Wireless Networking with Linux

There are lots of encryption standards used in wireless networks today (WEP, WPA, WPA2), and each one has several different security mechinisms (40 bit WEP, 128 bit WEP, WPA-Personal, WPA-Enterprise, TKIP, CCMP, etc...).

The AOC has provided three wireless cards for laptop users.

Proxim Gold ORiNOCO - This was mainly given to Windows laptops and it does not support WPA or WPA2.
Cisco Aironet 350 - This was given to both Windows and Linux laptops and it does not support WPA or WPA2.
Cisco Aironet 802.11a/b/g - This is given to both Windows and Linux laptops that require WPA or WPA2.

The AOC has also installed two programs for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 to help one connect to wireless networks: wifi-radar and wpa_gui. Below is documentiation describing how to use these programs to connect to different types of wireless networks.

Networks with no encryption or WEP

	Start wifi-radar by typing `wifi-radar` at a command prompt. Select the SSID of the network to which you wish to connect.
	If the network requires WEP then click Configure. Then click WiFi Options and set the Mode to `auto`. Next enter the WEP key in the Key text box and click Save.
	Finally click Connect and you should be done.

Networks with WPA or WPA2

If you are trying to connect to a wireless network that requires either WPA or WPA2 security, the process is a little complicated. You will need a wireless card that supports WPA/WPA2 like the Cisco Aironet 802.11a/b/g. This is the card that the AOC has been providing to people who need WPA/WPA2.

Start wifi-radar by typing wifi-radar at a command prompt. Select the SSID of the network to which you wish to connect and click Configure.

Then click No WPA to toggle it to Use WPA and type madwifi in the Driver box and click Save. Then, from the main wifi-radar window, click Connect. It will attempt to get an address but fail. When it fails, close wifi-radar.

Start wpa_gui by typing wpa_gui at a command prompt. The Adapter should already be set to ath0. Select File -> Add Network. Fill out the SSID, Authentication, Encryption and any other fields for your network. Click Add when finished. Back at the main wpa_gui window you should see the status change to COMPLETED. Select File -> Exit.

Start wifi-radar again. Select the SSID to which you wish to connect and click Connect.

Now that wpa has been configured, all that should be required is running wifi-radar, selecting the SSID and clicking Connect.

Content reviewed on: 10-Jul-2007
Reviewed by: krowe

K. Scott Rowe

	Start wifi-radar by typing `wifi-radar` at a command prompt. Select the SSID of the network to which you wish to connect and click Configure.
	Then click No WPA to toggle it to Use WPA and type `madwifi` in the Driver box and click Save. Then, from the main wifi-radar window, click Connect. It will attempt to get an address but fail. When it fails, close wifi-radar.
	Start wpa_gui by typing `wpa_gui` at a command prompt. The Adapter should already be set to `ath0`. Select File -> Add Network. Fill out the SSID, Authentication, Encryption and any other fields for your network. Click Add when finished. Back at the main wpa_gui window you should see the status change to COMPLETED. Select File -> Exit.
	Start wifi-radar again. Select the SSID to which you wish to connect and click Connect.