arch-wireless

rc.d-script for archlinux to simplify connecting to wireless networks

what is it?

A script to automate connecting your beloved archlaptop to wireless networks, it even allows you to prioritize certain networks above others.

installation :)

1. clone the repo
2. symlink wireless into /etc/rc.d using ln -s
3. make sure wireless is executable using chmod +x
4. create a new file called /etc/essids and list the essids of your networks there in descending priority, eg.

    homewifi
    eduroam
    Work Wireless
    #comment lines with #
    #coffee cafe 

5. run the addessid script to be greeted with an interactive way to add a network to /etc/essids/ and /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf or add your authentication-details manually to /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf, see https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/WPA_supplicant for instructions
6. open rc.conf with your favorite editor, eg sudo vim /etc/rc.conf
7. Paste this somewhere in the file, preferably below the NETWORKS-section

    # Wireless setup
    																     
    # Wireless interface, (default wlan0)                                                                                                
    WIRELESS_INTERFACE=wlan0                                                                                                             
    		
    # List of essids to recognise, in descending priority order (default /etc/essids)                                                    
    ESSID_LIST=/etc/essids
    		
    # wpa_supplicant configuration file, (default /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf)                                                              
    WPA_SUPPLICANT_CONF=/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
    			
    # Kernel module to insert and remove (optional)
    WIRELESS_MODULE=iwlagn       

8. change the above variables to conform to your system
9. test it by running sudo rc.d start wireless
10. add @wireless to the DAEMONS array in rc.conf to autoconnect to a known network in range upon boot

(un-)supported features!

• WPA/WPA2 is supported
• Open networks are supported
• WEP is not supported (yet?)
• DHCP is supported
• static network settings are not supported yet
• load/unload driver-modules for wifi-chip is supported, useful when dealing with annoying wifi-chips such as certain broadcom models
• Eduroam works great
• more things that i forgot