Installing Wicd on Gutsy Gibbon
This tutorial will show you how to install, configure, and connect to wireless networks with Wicd. Wicd is a lean network manager with a simple user interface, so that you can configure wired and wireless networks.
1. From command line add Wicd’s repository to the /etc/apt/sources.list with this command. Replace gutsy with the appropriate nickname - for example, feisty for Ubuntu 7.04.
echo deb http://wicd.longren.org gutsy extras | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list2. Next update the sources in the packages list, and install Wicd.
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install wicd3. To load Wicd automatically when you boot your system, access System | Preferences | Sessions | Add and add the following:
A Wicd system tray icon will show up in the notification area when you restart.
4. To get Wicd running for the first time, access Applications | Internet | Wicd. This will show you the wired network and a list of available wireless networks. Including SSID name, encryption information, and signal strength.
5. Open the Preferences, and change the wireless interface to match your card, in my case ath0. You can use iwconfig to determine the wireless interface name.
6. Next choose a WPA supplicant driver, using this generic list of the most command WLAN cards.
WPA Driver Selection
hostap
(default) Host AP driver (Intersil Prism2/2.5/3).
hermes
Agere Systems Inc. driver (Hermes-I/Hermes-II).
madwifi
MADWIFI 802.11 support (Atheros, etc.).
atmel
ATMEL AT76C5XXx (USB, PCMCIA).
wext
Linux wireless extensions (generic).
ndiswrapper
Linux ndiswrapper.
broadcom
Broadcom wl.o driver.
ipw
Intel ipw2100/2200 driver.7. Click on Network to go back to the list of available wireless networks. Now you can connect to any open wireless networks by clicking Connect below the SSID name.
8.To connect to an encrypted network, click on the arrow beside the SSID name, and click Advanced Settings. From here click on Use Encryption and enter the details.
Conclusions
If you want a clear-cut network manage that remembers network settings and passwords choose Wicd.
Comments
nice and easy to follow
just had to change from feisty to hardy and all worked well
Seems to have the wicd-client loaded by default... not sure if that's the same for Feisty.
i would have to agree with thompson
very easy instructions to follow
as it is that i typically forget my passwords and private settings
i have selected wicd, it should remember my personal info,
Regards,
Andrew
WICD is a nice app.
If you have an Atheros wireless adapter, you will need to create the ndiswrapper and in the WICD preferences, use WEXT as your wpa supplicant driver.
Thanks you for the feedback.
I will update this tutorial to expand on the adapter selection as you noted.
Thank you!
That was almost painless as your instructions where easy to follow and concise.
My laptop did need to have the wireless set to eth1 rather than the ath0 you recommended but… woo hoo!
WICD seems to be more flexible in that I can easily reconnect to other wireless networks (my previous trouble was that network manager would lock into my neighbours router instead of my own).
Thanks again!
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