Wireless won't work right at boot...

> What makes this happen during bootup?
> (From boot.msg)
>
> -----------------------
> Setting up network interfaces:
> lo
> lo IP address: 127.0.0.1/8
> doneWaiting for mandatory devices: wlan-bus-pci-0000:00:10.0 __NSC__
> 17 15
> wlan0 device: Atheros Communications, Inc. AR5212 802.11abg NIC
> (rev
> 01)
> wlan0 configuration: wlan-bus-pci-0000:00:10.0
> wlan0 DHCP client (dhcpcd) is running
> -----------------------
>
> The reason I'm asking is because:
>
> - It makes my wireless card connect to first thing it sees and not the
> SSID I specifically told it to connect with using YaST / NetApplet.
>
> - I also want to know how to have wpa_supplicant automatically run at boot
> because my SSID uses WPA2.
>
> Everyime I boot SuSE (10), it is always connected to someone else's (open)
> SSID until I manually disconnect (using netapplet), manually run
> wpa_supplicant by:
>
> # wpa_supplicant -B -Dwext -iwlan0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -dd
>
> ...and then re-connect.
>
> How do you make this happen automatically at boot?
>
> And more important, how do tell the "whatever-does-it-at-boot" to :
>
> NEVER, EVER, under ANY circumstances connect to ANY SSID other than the
> one you tell it to.
>
> Thanks

I thought this idea might work, but it also doesn't.

(There are bunch of different things in Suse that are used to config
wireless. Who knows which one is the one you are supposed to use?)

Setup in Control Center --> Internet and Network ---> Wireless Network
+ All four "config" tabs to point to the SSID I want it to use.
+ Encryption turned off because that configureator only allows for WEP, not
+ In the "Execute Script on Connect", got an idea that this would work -->
+ Pointed this to a permission-executable file I made called:
+ /usr/local/sbin/WPAd
+ which contains one line:

wpa_supplicant -B -Dwext -iwlan0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -dd

In YaST2 Config Network Settings (Click on the Netapplet thingy and select
Config)
+ For the wireless card, the intended SSID is entered
+ WPA is selected, along with correct passphrase
+ Everything else is right

Now when I boot, wpa_supplicant does load:

----------
# psg wpa
root 4794 0.0 0.2 2900 1264 ? S<s 20:00 0:00
wpa_supplicant -iwlan0 -c/var/run/wpa_supplicant-wlan0.conf -Dndiswrapper
-P/var/run/wpa_supplicant/wlan0.pid -B
----------

But the damn card is STILL connecting to the neighbor's open SSID until I
manually disconnect and reconnect.

Its like the wpa_supplicant was started too early or something. Probably
need to be started before the ... :

> -----------------------
> Setting up network interfaces:
> lo
> lo IP address: 127.0.0.1/8
> doneWaiting for mandatory devices: wlan-bus-pci-0000:00:10.0 __NSC__
> 17 15
> wlan0 device: Atheros Communications, Inc. AR5212 802.11abg NIC
> (rev
> 01)
> wlan0 configuration: wlan-bus-pci-0000:00:10.0
> wlan0 DHCP client (dhcpcd) is running
> -----------------------

.... thing happens.

Anyone, anyone, anyone???
Thanks

escra <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:

>> What makes this happen during bootup?
>> (From boot.msg)

Well, telling us the distribution would help. I assume you are getting some
system script bringing up the wireless ( eg /etc/init.d/network)and that
you do not have the ESSID in say /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-wlan0

>>
>> -----------------------
>> Setting up network interfaces:
>> lo
>> lo IP address: 127.0.0.1/8
>> doneWaiting for mandatory devices: wlan-bus-pci-0000:00:10.0 __NSC__
>> 17 15
>> wlan0 device: Atheros Communications, Inc. AR5212 802.11abg NIC
>> (rev
>> 01)
>> wlan0 configuration: wlan-bus-pci-0000:00:10.0
>> wlan0 DHCP client (dhcpcd) is running
>> -----------------------
>>
>> The reason I'm asking is because:
>>
>> - It makes my wireless card connect to first thing it sees and not the
>> SSID I specifically told it to connect with using YaST / NetApplet.
>>
>> - I also want to know how to have wpa_supplicant automatically run at boot
>> because my SSID uses WPA2.

There is probably some entry in one of the files to tell it to use WPA2


>>
>> Everyime I boot SuSE (10), it is always connected to someone else's (open)
>> SSID until I manually disconnect (using netapplet), manually run
>> wpa_supplicant by:
>>
>> # wpa_supplicant -B -Dwext -iwlan0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -dd
>>
>> ...and then re-connect.
>>
>> How do you make this happen automatically at boot?
>>
>> And more important, how do tell the "whatever-does-it-at-boot" to :
>>
>> NEVER, EVER, under ANY circumstances connect to ANY SSID other than the
>> one you tell it to.
>>
>> Thanks

>I thought this idea might work, but it also doesn't.

>(There are bunch of different things in Suse that are used to config
>wireless. Who knows which one is the one you are supposed to use?)

