# iwconfig connection

## SPW

After playing around a lot I finally got my WLAN NIC working. But unfortunately I have to do it via KWiFiManager every time I want the connection to come up. I would prefer to use iwconfig and get it working immediately at boot time. I wouldn't have to enter my root password twice for getting the connection.

I can do

```
 iwconfig eth1 essid spw

iwconfig eth1 channel 10
```

but KWifiManager also has something called signal strength. When I configure with iwconfig, KWiFiManager shows me N/A as signal strength, but when I click on "activate configuration" in KWifimanager, I somehow get a real connection with the access point. So my question now is: is there a way to do this step with iwconfig? Simply setting the essid and the channel does not seem to be good enough, as I cannot get my network running (using dhcpcd eth1).

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## TheCoop

have you tried setting the mode? (iwconfig eth1 mode Managed or something) what about trying to commit the changes (iwconfig eth1 commit)?

what does iwconfig eth1 and ifconfig -a look like?

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## SPW

 *Quote:*   

> [root@aspire spw]# iwconfig eth1
> 
> eth1      PRISM Duette  ESSID:"spw"
> 
>           Mode:Master  Frequency:2.457GHz  Bit Rate=54Mb/s
> ...

 

I find it very interesting that the first time I type "iwconfig eth1" I get a line with the ESSID, and the second time not.

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## kcarlson

 *SPW wrote:*   

> KWifiManager also has something called signal strength. When I configure with iwconfig, KWiFiManager shows me N/A as signal strength, but when I click on "activate configuration" in KWifimanager, I somehow get a real connection with the access point. So my question now is: is there a way to do this step with iwconfig? Simply setting the essid and the channel does not seem to be good enough, as I cannot get my network running (using dhcpcd eth1).

 

The answer is NO. The iwconfig command configures all the necessary parameters for your wireless device. There should not be any signal strength until you assign an IP address to the device using ifconfig or dhcpcd.

'dhcpcd eth1' will fail if you do not have your iwconfig parameters set correctly.  Perhaps your KWifimanager is setting more parameters.  ( mode, channel, essid, and key if you are using encryption ).

Hope this helps.

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## SPW

I also assume that I need more parameters with iwconfig. But I don't know which parameters that could be.

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## kcarlson

The iwconfig command requires the following for operation, listed in order of importance:  mode, channel, essid, key (if using encryption at your router/access point)

 I know my MA101 did not work until I set the mode to Managed, and put in the proper essid and channel #.  Unfortunately I've gotten inconsistant results with my iwconfig command.  The line which worked yesterday ( iwconfig eth2 essid Wireless channel 11 mode Managed key XX-XX-...etc ) does not work today, and some values remain unchanged.  

  I'll be playing around with it over the next week and if I come up with some solid answers I'll let you know.

 :Smile: 

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