Kitz Forum

Computer Software => Linux => Topic started by: Ratae on January 10, 2011, 07:51:54 PM

Title: Wi-Fi question.
Post by: Ratae on January 10, 2011, 07:51:54 PM
Nothing particularly serious, but I seem to remember that the last time that I experimented with Ubuntu, the w/less was activated automatically (after initial configuration) when I logged on!

Now however, each time that I log in, I need to click the icon and tick the 'enable w/less' box before my w/less card is activated!  :shrug2:

Is there a way of activating the w/less automatically?

One more (for now) question. Is there a text editor that performs a similar function to Bill's 'Wordpad?' I have the 'Gedit' application installed but it is very basic!!

Thanks.........Ratae
Title: Re: Wi-Fi question.
Post by: roseway on January 10, 2011, 10:40:47 PM
If I remember correctly, wordpad is a basic word processor, not just a text editor, so something like abiword might fit the bill. Apart from that, there's gwrite perhaps. There are so many text editors at all levels of complication that it's difficult to pick just one.

I'm afraid I can't help with the wireless question, as I've no experience of Ubuntu.
Title: Re: Wi-Fi question.
Post by: BritBrat on January 11, 2011, 08:10:14 AM
I am not a Linux person although a few weeks back I tried out one installed on a pen drive and was quite impressed.

As for text editors in windows I use UltraEdit, not simple but very good.

Quote
Replacing Notepad or looking for a powerful text editor? UltraEdit is what you're looking for. Versatile and easy to use, UltraEdit is the ideal text, hex, XML, HTML, PHP, Java, Javascript, Perl, and programmer's editor.

http://www.ultraedit.com/

Looks like they do a Linux version, see told you they were good. :-)
Title: Re: Wi-Fi question.
Post by: Ratae on January 11, 2011, 06:42:18 PM
Thanks BB, I'll take a look at that!
Title: Re: Wi-Fi question.
Post by: flanker on January 11, 2011, 09:16:44 PM
Also a newbie to Ubuntu having just installed as dual boot on my w7 laptop. I have 10.10 installed and managed to get wireless to connect on startup. Go to system/preferences/network connections/wireless, highlight your wireless connection, click on edit and on the window that opens the top left has a check box for connect automatically.
Not sure if this is the same on 10.4 as when I previously dabbled with this I found I also had to enable wireless every time.
Title: Re: Wi-Fi question.
Post by: Ratae on January 11, 2011, 11:52:30 PM
Also a newbie to Ubuntu having just installed as dual boot on my w7 laptop. I have 10.10 installed and managed to get wireless to connect on startup. Go to system/preferences/network connections/wireless, highlight your wireless connection, click on edit and on the window that opens the top left has a check bo  :shrug2:x for connect automatically.
Not sure if this is the same on 10.4 as when I previously dabbled with this I found I also had to enable wireless every time.

Thanks bud, it is set to connect 'auto' but I still have to tick the 'enable w/less' box for it to connect! :shrug2:
Title: Re: Wi-Fi question.
Post by: Ratae on January 26, 2011, 12:48:25 PM
Right now, I'm in the city sitting in a JD Wetherspoon pub having a pint of J.Smith's xtra smooth!  :P

As you are probably aware, most of these establishments provide free wi-fi access for their customers. I'm typing this post on my Acer netbook using the XP Pro partition. Obviously I've had no problem finding and connecting to the network (The Cloud) using Windows!

However, I've also tried connecting to The Cloud using the Ubuntu partition, and although the network shows up ok, when I click on it and press 'Connect' it fails each time to connect!

Am I missing something that's blindingly obvious to you guys!  ???
Title: Re: Wi-Fi question.
Post by: silversurfer44 on January 26, 2011, 01:03:33 PM
I don't see a mention of 'wpa_supplicant' in your posts, have you got it installed? If not then install it. Let us know the outcome please?
Title: Re: Wi-Fi question.
Post by: UncleUB on January 26, 2011, 01:05:05 PM
I don't see a mention of 'wpa_supplicant' in your posts, have you got it installed? If not then install it. Let us know the outcome please?

