WiFi Network Management

Status

• Created: 20/04/05 by MarkShuttleworthBR

• Priority: HighPriorityBR

• People: NeedsLead, NeedsSecondBR

• Contributors: MarkShuttleworthBR

• Interested: MarkShuttleworth, MatthiasUrlichsBR

• Status: BrainDump, UduBof, DistroSpecificationBR

• Branch: BR

• Malone Bug: BR

• Packages: BR

• Depends: BR

Introduction

This specification describes goals for WiFi networking in Ubuntu for the Breezy Badger release.

Rationale

WiFi has established itself as the primary networking technology for mobile professionals. WiFi networks are in widespread use at the office and at home, as well as in many areas of temporary work such as coffee shops, hotels, airports and even on trains and planes. It's important that Ubuntu handle wifi networking efficiently, making it easy for people to connect to wifi networks for temporary or long-term connectivity.

Scope and Use Cases

WiFi networks might be used regularly for home or office connectivity, or people might connect briefly to a wifi network while they are travelling or visiting a new location. It's important that Ubuntu remember previous wifi networks and take advantage of them when given the opportunity. It's important that Ubuntu retain some sense of user preferences, when multiple networks are available, so that it will generally do the Right Thing.

Ubuntu should handle roaming, and the re-establishment of network connections after a period of ACPI sleep or a powerdown/startup cycle. The following use cases may be useful:

1. Thombi installs Ubuntu on a new laptop in the office. During

   • installation Ubuntu detects an open WiFi network and attempts to connect to it. If successful, the installation verifies that it has internet access and uses that connection to download updated packages and language packs for his system.

2. Andreas has an Ubuntu laptop which connects via the wifi network in the
   • office. He installs a wifi base station at home, connected to his broadband ADSL router, and connects to the internet at home via that network. Now, when he sleeps his laptop and wakes it in the office it automatically detects and uses that network, when he wakes it at home it automatically switches to the home wifi network, without any prompts or alerts.
3. Jenni travels regularly via two airports. In each, there is a local wifi
   • network. Since she has previously used these networks, they will automatically be detected and used if she powers up her laptop in either airport.
4. Francine has a wifi network which she should never access. She tells
   • Ubuntu never to connect to that network. Although the network will show up in GUI tools, it will be at the bottom of any list of networks and will have an alert symbol, and should she try to use it a prompt will come up asking her to confirm that choice.

Implementation Plan

Data Preservation and Migration

Packages Affected

User Interface Requirements

Outstanding Issues

• Shouldn't migration work equally seamlessly when you're using a wired network..?