# wpa_supplicant gui help

## scooby4844

ive been using wpa_supplicant with gentoo for the better part of a year, and ive had to enter all my networks in manually, which works,but is very annoying 

i would like to know how i could get the GUI working, ive searched google allot and was unable to find anything 

when i start the gui all it says is that it is unable to get the status from wpa_supplicant.  the menus do nothing 

my wpa_supplicant.conf

```

# This is a network block that connects to any unsecured access point.

# We give it a low priority so any defined blocks are preferred.

ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant

ctrl_interface_group=0

update_config=1

ap_scan=1

network={

   key_mgmt=NONE

   priority=-9999999

}

more networks
```

any help is appreciated

----------

## ppurka

You need to first start wpa_supplicant daemon. You do it by configuring your /etc/conf.d/net. Something like this:

```
# added wlan0

modules="wpa_supplicant"

config_eth0="dhcp"

wpa_supplicant_wlan0="-Dwext"

```

if you don't have openrc, then you need to add brackets around " ": like modules=( "wpa_supplicant" ). If you want wpa_supplicant to also configure your eth0, then you will have to add some other options and modify the eth0 option above. See /usr/share/doc/openrc/net.example if you use openrc or /etc/conf.d/net.example if you don't use openrc, for how to do it. 

After you have configured your /etc/conf.d/net, you need to make a symlink 

```
cd /etc/init.d

ln -s net.lo net.eth0

ln -s net.lo net.wlan0
```

Now you can start your network. 

```
/etc/init.d/net.wlan0 start
```

And now, wpa_gui will be able to connect to wpa_supplicant daemon. 

Finally, RTFM: read the gentoo handbook if you want to configure other aspects of your network.   :Razz: 

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## scooby4844

thanks for the suggestion, but no dice 

my net file

```
# This blank configuration will automatically use DHCP for any net.*

# scripts in /etc/init.d.  To create a more complete configuration,

# please review /etc/conf.d/net.example and save your configuration

# in /etc/conf.d/net (this file :]!).

modules=("wpa_supplicant")

wpa_supplicant_wlan0="Atheros 5xxx"

wpa_supplicant_wlan0="-Dwext"

preup() {

if [[ ${IFACE} == "wlan0" ]]; then

   if ifplugstatus | grep -q 'eth0: link beat detected'; then

      ewarn "Wired connection on eth0 detected, aborting configuration on ${IFACE}"

      return 1

   fi

fi

return 0

}
```

i added the wpa_suppliacant_wlan0="-dwert" and the link, but it still does not work (i did restart my network)

----------

## ppurka

Hey! Don't just make simple modifications of my config. My config was just an example to help you make yours  :Wink: 

First of all determine whether you have openrc or not. Do an 

```
$ emerge -p openrc

These are the packages that would be merged, in order:

Calculating dependencies... done!

[ebuild   R   ] sys-apps/openrc-0.4.3-r3 
```

If you see [ebuild N] instead of R, then you don't have openrc. In that case, read the Gentoo networking guide properly. 

http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=4

In case your output of the above emerge command is similar to mine, then you need to also follow the network section of the openrc guide:

http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/openrc-migration.xml

Secondly, in your config file you have two lines wpa_supplicant_wlan0=. You can not have two of them. You must have only one, and the suggested one is "-Dwext".

Finally, if you are not using openrc, then you need to give those brackets. But you must put spaces after the brackets,- 

like this: ( "something here" "second item" )

not like this: ("something here" "second item")

----------

## scooby4844

i do not have openrc installed 

and my config file was already like that, i just added that line (wpa_supplicant=) 

the only difference between my configuration and the handbook's is that i don't have baselayout installed, since a packaged that it pulls in is blocked .  could that cause the gui to not work? 

i am not entirely sure what is wrong, since when i first configured it was by the handbook, everything works besides the gui, Ethernet and wireless work (if i type in the access points), it would just be nice to be able to scan for networks and not having  to switch to windows to see if they are in range, the ssid, and security.  (gentoo runs so nice i hate using XP) 

iwconfig sees my card, so i am really not sure how the gui cant see it when iwconfig, a totally different program, can.

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## ppurka

 *scooby4844 wrote:*   

> i do not have openrc installed 
> 
> and my config file was already like that, i just added that line (wpa_supplicant=) 
> 
> the only difference between my configuration and the handbook's is that i don't have baselayout installed, since a packaged that it pulls in is blocked .  could that cause the gui to not work? 
> ...

 I don't understand how you can have gentoo installed without baselayout. AFAIK, baselayout-1.* provides the basic startup scripts  and the rc system in gentoo. In baselayout-2 openrc takes over the rc functionality. 

I don't know how you reached this state. But not having at least baselayout-1.* installed means that your system is not fully gentoo-fied, and is probably not even supported either.   :Wink: 

Perhaps some dev can comment on what happens if you run a gentoo system without baselayout.

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## scooby4844

ok, i do have it installed, just not upgraded.  my stupidity  for posting that so late 

i do have baselayout insatlled version 1.21.11.1

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## ppurka

 *scooby4844 wrote:*   

> ok, i do have it installed, just not upgraded.  my stupidity  for posting that so late 
> 
> i do have baselayout insatlled version 1.21.11.1

 If you have this version installed then it is perfectly fine. Just follow the gentoo networking guide (not the openrc guide). See the link I gave above. It is detailed and you will know what is going on.

----------

