Network Manager, WPA, "available to all users"

[Wolfgang S. Rupprecht]

Steven Stern <subscribed-lists at sterndata.com> writes:
> I have a desktop with wireless, due to some cabling difficulties. I'm
> trying to switch from "Network" to "NetworkManager" because we're moving
> our wireless from WEP to WPA-PSK.
>
> Using Network Manager, I can configure a connection with a static IP
> address and things seem fine.
>
> BUT, I want this connection established at boot time and I don't want to
> have to manually enter the WPA-PSK password.
>
> So, I used EDIT CONNECTIONS to edit the connection and checked
> "Available to all users". When I click "Apply", the "Auto xxxx" has
> disappeared from the list of wireless connections.  Clicking on the
> network from the list shown my nm-applet seems to create an "Auto xxxx"
> that uses DHCP and has forgotten the password.
>
> How do I configure a WPA-PSK wireless connection that (1) is remembered
> and (2) available whether or not I'm logged in?

That should have worked.  Back in F11 or F12 that is how I made my WPA2
network available at boot time.  Try it again, maybe NetworkManager
is buggy now.  The latest versions seem much worse than the 6-month old
versions that were replaced.

If all else fails, add the psk by hand.  Here is what the files should
have looked like if NetworkMangler didn't mangled them.

    root at bertha ~]# cd /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/
    [root at bertha network-scripts]# cat ifcfg-Auto_wsrcc 
    ESSID="wsrcc"
    MODE=Managed
    KEY_MGMT=WPA-PSK
    TYPE=Wireless
    BOOTPROTO=dhcp
    NAME="Auto wsrcc"
    UUID=<some numbers>
    ONBOOT=yes
    DEVICE=Auto_wsrcc0
    NM_CONTROLLED=yes
    IPV6INIT=yes
    USERCTL=no
    RATE=auto
    CHANNEL=
    WPA_ALLOW_WPA=yes
    WPA_ALLOW_WPA2=yes
    PEERDNS=yes
    PEERROUTES=yes
    LAST_CONNECT=1260809759
    [root at bertha network-scripts]# cat keys-wlan0 
    KEY=                               # (the KEY variable was truly empty)
    [root at bertha network-scripts]# cat keys-Auto_wsrcc 
    KEY=                               # ditto
    WPA_PSK="nobodyisgoingtoguessthispassword"
    [root at bertha network-scripts]# 

-wolfgang