Please do this before consuming any more JS extra smooth  :D
Title: Re: Wi-Fi question.
Post by: Ratae on January 26, 2011, 03:22:09 PM
I don't see a mention of 'wpa_supplicant' in your posts, have you got it installed? If not then install it. Let us know the outcome please?

I certainly will!


                                                                                                                         
(once I've Googled 'wpa supplicant' and found out what the hell it is!)    :'(
Title: Re: Wi-Fi question.
Post by: Ratae on January 26, 2011, 04:04:47 PM
OK S/S ... I've still no idea what it is but I've found this in the wi-fi radar window!

(https://forum.kitz.co.uk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi128.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fp174%2FDavid1944_album%2FSnapshot%2520Examples%2FScreenshot-1.png&hash=0600da6e9f9754053ddbbb3dc9568a57f92fc7c0)

ps ... I've also tried connecting to a nearby unsecured network. It won't connect to that either although it will connect using XP!
Title: Re: Wi-Fi question.
Post by: silversurfer44 on January 26, 2011, 04:23:10 PM
OK you have it installed. That question is answered. The next thing could be the wireless card driver. I know it says wext on the Radar display, but there will be a proper driver for your card. Unfortunately Linux is quite up to plug and play like Windows 'cause most of the card producers won't release the code for the drivers.
Alas I don't know a great deal about Ubuntu, I never liked the release from day one. Have you asked on their forums?
Title: Re: Wi-Fi question.
Post by: broadstairs on January 26, 2011, 05:16:34 PM
I have had quite good success with wireless on Linux but I dont use Ubuntu in any of its flavours. Wireless on Linux in my experience is best used with a Atheros chip based card as it has some very good drivers which work (very well for me). The problem is likely to be drivers and to start with you will likely need to know the hardware you are using (detail stuff not manufacturer name on box). One of many issues I had with Ubuntu was trying to get under the covers and 'see' the hardware. On my distro (Mandriva) you can list the hardware very easily and find out exactly what it 'sees' which is a good start when trying to sort problems like this.

Stuart
Title: Re: Wi-Fi question.
Post by: Ratae on January 26, 2011, 05:28:12 PM
Thanks, but the thing that I can't understand, is after I installed Ubuntu on the netbook, how did it manage to find and connect immediately with my home w/less network, but fails to connect with another w/less network that it's found! 

That doesn't really sound like a driver problem to me!

I may do as S/S suggests, and ask on the Ubuntu forums, as they may have dealt with this problem before!
Title: Re: Wi-Fi question.
Post by: silversurfer44 on January 26, 2011, 05:39:54 PM
That sounds like an encryption problem. Although you said you tried with an unencrypted network I think you have an encryption key problem.
Title: Re: Wi-Fi question.
Post by: BritBrat on January 27, 2011, 09:25:20 AM
Right now, I'm in the city sitting in a JD Wetherspoon pub having a pint of J.Smith's xtra smooth!  :P

You sure it is not the beer :)

J.Smiths always gave me a headache.
Title: Re: Wi-Fi question.
Post by: UncleUB on January 27, 2011, 09:36:36 AM
Right now, I'm in the city sitting in a JD Wetherspoon pub having a pint of J.Smith's xtra smooth!  :P

You sure it is not the beer :)

J.Smiths always gave me a headache.

Have you ever thought about having less than 10 pints  :D
Title: Re: Wi-Fi question.
Post by: Ratae on January 27, 2011, 04:35:53 PM
Ok guys, I'm not going to beat myself up over this or I'll just end up running out of patience again and abandoning Linux!  :'(

So the solution to my problem...... only use Ubuntu with my home network!  ???

Quote
Have you ever thought about having less than 10 pints  laugh



Unc....behave yourself!   :crazy: