How to get an instant wireless connection automatically with PCLinux?

[joseppi]

While trying different Linux live CDs, I just discovered something quite amazing with the Slax distro which is a capability I surely would like to see with PCLinux.

Insert the Slax Live CD (only 200 Megabyte) and it boots up with wireless automatically connected.  Why isn't PCLinux able to do that, also?  If Slax can do this, surely PCLinux should also be able to accomplish the same fantastic capability.

[Texstar]

While trying different Linux live CDs, I just discovered something quite amazing with the Slax distro which is a capability I surely would like to see with PCLinux.

Insert the Slax Live CD (only 200 Megabyte) and it boots up with wireless automatically connected.  Why isn't PCLinux able to do that, also?  If Slax can do this, surely PCLinux should also be able to accomplish the same fantastic capability.

How can it do this without knowing your WEP or WPA key? Are you running your wireless router without any encryption?

Tex

[joseppi]

I don't know how it works ... it was a shock (delightful) to me when it happened. I can only speculate that it takes whatever unsecured wireless signal might be available.  I've tried the same CD on three different laptop computers and one of them in three different locations and it always works flawlessly ... even though it is connecting to different wireless signals in each place. The first discovery was at my home office where it automatically connected to a neighbor's unsecured signal (not my own router which does require a WEP key).  Then we tried it at a hotel we went to this past weekend, and again, it just connected automatically to that hotel's unsecured signal.  Then when we came back home, it automatically connected to the neighbor's signal here.

I don't know how it's done, but it surely is fantastic. And now my wife insists she wants this installed on her laptop (and I don't want to replace PCLinux

I assume that there must be a way to enter a key if no unsecured wireless connection is automatically connected, but I haven't found a place to test that yet.

[sammy2fish]

Texstar makes a good point.  This cannot happen unless someone is running a unsecured network.  Then you would be hoarding in on someone's bandwidth.

On my MSI laptop, the wireless icon was in the system tray, but not connected.  I clicked on it and it had several connections to choose from.  I picked mine, typed in my 10-digit key and I was online.  That is pretty easy, I think.

[muungwana]

how can you call this behavior "fantastic"? The computer is connecting to random unsecured wireless connections without any input from you. This could be dangerous, you may think you are on one connection and the computer for whatever reason may decide to start using another connection and you could end up in big trouble.

what is this distros website? i wonder what their members are thinking about this.

how do you now connect to wireless networks on pclinuxos and how hard is it to make you want to make the trade off between convenience and security implications associated with this autoconnection?

[OMSkates]

Easily done, but not secure.  I agree its kinda neat to see an auto connection like that and Wicd or network-manager can be configured that way but just an extra step or two is a good trade off for a more secure connection.

[YouCanToo]

While trying different Linux live CDs, I just discovered something quite amazing with the Slax distro which is a capability I surely would like to see with PCLinux.

Insert the Slax Live CD (only 200 Megabyte) and it boots up with wireless automatically connected.  Why isn't PCLinux able to do that, also?  If Slax can do this, surely PCLinux should also be able to accomplish the same fantastic capability.

I don't have any problems with mine. I just select what access point I want to use and enter in my encryption key and I am in.  After the first time all other start-ups automatically uses that access point and logs in without and intervention from me.  Couldn't be any simpler than that.  I really don't see the ability of logging on without knowing what access point or what encryption key you are using. That is unless you not using encryption at all which is really a stupid move if you are doing that!

[YouCanToo]

how can you call this behavior "fantastic"? The computer is connecting to random unsecured wireless connections without any input from you. This could be dangerous, you may think you are on one connection and the computer for whatever reason may decide to start using another connection and you could end up in big trouble.

what is this distros website? i wonder what their members are thinking about this.

how do you now connect to wireless networks on pclinuxos and how hard is it to make you want to make the trade off between convenience and security implications associated with this autoconnection?

Could get him in deep pile of pooh as it is considered "theft of services"  Really someone should go to the owner of this open wireless network and give them a good tap upside their head for being dumb no that should be STUPID.

[joseppi]

[snip]
how do you now connect to wireless networks on pclinuxos and how hard is it ...