>Setup in Control Center --> Internet and Network ---> Wireless Network
>+ All four "config" tabs to point to the SSID I want it to use.
>+ Encryption turned off because that configureator only allows for WEP, not
>+ In the "Execute Script on Connect", got an idea that this would work -->
> + Pointed this to a permission-executable file I made called:
> + /usr/local/sbin/WPAd
> + which contains one line:

>wpa_supplicant -B -Dwext -iwlan0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -dd

>In YaST2 Config Network Settings (Click on the Netapplet thingy and select
>Config)
> + For the wireless card, the intended SSID is entered
> + WPA is selected, along with correct passphrase
> + Everything else is right

>Now when I boot, wpa_supplicant does load:

>----------
># psg wpa
>root 4794 0.0 0.2 2900 1264 ? S<s 20:00 0:00
>wpa_supplicant -iwlan0 -c/var/run/wpa_supplicant-wlan0.conf -Dndiswrapper
>-P/var/run/wpa_supplicant/wlan0.pid -B
>----------

>But the damn card is STILL connecting to the neighbor's open SSID until I
>manually disconnect and reconnect.

>Its like the wpa_supplicant was started too early or something. Probably
>need to be started before the ... :

>> -----------------------
>> Setting up network interfaces:
>> lo
>> lo IP address: 127.0.0.1/8
>> doneWaiting for mandatory devices: wlan-bus-pci-0000:00:10.0 __NSC__
>> 17 15
>> wlan0 device: Atheros Communications, Inc. AR5212 802.11abg NIC
>> (rev
>> 01)
>> wlan0 configuration: wlan-bus-pci-0000:00:10.0
>> wlan0 DHCP client (dhcpcd) is running
>> -----------------------

>... thing happens.

Yes, it does.



>Anyone, anyone, anyone???
>Thanks

Ssorry I cannot really help as I do not use SUSE, but look for the scripts
which are run to startup networking.

Unruh wrote:

> escra <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:
>
>>> What makes this happen during bootup?
>>> (From boot.msg)
>
> Well, telling us the distribution would help. I assume you are getting
> some system script bringing up the wireless ( eg /etc/init.d/network)and
> that you do not have the ESSID in say
> /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-wlan0
>

Hi,

Sorry, the distro is SuSE (10).

Thank you for the reply. This looks like it could be the start in the right
direction.

There is an an ifcfg-wlan ... :

/etc/sysconfig/network/ifcfg-wlan-bus-pci-0000:00:10.0

....and looking at it, everything does appear to be right.

WIRELESS_ESSID, WIRELESS_WPA_PSK, WIRELESS_MODE, etc are all correct..

Catching my eye is WIRELESS_AP='' Shooting from the hip at this point, but
am I correct to assume that I could just the MAC addy of the AP in this
entry? At least this might prevent the thing from connecting to anybody and
everybody...

The main thing seems to be with wpa_supplicant. Its like its not "loading
at the right time" or something. If I manually run it, it works, but when
I tried to make it run at startup (by doing that "also run this script") it
ran but didn't work. I'm sensing that it needed to run before the network
stuff starts coming to life. I have no idea on the "right way" to make
wpa_supplicant load at startup. I've googled, read man pages, read docs,
deja searched, posted on Suse's web forum, etc, etc, but everything just
goes in circles.

Thanks!

One other "fix" just came to mind...

This stupid open SSID that my card keeps wanting to connecting to over my
SSID -------

After rebooting for the 200th time, this time (for the hell of it), brought
up Firefox as soon as I logged in. Its talking through the internet....

Not only that, but this wireless router (linksys 54G) is wide open.
192.168.1.1, default user/pass of admin/admin

The SSID is the default "linksys".

Its obvious that this stupid thing (couple houses over) isn't open by intent
or a captive portal.. Someone is just very lazy...

Would it be wrong to config encryption in the thing, change the SSID to
"Setup-WPA!" (or something along those lines)?

Given that they have this thing wide open, I bet they probably wouldn't know
how to reset it though..

Plus, I don't believe in "screwing with people's crap just because you can".

(It would fix my problem though.)

I'd rather just get my own things working...

Thought also about using a PDA to determine the exact source (I have a good
guess), but don't know how they might take to having their door knocked
on..

escra wrote:

> One other "fix" just came to mind...
>
> This stupid open SSID that my card keeps wanting to connecting to over my
> SSID -------
>
> After rebooting for the 200th time, this time (for the hell of it),
> brought
> up Firefox as soon as I logged in. Its talking through the internet....
>
> Not only that, but this wireless router (linksys 54G) is wide open.
> 192.168.1.1, default user/pass of admin/admin
>
> The SSID is the default "linksys".
>
> Its obvious that this stupid thing (couple houses over) isn't open by
> intent
> or a captive portal.. Someone is just very lazy...
>
> Would it be wrong to config encryption in the thing, change the SSID to
> "Setup-WPA!" (or something along those lines)?
>
> Given that they have this thing wide open, I bet they probably wouldn't
> know how to reset it though..
>
> Plus, I don't believe in "screwing with people's crap just because you
> can".
>
> (It would fix my problem though.)
>
> I'd rather just get my own things working...
>
> Thought also about using a PDA to determine the exact source (I have a
> good guess), but don't know how they might take to having their door
> knocked on..

