Fedora 17: Auto configuring wireless networks in Network Manager on first boot

[lee]

Suvayu Ali <fatkasuvayu+linux at gmail.com> writes:

> On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 02:04:09PM +0100, lee wrote:
>> 
>> > Here is my ifcfg-networkname file looks like
>> 
>> Shouldn't the file be named for the interface, like ifcfg-em1?
>> 
>
> No, it is the network name.  You can have different network settings for
> the same network device and save them with different network names.

Oh --- and how is the system supposed to know which file it is supposed
to use when there are several?

>> > HWADDR=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
>> > ESSID="networkname"
>> > MODE=Managed
>> > KEY_MGMT=WPA-EAP
>> > SECURITYMODE=open
>> > TYPE=Wireless
>> > IEEE_8021X_EAP_METHODS=PEAP
>> > IEEE_8021X_IDENTITY=<username>
>> > IEEE_8021X_PASSWORD_FLAGS=ask
>> > IEEE_8021X_INNER_AUTH_METHODS=GTC
>> > BOOTPROTO=dhcp
>> > DEFROUTE=yes
>> > PEERDNS=yes
>> > PEERROUTES=yes
>> > IPV4_FAILURE_FATAL=no
>> > IPV6INIT=yes
>> > IPV6_AUTOCONF=yes
>> > IPV6_DEFROUTE=yes
>> > IPV6_PEERDNS=yes
>> > IPV6_PEERROUTES=yes
>> > IPV6_FAILURE_FATAL=no
>> > IPV6_PRIVACY=rfc3041
>> > NAME=<mynetworkname>
>> > UUID=cbb10c64-e609-4dcf-b554-7343cb791eae
>> > ONBOOT=yes
>> >
>> > Does network manager do anything other than generating this file when the
>> > user configures a wireless network?
>> 
>> Networkmanager seems to have and to use its own configuration in
>> /etc/NetworkManager and may disagree with the ifcfg-* files, so if you
>> want to use networkmanager, you're better off using its configuration
>> tools rather than editing the files used by the network.service.
>> 
>
> I believe what you say above is wrong.  NM respects the ifcfg-* scripts
> as it should.  What the OP is missing is this line:

Then how come that it has emptied out my /etc/resolv.conf though
resolving information is in the ifcfg-* files?

>
>   USERCTL=no
>
> When using the gui, this can be enabled by ticking the box "Available to
> all users" at the bottom left.
>
> The keys for excrypted connections are also kept in the same directory
> in a file named keys-<networkname>.
>
>> Networkmanager also messes with /etc/resolv.conf.  Just dropping an
>> ifcfg-* file into /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts or editing one isn't
>> sufficient because networkmanager doesn't understand from that what you
>> are trying to achieve.
>> 
>
> I have seen several posts about this lately, and it is all because users
> are complaining prematurely before looking.  I have setup OpenDNS in the
> past rather easily.  You have to add the DNS server information to the
> "Additional DNS servers" field when using DHCP or the "DNS servers"
> field when using "DHCP for addresses only".  I do not remeber the exact
> lines for the ifcfg scripts but it should be something like this:
>
>   DNS1=208.67.222.222
>   DNS2=208.67.220.220
>
> Hope this helps.

Yes there are DNS entries in my ifcfg-* files and networkmanager
nonetheless empties out resolv.conf.  So I take it that it must have
some configuration of its own --- unless it yields random results under
some circumstances.


-- 
Fedora 17