KubuntuWPAHowTo

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== Wiki has moved ==
This wiki now has it's home on the [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/WPAHowTo/Kubuntu Community Ubuntu Documentation]. Please go there to get the most updated version.

= How to enable WPA on Kubuntu =
The purpose of this wiki is to clarify the procedure of getting WPA to work on Kubuntu. The general wiki is hard to read (at least for the time being), and it is hard to know which parts pertain to KDE. This page contains excerpts from the more general parent wiki ["WifiDocs/WPAHowTo"], and some particulars pertaining to KDE and Kubuntu.

== Before you start ==
 * Have a look at ["WifiDocs/WiFiHowTo"] to get your card up and running. Remember that some of the tools mentioned there, like '''network-admin''' are specific to '''Gnome''', and not particularly well suited for use with KDE.
 * Check to see if your card is supported by [http://hostap.epitest.fi/wpa_supplicant/ wpa_supplicant]. If your card is not supported, I guess you are out of luck for now.

Remember also that '''[[Verbatim(WirelessAssistant)]]''' isn't going to get you anywhere if you are planning to use '''WPA encryption'''.

== Note for the impatient ==
Go directly to the [#EasySteps Easy steps] section.

== Other wikis of interest ==

 * The original ["WifiDocs/WPAHowTo"] wiki that most of this stuff comes from.
 * The ["WifiDocs/WiFiHowTo"] wiki to get you started on wireless networking.
 * Special considerations for the [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/Driver/RalinkRT2500 RT2500 chipset] (I do not have one, so I did not test this).
 * The parent wiki, ["WifiDocs"], for a listing of more wikis of interest.

== External references ==
To further understand what is going on, these links might be useful.

 * WPA explained on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi_Protected_Access Wikipedia].
 * [http://hostap.epitest.fi/wpa_supplicant/ wpa_supplicant] website.
 * [http://www.gnome.org/projects/NetworkManager/ NetworkManager] site on [[Verbatim(Gnome.org)]].
 * The [[Verbatim(KNetworkManager)]] docs on [http://en.opensuse.org/Projects/KNetworkManager OpenSuse] webpages (thanks [[Verbatim(Novell)]]).

== Basic information for users new to Kubuntu and Linux ==
Some basic information for inexperienced Linux users is included here. Please be patient, or skip directly to the [#EasySteps Easy steps] section below.

=== You need a working Internet connection to install packages ===
To be able to install packages you will need a working Internet connection. Most laptops (mine at least) does not have problem with the wired LAN card, and this will be your best option for installing the required packages. Please also note that [[Verbatim(KNetworkManager)]] only enables one interface at a time. I do not quite understand why this should be so. Maybe future versions will support multiple interfaces and routing.

 {i} Now, it ''is'' possible to download packages with a different OS and install them off-line. This is a cumbersome process, though, and is not recommended.

=== Explanations of the instructions ===
When I write
{{{
$ chmod u+x somefile
}}}
this means that chmod is a command to be entered on a command prompt. Such a prompt is readily supplied by terminal emulators, i.e. Konsole. The action of the command issued can be investigated by issuing
{{{
$ man chmod
}}}
and reading the manual for the command. To become adept in using the man tool, issue
{{{
$ man man
}}}

[[Anchor(EasySteps)]]
= Easy steps to get WPA to work on Kubuntu =
These are the steps needed to get WPA up and running on Kubuntu.

 1. Check to see if your card is supported by [http://hostap.epitest.fi/wpa_supplicant/ wpa_supplicant]. If your card is not supported, I guess you are out of luck for now.
 1. Download the packages needed; knetworkmanager, network-manager and wpasupplicant. Personally I prefer aptitude, but please use the package manager of your choice (e.g. Adept).
 If you use aptitude, enter this command, supplying your own password at the password prompt:
 {{{
$ sudo aptitude install knetworkmanager network-manager wpasupplicant
}}}
 {i} Technically knetworkmanager should drag in wpasupplicant and network-manager, but no harm done to specify them explicitly.
 1.#3 Reboot the computer.
 {i} Might work without rebooting, but better safe than sorry.
 1.#4 Log in to KDE and start '''[[Verbatim(KNetworkManager)]]''' from the Internet menu.
 1. There should now be a tray icon for [[Verbatim(KNetworkManager)]] in the system tray. Click on it and select the appropriate network, or specify a network with the '''Connect to Other Wireless Network ... '''
 1. Specify the passphrase and other details for your network.

That's all there is to it.


== Final remarks ==
Here are som remarks for tuning the system.

=== Remembering passphrases ===
If [[Verbatim(KWalletManager)]] is configured, [[Verbatim(KNetworkManager)]] should use this to remember passphrases. Check [http://en.opensuse.org/Projects/KNetworkManager#How_can_I_store_passphrases_associated_with_encrypted_wireless_networks.3F this link] for further information.

=== Workaround for automatic startup ===
I could not get the manager to work after system reboot. This might be because I tried to start knetworkmanager as root the first time round. Don't know. My manager does not show any NICs when started by the session manager. Anyhow, there is no need to run knetworkmanager as root, as it is only a frontend to a daemon doing the actual network setup.

On the [https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LaptopTestingTeam/DellInspiron510m Dell Inspirion 510m] laptop I am doing the testing this hack is suffiscient to get the manager to work across reboots.

 1. Start '''System Settings''' from the '''K''' menu.
 1. Click '''Advanced''' in the upper left corner of the window.
 1. Click '''Session manager'''.
 1. Add '''knetworkmanager''' to the comma-separated list of applications to exclude from the session management (in the bottom of the window), and click '''Apply'''.
 1. Create a file in the '''~/.kde/Autostart''' folder named '''knetworkmanager'''.
 1. Enter this into the file:
 {{{
#!/bin/bash

# Adding a short wait cycle prior to starting KNetworkManager
# Legger til en lilten pause før jeg starter KNetworkManager
sleep 10

# Start manager
# Starte manager
knetworkmanager
}}}
 {i} The two preceding steps can be combined into one by starting '''[[Verbatim(Konsole Terminal Emulator)]]''' from the '''K -> System''' menu, issuing the command '''nano ~/.kde/Autostart/knetworkmanager''', cutting and pasting the above text into the editor window and pressing the key sequence '''[Ctrl] + x''', and then pressing the '''[ENTER]''' key.
 1.#7 Make the file executable:
 {{{
$ chmod u+x ~/.kde/Autostart/knetworkmanager
}}}

This should do the trick. Not sure wether to file this as a bug, I need more info from others on wether this is a widespread issue. Please add a few lines about your experience ...

{i} After a bit of fiddling I found that [[Verbatim(KNetworkManager)]] worked properly even with the '''sleep 10''' removed. This might be different for your system, so I'll leave it in there.

{i} Also note that any tools dependent on the network to be up, like adept_notify and klamav (KDE frontend to clamav) will not work properly until after the wireless network has settled. I could not get this to work. Possibly [[Verbatim(KNetworkManager)]] needs to be integrated in the network services of KDE for this to work properly ...
----
CategoryNetworking CategoryLaptop
#REFRESH 0 https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/WPAHowTo/Kubuntu

WifiDocs/KubuntuWPAHowTo (last edited 2008-08-06 16:59:36 by localhost)