f16 - Brain dead wireless network manager

[Michael Cronenworth]

Robert Moskowitz wrote:
> So here I am switching between the hotel's questionably usable ESS and
> the conference's ESS.  Of course both have different SSIDs (SSID defines
> an ESS, generally) and each has lots of Access Points many on the same
> channel.  So I am in a meeting room on the VeriLAN SSID.  I suspend my
> system and go to my room to the Hyatt SSID.  The icon shows the SSID
> selected and a signal strength but has 'unavailable' after the word
> 'Wireless'.  What is going on here?  There is no easy way to restart the
> connection.  I have to go into Network Settings, turn off wireless and
> turn it on.  ARGH!

It sounds like your WLAN device has trouble resuming after sleeping. You 
will probably need to file a bug if you can't connect to APs after sleeping.

> Then I am not getting anything to work on the Hyatt SSID, yet it is
> showing 3 bars of signal strength.  But is there any textual info on S/N
> or anything worthwhile?  Of course not.  WiFi is suppose to be used by
> cellphone users that only know to look at bars on their cellphones, so
> that must be good enough?  When you are working on multiple ESSes as you
> will in a hotel (many have a different SSID for the lobby from the rooms
> from the meeting rooms even without the meeting having its own!), you
> need better.  Or at least what I had with f14.

I will answer a few of your rhetorical questions anyway. If you wish you 
see hard numbers in regards to wireless signal strength you can use 
"iwconfig" or "iw" to view all kinds of detailed information.