Wpa-supplicant Configuration

[solighten]

Hi folks,

in the past I used WEP but since my new wireless router supports WPA-PSK I thought it is a good idea to use it.

So I installed hostapd and wpa-supplicant and changed the default wpa_supplicant.conf to support my wlan.

It worked almost right out of the box without problems (There is a bug in /etc/rc.d/init.d/wpa_supplicant, the "--" has to be removed).

I wrote a small script to connect, but I have not yet figured out how to give my zaurus a name. The iwconfig after "Setting Wireless" shows no effect. Here is my script:

Code: [Select]

#!/bin/sh
# Wireless lan settings script
echo "Resetting wireless"
ifconfig wlan0 down
dhcpcd -k
killall dhcpcd
rm /var/run/dhcpcd-wlan0.pid 2> /dev/null
#rm /var/run/wpa_supplicant/wlan0 2> /dev/null
sleep 1
echo -n "Setting wireless ...."
iwconfig wlan0 nick Zaurus rate auto power 1
sleep 1
echo "Turning up network"
/etc/rc.d/init.d/wpa_supplicant restart
dhcpcd wlan0
sleep 2
ifconfig wlan0
echo "done"
I use this script to connect. To disconnect I just eject the card.

How do you use wpa-supplicant? Any suggestions for improvements?

Cheers, Jan

[JohnX]

I too ended up taking the "just-write-my-own-script" route for dealing with wpa networks. Here's the script that I ended up with:

Code: [Select]

#!/bin/sh

action=$1
iface=wlan0

case $action in
on)
    cardctl insert
    ifconfig $iface up
;;

up)
    wireless.sh on
    wpa_supplicant -c /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -D hostap -i $iface -B
    udhcpc -i $iface
    ntpdate pool.ntp.org
;;

down)
    killall wpa_supplicant
    killall udhcpc
;;
    
reup)
    wireless.sh down
    wireless.sh up    
;;
    
off)
    wireless.sh down
    ifconfig $iface down
    cardctl eject
;;

scan)
    wireless.sh on
    wireless.sh down
    kismet
;;
    
*)
    echo "usage: $0 ( on | up | down | off | reup | scan )"
;;
esac
It is *not* pretty. In fact this is possibly one of the least elegant ways to handle recursion in sh I think. However, it "works for me ™" so maybe it will be useful to someone else. The script should be named wireless.sh, made executable and be somewhere in your $PATH otherwise it will fail miserably. Looking at it now I should have at least replaced all instances of wireless.sh in it with $0 or equivalent. Also, keep in mind that I'm using OZ and thus my dhcp client is udhcpc rather than dhcpd. Maybe there should be a variable in there to set the dhcp client used.

-John

[zi99y]

this is probabaly a crazy question as I don't use WPA (yet) but is it possible to connect to networks that you don't have all the details of (ESSID/Freq etc) but you know the Key?

For example I go to see my family and want to connect but don't want my dad to rummage around trying to find out all the details - we have the Key, but would like to search for the access point , like in wifi-radar

[iits]

this is probabaly a crazy question as I don't use WPA (yet) but is it possible to connect to networks that you don't have all the details of (ESSID/Freq etc) but you know the Key?

For example I go to see my family and want to connect but don't want my dad to rummage around trying to find out all the details - we have the Key, but would like to search for the access point , like in wifi-radar
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=148361\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

You can scan for SSID (if it not hidden) and the freq should be found automaticly

[Drake01]

This might also be a crazy question...

I always assumed that WPA or WEP would be software controlled, and yet I always seem to see it tied to hardware (card X supports WEP, WPA, etc.; card Y supports WEP).  Again, I always assumed that this was because of the drivers supplied by the manufacturer, and the manufacturer would have little motivation to provide upgraded drivers for older cards since they're trying to sell you a new product.

I guess I'll get to my question now...  Can WPA be used with any NIC?  

For instance, I have an older Symbol card and I use WEP with it, but it's common knowledge that WEP is trivial to compromise.  I would love to upgrade to WPA if that were an option.  However, I don't feel like spending for a new WAP plus a new CF NIC.  (I know that I would need to upgrade my WAP in either case, as Netgear has no recent firmware updates for it.)

Am I out of luck on this one?

Thanks!

[harvell]

I have an older symbol card too.  I remember reading somewhere that the symbol card would not be able to handle WPA because of the firmware.

[solighten]

I have an older symbol card too.  I remember reading somewhere that the symbol card would not be able to handle WPA because of the firmware.
[div align=\"right\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Hi,

I read that it really depends on the firmware. On my Dlink 660 and on any other Prism based chipset card you shold have station firmware of at least version 1.7.4. This version was on my card already, so for me there was no problem. How to find out which version is on your card and how to upgrade you can find here:

[a href=\"http://linux.junsun.net/intersil-prism/]http://linux.junsun.net/intersil-prism/[/url]

I am glad that I already had the firmware version required for WEP!

Cheers, Jan

[zi99y]

tbh I just use MAC filtering on my WAP, is there any reason why WPA is more secure than this?

[solighten]

tbh I just use MAC filtering on my WAP, is there any reason why WPA is more secure than this?
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=148495\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Hi,

Mac filtering is a good addition to any encryption but is not really secure. On most devices you can change the MAC. Someone just needs to read the MAC while you are connected and use the same MAC afterwards.

Cheers, Jan

[zi99y]

Thanks, I never thought of that.. Now where's that macchanger tool again

btw is there a commandline utility to scan for wireless networks? kismet doesn't work for me and wifi-radar chugs..

[solighten]

btw is there a commandline utility to scan for wireless networks? kismet doesn't work for me and wifi-radar chugs..
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=148505\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Hi,

I have never seen a commandline utility, but did you try "Wellenreiter". It has a nice GUI and it did work well under Beta3. I have not installed it on Rc121 yet because there was no need for me to do it so far.

Cheers, Jan

[Andmann]

btw is there a commandline utility to scan for wireless networks? kismet doesn't work for me and wifi-radar chugs..
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=148505\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Hi,

I have never seen a commandline utility, but did you try "Wellenreiter". It has a nice GUI and it did work well under Beta3. I have not installed it on Rc121 yet because there was no need for me to do it so far.

Cheers, Jan
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=148513\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Hi,
Where do you get this app?
I have searched around and so far no luck.

Thanks

Andmann

[InSearchOf]

Here

Late

[zi99y]

Thanks for that, I have tried Wellenreiter and have problems with that also. I think my PLANEX CF wifi card may not be configured properly as I do get some odd message - I'll have to look into it further before I comment. Wifi-radar allows me to search out wireless networks, but never seems to connect cleanly

[Andmann]

Here

Late
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=148768\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Thanks, I will try it tonight and let you know.

Andmann