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2.3 Controlling NetworkManager
Both KDE and GNOME have their own applets for NetworkManager. An appropriate
applet should start automatically with the desktop environment. The applet
is then shown as an icon in the system tray. Functions of both applets
are similar, but their interfaces are a little different. They can also be
used in
other graphical environments with standard system tray support.
Using a tray applet, choose a network to use
explicitly at any time. Such a choice takes precedence over automatically
selected
networks. The chosen network is used as long as it is available, meaning
that plugging a network cable in does not switch to a wired network
connection automatically.
2.3.1 The KNetworkManager Applet
KNetworkManager is a KDE applet for controlling NetworkManager. If it is not running,
start it with the command knetworkmanager. When it is
running, an icon indicating a current network status is shown in the system
tray. Depending on
the state of the network connection, the panel icon changes appearance:
-
- The wired connection has been established.
-
- Currently there is no connection to the Internet.
-
- The wireless connection has been established. Blue bars
illustrate strength of the signal. More blue bars means better signal
strength.
-
- The connection is being established or terminated.
Right-clicking the icon opens the KNetworkManager menu with various
commands for managing network connections. See Figure 2-1.
The menu contains available network connections for both wired and wireless
devices. If you hold the mouse cursor over them, details about the
connection are displayed.
The currently used connection is checked in the menu.
Wireless Networks
The signal strength
of wireless networks is shown in the menu. Encrypted wireless
networks are marked with a blue lock icon. To connect to an encrypted
network, choose it from the menu. In the dialog that opens, choose the
type of the network uses and enter the
appropriate or .
HINT: Hidden Networks
To connect to a network that does not broadcast its service
set identifier (ESSID) and therefore cannot be detected automatically,
choose . In the dialog
that opens, enter the ESSID and set encryption parameters if necessary.
To see all trusted and untrusted networks, click
.
Dial-Up Connections
To access dial-up connections, choose .
When dial-up connections have already been defined, start the connection
by clicking the connection to use.
opens YaST where
you can define a new dial-up connection.
2.3.2 The GNOME NetworkManager Applet
GNOME also has its own applet for NetworkManager. If it is not running, start it
with the command nm-applet. When it is running, an icon
is shown in the system tray. The appearance of the icon depends on the state
of the network connection. If you are not sure what the icon means, hold
the mouse cursor over it until an explanation appears.
Left-click the applet icon to show a menu with available networks,
shown in Figure 2-2.
The currently used connection is checked in the menu. To connect to
a network, choose it from the list. To disable networking,
right-click the applet icon and uncheck
.
To get information about the current connection (including
interface used, IP address, and hardware address), right-click the applet
icon and choose from the menu.
In this dialog, you can also configure your network devices. To do so, click
. It opens YaST where
you can define a new connection.
Wireless Networks
The signal
strength of wireless networks is also shown in the menu. Encrypted
wireless networks are marked with a shield icon. To connect to
an encrypted network, choose it from the menu. In the dialog
that opens, choose the type of the network
uses and enter the appropriate or
.
HINT: Hidden Networks
To connect to a network that does not broadcast its service set
identifier (ESSID) and therefore cannot be detected automatically,
left-click the icon and choose . In the dialog that opens, enter the ESSID and set
encryption parameters if necessary.
If your wireless card supports access point mode, you can
use NetworkManager for configuration. To configure your wireless card as an access
point, click
. See Figure 2-3.
Add the network name and set the encryption in the .
IMPORTANT: Wireless Security
If you set to
None,
everybody can connect to your network, reuse your connectivity and
intercept
your network connection. To restrict access to your access point and to
secure your
connection, use encryption. You can choose from various WEP and
WPA–based
encryptions. If you
are not sure which technology is best for you, read “Authentication” (Chapter “Wireless Communication”, ↑Deployment Guide).
To disable wireless networking, right-click the applet icon and uncheck
.
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