# NetworkManager from the console

## teapot

for various reasons I would like to have Networkmanager trying to setup my network connection before I start my window manager (i.e. in the console). this is not the case by default, the setup happens when nm-applet is started.

I am often on a wireless connection in different areas with different configurations, home , university etc so networkmanager is almost a neccessary program to have. if I could get it to setup my connection earlier , it would happen in parallell with the x startup and thus reducing the time to boot.

also , sometimes when I experiment with new kernels or upgrading something it can cause problems with x. if x doesn't start , networkmanager never configures my connection. this is a bit annoying when I need an internet connection in order to find information what caused the problems with the x startup.

maybe this is a minor problem, but by principle x shouldn't be necessary for a network manager to work.

is there a way to achieve this?

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## audiodef

You want wpa_supplicant and maybe wireless_tools.   :Very Happy: 

Networkmanager, I believe, is strictly a GUI thingy. 

You'll probably come across wpa_supplicant and all the tricks and stuff you need right away if you Google it. You'll be able to get your wireless card up, associated with an access point (plus any encryption if necessary) and have your card get an IP from the wireless router and off you go.

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## ppurka

http://vidner.net/martin/software/cnetworkmanager/

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## jw5801

 *audiodef wrote:*   

> You want wpa_supplicant and maybe wireless_tools.  
> 
> Networkmanager, I believe, is strictly a GUI thingy. 
> 
> You'll probably come across wpa_supplicant and all the tricks and stuff you need right away if you Google it. You'll be able to get your wireless card up, associated with an access point (plus any encryption if necessary) and have your card get an IP from the wireless router and off you go.

 

Or use wicd, which is essentially a nice front-end to wpa_supplicant. It has a background daemon that starts early, so you'll be on the network before you log in, and also has a nice graphical client to sit in the tray for configuration.

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## audiodef

 *jw5801 wrote:*   

> Or use wicd, which is essentially a nice front-end to wpa_supplicant. It has a background daemon that starts early, so you'll be on the network before you log in, and also has a nice graphical client to sit in the tray for configuration.

 

++

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## d2_racing

Hi, you can use cnetworkmanager from the gentoo-quebec overlay.

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