Baslinux mailing list

[sindi keesan <keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org>]

On Fri, 15 Dec 2006 3aoo-cvfd AT dea.spamcon.org wrote:

> sindi keesan wrote:
> > I thought ifconfig eth0 assigned an IP number to MY computer
>
> Yes, it does.
>
> > dhcp would detect the IP number of a potential gateway
>
> dhcp assigns the IP number (allocated by dhcp server).

It assigns the IP number for my computer?

> > which I would then assign using route add default gw
>
> Do you know the addresses or not?  If you know them,
> you assign them using ifconfig eth0 [address] and
> route add default gw [address].  Alternatively, if
> there is a dhcp server running on the network, you
> use dhcp (instead).

Last night I was picking up random signals but the neighbor's XP computer
gave info about a couple dozen networks in the neighborhood.  It was using 
default gateway 192.168.1.1, which I could not ping, and had IP address of 
its own 192.168.1.103 which I did not try to ping.

I will ask the library for their default gateway address.  Or go visit a 
friend living in a house with wireless network who knows the gateway IP.

ifconfig eth0 192.168.1.2 for my computer
route add default gw 192.168.1.1 or whatever the gateway is

> > And at the library, also WEP or WPA key (which they will
> > give me - what would I do with it?).
>
> I believe it goes into the config for your wireless card.

I will research that or use iwconfig eth0 key NUMBER or echo it to /proc.

And I need to either use the strongest signal, or learn to identify and 
choose with iwconfig or iwlist or some other tool.

> > Your sample module setup was for ad-hoc mode, using two
> > wireless computers as a network without access point
>
> As I said, I got that line from a random HOWTO.  I know
> nothing about configuring your wireless card.
>
> > Did you assign a default gw if you used this method?
>
> You assign a gw if there is a gateway on the network.
> But that is several steps down the line.  First you
> need to establish a connection.  First you need to be
> able to ping another computer on your immediate network.

Find out the IP number of a strong local signal, ping it, and if that 
works route add default gw that number?

We were given two gadgets with a line in for ADSL, four lines out for 
wired ethernet, and two antennas and the ability to send out a wireless 
signal.  Could I use one of these somehow to pick up my neighbor's 
wireless signal if he ever installs wireless to his Mac, then use a 
crossover cable to my desktop computer, instead of a laptop with pcmcia 
card?


I will try SW81 iwconfig.  54K with docs and iwlist.

Just installed it (the WHOLE PACKAGE!)
iwgetid - print the access point address
iwlist eth0 frequency, channel, ap [access point], encryption, key, etc.
iwconfig essid nwid freq channel sens nick enc ......
iwevent - monitors and displays Wireless Events
iwpriv eth0 port managed or ad-hoc   roam on or off
iwspy eth0 MAC address IP address

man page for iwlist:
iwlist ap - Give the list of access points in range, and optionally the 
quality of link.

iwlist scan: give the list of access points and Ad-Hoc cells in range and 
optionally a whole bunch of info:  ESSID, Quality, Frequency, Mode....
Root only.

I don't know how to turn on the optional parts.

key/enc  List the encryption key sizes supported and display all the 
encryption keys availables [sic] in the device
(my wireless card?)

see /proc/net/wireless - maybe the above just print info from /proc like 
lspci?

And probably iwconfig and iwpriv could be replaced on the pcmcia config 
module line (like you did for port_type).


SW71 pcmcia package has a 'wireless' script that invokes iwconfig
iwpriv iwspy and uses wireless.opts, which is to be edited to add a key 
and if you don't want 'any' also essid and access point, which needs 
cardctl.

The default is to 'pick up any Access Point'.  This may be what BL and 
Fedora did yesterday, picked the strongest connection, which was secured. 
I don't think I need all this complication.

I will read the pcmcia howto for info about setting this all in config 
(including key and access point).

> Cheers,
> Steven