forum: Networking
Topic: Try this to connect to unknown networks in 2.3
started by: bwh1969

Posted by bwh1969 on April 22 2006,15:09

This works with cards that are recognized by DSL but you need to connect to an unknown network. These instructions are modified from a post - thanks to username dosdragon on the knoppix.net forum.

I made this and printed it out put the page with my laptop. It takes all but a minute to do, but is fairly memory intensive:

1. boot with card in. I have madwifi and wavemon load (downloaded from system apps in My DSL when connected to a wired network, saved the file in directory where I keep My DSL apps) at boot but I don't know how to use either... doesn't seem to matter; I don't even know if you need to do this step, but I had them in loaded from the directory when fiddling around.
2. open panel
3. shut off DHCP if it is on
4. run netcardconfig from panel and select NO for DHCP - but accept all other defaults even if they are wrong or unknown
5. wlanconfig opens after this automatically for me, but if it does not, run this from the panel and type in ANY in the first field, and the defaults for the others except for the one that mentions 'managed" - type that in as MANAGED, finish with rest of deflats.
6. run netcardconfig AGAIN, except this time say YES to DHCP this time. Pauses and if you get some auto message, you should be good here.
7. click on DHCP in the panel. Open your browser.

I use a Proxim RangeLan-DS card. It never worked in Windows buy works with DSL and Knoppix.

I usually just hold the off key down on my laptop for the 5 seconds to completely shut it down after I am done surfing in this manner on public domains. Bad idea perhaps but I don't have to worry about anything I don't want to be saved. I don't want my laptop saving these network settings! There are other means, but this is easier and it never creates an issue for me. It isn't a Windows OS!

Good thing about all of this is that if you are on a public network, it is really next to impossible to get a virus if you have either loaded from a poor mans install or image (I renamed the image DSL23.iso then do: dsl bootfrom=/dev/(partition)/dsl23.iso mydsl=/(different partition)/dsl)

You can't use bootfrom=/dev/ from the same partition or drive where your configuration and dsl apps are stored.

Posted by doobit on April 22 2006,19:31

The nice thing about the atheros cards and madwifi is you can type iwlist scan ath0 in a terminal and get a complete list of all the receivable access points and their parameters.

Posted by green on April 22 2006,19:39

iwlist ath0 scan

Nice tip, doobit. Thanks.

Posted by bwh1969 on April 27 2006,17:51

Hmm, being new to DSL from using knoppix for so long, I assume that madwifi is something that one runs from the shell and does not install an icon to the desktop?

Funny, as your procedure seems shorter than mine... obviously!

Posted by doobit on April 27 2006,18:01

Yep. Green got it right. Madwifi are the Linux drivers developed for Atheros chipsets. When they are loaded you get a whole bunch of great utilities, most of which are only available from the command line. There are a couple of GUIs taht will take advantage of some of them though. There are two madwifi packages available for different builds of DSL.
< http://madwifi.org/ >

Posted by roberts on April 28 2006,17:20

Alas many card do not support the iwlist command.
I normally use the iwconfig button from the control panel and just leave the sid field blank. It connects with no problem to the various coffeehouses that offer free wireless. I have had no problems.