-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Dennis J. Tuchler wrote:
I noted what was said about hidden SSID problems using SuSE and Knetwork manager:
Kai Ponte wrote:
On Thu, July 26, 2007 2:27 pm, Johannes Nohl wrote:
I don't know for those of you in Gnome-land, but in KDE with KNetworkmanager (the KDE front end to networkmanager) you right click the icon in the system tray, and you'll be presented with a list of available wifi networks. I'm using exactly knetworkmanager even under gnome or xfce.
If you want to connect to another - for example, one that has a hidden SSID like mine - then you select "Connect to other" and enter the gory details. The adhoc network with enabled SSID interferes with the infrastructure network with hidden SSID. I use "Connect to other" and, if there's no adhoc network with same SSID around, it connects to the hidden SSID. Like it should do. But if there's a network with same SSID Networkmanager connects to it no matter if you have choosen a different (the infrastructure network in my case) originally. Result is that Networkmanager tries to connect to the adhoc with shown SSID and fails of course.
My eth1 setup includes a passphrase and ESSID for my current wireless router. I expect to take my laptop "on the road" and use it in various places which provide WiFi. If the identifying name of the network is not apparent, how do I set it up? The "connect to other wireless network" option on the knetwork manager requires that I fill in an ESSID. So, if I can't get the name, what do I do?
Deliberate mixing of ad-hoc and infrastructure based networking on the same SSID is probably not good practice. People configuring machines as ad-hoc with the same SSID and passphrase is something the network managers can do little about, and I would regard this as a potential security weakness in some contexts (might also have a negative effect on overall network performance). For home usage, or closed organisation networks the key based approach is safe and reliable enough, but for certain classes of public access I would hope to be looking at a certificate based approach rather than a pass phrase/key based approach (at the moment I do not know how linux handles certificate based WiFi access). A hidden SSID usually means the network managers do not want anyone and their pet poodle to connect, you need to to talk to the people running the network either to get a certificate or key; and pay the cash if appropriate. Merely seeing the network DOES NOT give you authority to use it, and if someone is hiding the network this is a doubly clear message, At the moment you have to set up a distinct configuration for each WiFi network. rant on... I think main problem is that joe/jill user just thinks that putting together a network or connecting to a network is like plugging in telephones to sockets in a walls. Unfortunately, however much you dress it up behind nice fancy GUIs it aint. Even more problematic are non-technical managers in organisations who think the same way. rant off... - -- ============================================================================== I have always wished that my computer would be as easy to use as my telephone. My wish has come true. I no longer know how to use my telephone. Bjarne Stroustrup ============================================================================== -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.5 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with SUSE - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iD8DBQFGqpKAasN0sSnLmgIRAq9rAJ0Q4ExitxXCPlM6dJ/CwjcKccUsWACfV0HP 3Cyn+2cS92jKDzc0m+/GtNw= =DXn9 -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org