Here's the PCLinuxOS wireless connection procedure I wrote out, step by step for my wife:


1. Click "PC"
2. Click "More Applications"
3. Click "Configuration"
4. Click "Configure your computer"
5. Enter root password
6. Click "Network & Internet"
7. Click "Network Center"
8. Click "Wireless"
9. Select a Network (Which one? No explanation provided.)
10. Click "Configure"
11. Select Operating Mode (Which one? No explanation provided.)
12. Select Encryption Mode (Which one? No explanation provided.)
13. Click [OK]
14. Enter Encryption Key (if required)
15. Check box: "Force using this key as ASCII string"
16. Check "Automatic IP (BootP/DHCP)" or "Manual configuration"
  (Which one? No explanation provided.)
17. Check "Get DNS servers from DHCP" or Enter DNS servers manually.
  (Which one? No explanation provided. If enter manually,
  What numbers to enter? No explanation provided.)
18. Check "Allow users to manage the connection" or not?
19. Check "Start the connection at boot?" or not?
20. Check "Allow access point roaming" or not?
21. Click "Connect"

Silly woman.  She also wants a car with an electric starter instead of a hand crank and an automatic transmission.  Silly woman.

[joseppi]

how can you call this behavior "fantastic"?

Could get him in deep pile of pooh as it is considered "theft of services"  Really someone should go to the owner of this open wireless network and give them a good tap upside their head for being dumb no that should be STUPID.

We should write letters to all the hotels and motels around the country who provide free wireless connections for our convenience when we travel and inform them of how stupid they are to provide this free wireless connection service for the convenience of their guests.
Also, we need to write to Starbucks and all the fast food establishments and other merchants who foolishly provide free wireless connection for their customers.

[sammy2fish]

how can you call this behavior "fantastic"?

Could get him in deep pile of pooh as it is considered "theft of services"  Really someone should go to the owner of this open wireless network and give them a good tap upside their head for being dumb no that should be STUPID.

We should write letters to all the hotels and motels around the country who provide free wireless connections for our convenience when we travel and inform them of how stupid they are to provide this free wireless connection service for the convenience of their guests.
Also, we need to write to Starbucks and all the fast food establishments and other merchants who foolishly provide free wireless connection for their customers.

They do it as a service to their customers, though they generally have a number of "guards" in place.  How many newbie-type customers would be calling the desk at all hours forgetting the 10-digit code.  Secondly, they would have to regularly change it, for it to have any purpose.  How confusing would that be for customers.  That is why theirs is not encrypted.

Some time back I was running a D-link print server.  When I first set it up, it showed me the options of where to print to.  It had a hotel closeby as an option.  Becuase it is an option doesn't mean I'm going to use it.

You are much safer using your own encrypted wireless access...

[YouCanToo]

how can you call this behavior "fantastic"?

Could get him in deep pile of pooh as it is considered "theft of services"  Really someone should go to the owner of this open wireless network and give them a good tap upside their head for being dumb no that should be STUPID.

We should write letters to all the hotels and motels around the country who provide free wireless connections for our convenience when we travel and inform them of how stupid they are to provide this free wireless connection service for the convenience of their guests.
Also, we need to write to Starbucks and all the fast food establishments and other merchants who foolishly provide free wireless connection for their customers.

There is one heck of a difference from a business supplying wireless access to their clients as there is to an uninformed casual user leaving their home system wide open.  As for Starbucks the last one I was at in Portland has a login screen before they allow access. I do not know if it was just this store or all of their stores.

[OMSkates]

By design a network either grants you permission when your wireless device requests access or it denies you access (closed).  An open network by definition grants permission with or without a disclaimer.  Open is open, closed is closed regardless of intentions.  Setting that aside then your own personal ethics may play a part in your decision to connect or not.

[Aideka]

Quoting myself from another thread of yours, please see pictures this time so you don't have to go through all those steps that you currently do.

http://img807.imageshack.us/img807/5100/kuvakaappaus1.png
http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/4271/kuvakaappaus2.png
http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/2419/kuvakaappaus3.png

That took 2 mouse clicks and a root password, and then I had connected to a network, that I have never before been connected to. Now tell me, how much easier should this be?

[joseppi]

Thanks for all the responses, but I think I need to discontinue any further comments on this topic now because I seem to have been unable to get my point across.

So, I think I will try a different approach.