How to Configure Wifi and WICD to Start Automatically

[iforgetmyname]

First off, I am officially new to this community, but I have unofficially used the great plethora of information it provides to teach myself many things about the wonderful world of Linux, and more importantly the BackTrack 3 and 4 distros. I would like to thank everyone that has contributed to this forum and please continue to do so.

I would like to write a quick HowTo that can answer many questions about Wireless networking using BackTrack 4 Pre-Final "out of the box". Please do not post questions on this thread, it is for information only and I would like to see any mistakes I corrected on future posts so that good information can be out there easy to find.

Scenario:
*Backtrack 4 Pre-Final
*Wicd
*Wifi NIC Module included with Kernel (not using ndiswrapper, etc...)
***NOTE*** (I am using the RTL8187B internal USB, the kernel module is RTL8187, or RTL8180, they both will work, if you have a different card, make sure to replace your module name where i type **MODULE**)

Desired Outcome:
*Get your Wifi working
*Not have to start WICD manually after every reboot
*Not have to configure wireless using WICD after every reboot

What causes this problem? A number of things can cause the problem, who cares, lets work on the solution.

1. Open a console and type the following command:
$sudo update-rc.d wicd defaults

This will update WICD defaults, which sometimes does not startup automatically even after you select it to do so.

2. In this console or a new one type the following command:
***I use gedit, you can also use any other editor such as vi, nano, etc***
$ sudo gedit /etc/modules

3. At the very bottom on a new line type in your module name for your wifi card:
example: rtl8187

4. Save and exit. If you get a message saying you do not have permission, then you didn't get root privileges to edit the file, use SUDO!!

5. In an open console or new one type in the following command:
$sudo modprobe **MODULE** (replace with your module name)

6. Now type in the following command:
$iwconfig
**You should see wlan0, ath0, or such with mostly blank settings, if you don't, then you do not have a driver loading at all for your network card and you need more help than I am getting into here!**

7. Now type the following command:
$sudo ifconfig wlan0 up
**If you have ath0, then replace wlan0 with that, or whatever yours is)
***You will have to enter your password***

8.Now type the following command:
$ifconfig
**You should see your wifi network information now, however, you are not connected yet**

9. Now type the following command:
$sudo wicd
***Must enter your password***
**console outputs /var/run/wicd/wicd.pid**

10. You can close all your consoles for now

11. Click the "K Menu" at the bottom left of screen, Click "Internet", and then click on
"Wicd Network Manager"

12. Once it opens, you will be asked to connect to a network, locate your wifi network
and click the arrow button next to it (NOT CONNECT). Select the "Automatically connect to Network" box.

13. Click "Connect" if you do not have Wifi Encryption, or click "Advanced Settings" to set up Static IP addresses, Encryption such as WEP, WPA, etc...

14. Establish a connection and test your browser. Then log out, reboot the machine or restart the virtual machine and you should automatically have your wifi working. Give it up to a minute to connect depending on machine speed.

I hope this helps some of you out. If you get stuck somewhere, use your head and google your problem, I am yet to find a problem I could not read about either on this forum or on the web, so can you. Posting redundant questions is a waist of space and a good way to earn a bad reputation.

Please post any corrections to this thread if they need to be, otherwise everyone enjoy!

jb

[Archangel-Amael]

I would like to write a quick HowTo that can answer many questions about Wireless networking using BackTrack 4 Pre-Final "out of the box". Please do not post questions on this thread, it is for information only and I would like to see any mistakes I corrected on future posts so that good information can be out there easy to find.

While I laud your efforts to making a useful post.....

I hope this helps some of you out. If you get stuck somewhere, use your head and google your problem, I am yet to find a problem I could not read about either on this forum or on the web, so can you. Posting redundant questions is a waist of space and a good way to earn a bad reputation.
Please post any corrections to this thread if they need to be, otherwise everyone enjoy!

..... Posting redundant "topics" is a waste of space" Considering that all of the above is located in hundreds of threads both here and google, in addition to the off-sec blog.

Not to mention that above you have stated that you don't want anyone to post questions on this thread. Well that does not seem very helpful to me.
I mean if you are going to take time to create a thread for someone to do something then at least you could take the time to ensure that if others do have problems understanding your methods that you could help them.
Otherwise what is the point?
Furthermore as long as the post fits the thread and someone decides to post within it then it is probably best left up to the moderators/Administrators to decide who can and can not ask questions.

Don't get me wrong, but all we have to go off of is what you post here. And as such it seems to me like you were a bit put off typing this post up and could care less about it.

[Snayler]

Desired Outcome:
*Get your Wifi working
*Not have to start WICD manually after every reboot
*Not have to configure wireless using WICD after every reboot

What causes this problem? A number of things can cause the problem, who cares, lets work on the solution.

LOL! What problem? There's no problem there... It's normal on this distro to not automatically start wicd.
And why start talking about what causes the "problem" if you don't refer any cause for the "problem"? It's a "waist" of space in your post, such as many unnecessary info you inserted there.
But like some say, what counts is the intention, right?