KWifiManager and DHCP

[nnigam]

I am using the live 5.01 DVD. I am unable to automate the connection to publick wifi networks. In my home it works with the following commands

1. In kwifimanager, I select Configuraton editor and enter my ssid and security password. select activate, apply and ok.
2. in root shell I enter 'ifconfig wlan0 up'
3. in Network card configuration, I select my card and allow DHCP.

But when I am outside my home, and I see a public network, I can see the network, but cannot select it as the 'switch to network' button is grayed out.
I also do not see th dhclient script to automate the dhcp for the network address anywhere. I am using an ibm thinkpad A31p. My card works because if I enter all the information it works. I only have all this for my home, not on the road where I would like to use the laptop. I also do not see any where how to connect as root for kwifimanager.

Thanks
Neeraj Nigam

[Jacky]

Try this. Bring wlan0 up first with ifconfig wlan0 up. Then launch kwifimanager. Select a config where all the fields are blank (no SSID or password). Select Activate. I notice that kwifimanager then attempts to scan and associate to the strongest available signal that is not encrypted. Once you get the green bars, select from the Knoppix menu Network card configuration, select the network card and allow DHCP. You will get a IP address from the DHCP server and then you are "in".

The alternative, without using kwifimanager is to use the Knoppix menu Wavelan configuration. Again leave the SSID field blank (the prompt says that equates to "any" i.e. pick up any available access point).

Knoppix seems to have a lot of problems with wireless, so please report back any successes or failures in your efforts so that the rest of us can learn about it.

[nnigam]

This does work. I brought wlan0 up first, and ran kwifimanager, and it connected to a network. Running netcardconfig provided an ip address. I tried this at two different locations. At one location, everything worked perfectly. At the other although the IP address was assigned, I could not get out on the internet. I have seen others having similar issues. Since this is a network not in my control, I do not know what the gateway or DNS servers should be and so cannot configure them manually.

I was unable to select a list from the search results to change the network that I want to connect to since the button was grayed out. I have to type the ssid into a config page, and activate that one.

Is there any way to automate the dhcp or make it the default for kwifimanager so that a step cold be saved?

Also, I have noticed that the belkin router is mentioned quite a bit. I use two routers of my on on a regular basis both of which are in my control. One is a Belkin Wireless G and the other is the default verizon wireless modem that they provide the 327W westell modem. Both work perfectly once I enter in the WEP keys.