Ok, now I am very tempted to get nasty because it still won't work (even
with the entry to use my AP's MAC). Its still automatically connecting to
this stupid open SSID until I manually disconnect, re-start wpa_supplicant,
then restart wlan0.

Do cable companies use Linksys?

Where I'm going with this --- I don't want to trash someone's else personal
property -- but if it belongs to the cable company? Who cares. If it is
property of the cable co's, they should have set the thing up right for a
customer!

I'm tempted....

....to make this linksys router do a "firmware upgrade" (over-the-air) from
my connected IP.

I'll, of course, have the lastest linksys firmware here to upload.

....and will disconnect half-way through the upload.

Effectively, turning this stupid linksys router into an unusable brick with
no other option than to throw into a trash can...

escra <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:

>One other "fix" just came to mind...

>This stupid open SSID that my card keeps wanting to connecting to over my
>SSID -------

>After rebooting for the 200th time, this time (for the hell of it), brought
>up Firefox as soon as I logged in. Its talking through the internet....

>Not only that, but this wireless router (linksys 54G) is wide open.
>192.168.1.1, default user/pass of admin/admin

It should not respond to configuration through the wirelss for precisely
the reason you have discovered.



>The SSID is the default "linksys".

>Its obvious that this stupid thing (couple houses over) isn't open by intent
>or a captive portal.. Someone is just very lazy...

>Would it be wrong to config encryption in the thing, change the SSID to
>"Setup-WPA!" (or something along those lines)?

Yes, it would be wrong.



>Given that they have this thing wide open, I bet they probably wouldn't know
>how to reset it though..

>Plus, I don't believe in "screwing with people's crap just because you can".

>(It would fix my problem though.)

>I'd rather just get my own things working...

>Thought also about using a PDA to determine the exact source (I have a good
>guess), but don't know how they might take to having their door knocked
>on..

escra <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:

>escra wrote:

>> One other "fix" just came to mind...
>>
>> This stupid open SSID that my card keeps wanting to connecting to over my
>> SSID -------
>>
>> After rebooting for the 200th time, this time (for the hell of it),
>> brought
>> up Firefox as soon as I logged in. Its talking through the internet....
>>
>> Not only that, but this wireless router (linksys 54G) is wide open.
>> 192.168.1.1, default user/pass of admin/admin
>>
>> The SSID is the default "linksys".
>>
>> Its obvious that this stupid thing (couple houses over) isn't open by
>> intent
>> or a captive portal.. Someone is just very lazy...
>>
>> Would it be wrong to config encryption in the thing, change the SSID to
>> "Setup-WPA!" (or something along those lines)?
>>
>> Given that they have this thing wide open, I bet they probably wouldn't
>> know how to reset it though..
>>
>> Plus, I don't believe in "screwing with people's crap just because you
>> can".
>>
>> (It would fix my problem though.)
>>
>> I'd rather just get my own things working...
>>
>> Thought also about using a PDA to determine the exact source (I have a
>> good guess), but don't know how they might take to having their door
>> knocked on..

>Ok, now I am very tempted to get nasty because it still won't work (even
>with the entry to use my AP's MAC). Its still automatically connecting to
>this stupid open SSID until I manually disconnect, re-start wpa_supplicant,
>then restart wlan0.

>Do cable companies use Linksys?

>Where I'm going with this --- I don't want to trash someone's else personal
>property -- but if it belongs to the cable company? Who cares. If it is
>property of the cable co's, they should have set the thing up right for a
>customer!

>I'm tempted....

>...to make this linksys router do a "firmware upgrade" (over-the-air) from
>my connected IP.

That would also be criminal, and you have announced it to the world.


>I'll, of course, have the lastest linksys firmware here to upload.

>...and will disconnect half-way through the upload.

>Effectively, turning this stupid linksys router into an unusable brick with
>no other option than to throw into a trash can...

escra wrote:

> The main thing seems to be with wpa_supplicant. Its like its not "loading
> at the right time" or something. If I manually run it, it works, but when
> I tried to make it run at startup (by doing that "also run this script")
> it
> ran but didn't work. I'm sensing that it needed to run before the network
> stuff starts coming to life. I have no idea on the "right way" to make
> wpa_supplicant load at startup. I've googled, read man pages, read docs,
> deja searched, posted on Suse's web forum, etc, etc, but everything just
> goes in circles.

I would have thought if you can start the card manually,
you could start it at boot-time by putting the same commands
in /etc/rc.d/rc.local (or the SuSE equivalent).

Admittedly that won't help understand why it isn't working.

--
Timothy Murphy
e-mail (<80k only): tim /at/ birdsnest.maths.tcd.ie
tel: +353-86-2336090, +353-1-2842366
s-mail: School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland

I'm not going to trash someone's silly wireless router...

I want to fix my own problem...

The simplest approach would be to force my card to only use 802.11a (which
is actually what the rest of my WLAN uses), but apparently 802.11a can't be
done..

The iw-tools don't seem to support 802.11a at all.