Why is KNetworkManager Evil? (Caution: RANT)
Friday, December 29, 2006
Why? I have done nothing to offend it! Nothing. Yet, whenever I boot a Linux OS (Live CD or hard drive intall) and KNetworkManager is present... I never get my wireless internet connection up. Never. It just hasn't happened. I was playing around with Sabayon Linux 3.2 (which, btw is an EXCELLENT distro), and it uses KNetworkManager as the default... network manager. But, it also has a slew of other internet configuration utilities. It even had the RT2500 Configuration Utility (from RaLink!). That really surprised me! My network card was recognized by default... and everything. But, when I go into connect through KNetworkManager... it always gets to 28% (configuring device) and then it fails. It then brings up a config dialog for the wireless interface. This encludes areas to fill in the "essid" of the network and the encryption. I choose the WEP Hex encryption, and enter the key. Then I try connect. Again, 28% and then it fails. WTF??? The config dialog comes up again... but I notice that the encryption type has been changed to "Passphrase." No... I don't use a passphrase... I USE A 64bit WEP KEY! So, I choose WEP Hex again, enter my key, click connect. Again, 28% and it fails. BUT, when I used the RT2500 Configuration utility (on Sabayon) everything worked fine, and I was "supposedly" connected. Everything is green, everything is go, go, go! Why then, when I open Firefox, can no page be displayed? WHY? Everything should be working.. but no. Does everything have to go through the KNetworkManager to work? I closed that, because it didn't work. I even tried the manual way with iwconfig and ifconfig. Nothing. My card is RECOGNIZED. I don't see why I can't connect. And then I get distros like SUSE (using Kinternet) and Ubuntu, and BackTrack, that JUST WORK! No, this is not right! Please help... any reader with an idea? This is very frustrating.
Ok, /RANT. Well, that turned out to be about more than just the KNetworkManager... but still... why can't I connect, when my wireless card is clearly recognized? I know this is not the best way to go about a problem... but honestly, I need to vent :D .Help.
UPDATE: Well, it may be a problem with my static IP... and DHCP not working right or something. Oh well.
Ok, /RANT. Well, that turned out to be about more than just the KNetworkManager... but still... why can't I connect, when my wireless card is clearly recognized? I know this is not the best way to go about a problem... but honestly, I need to vent :D .Help.
UPDATE: Well, it may be a problem with my static IP... and DHCP not working right or something. Oh well.
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Comments:
Why not ask/vent in a KDE forum? You might get help...
Yup. I am... just needed to let the world know :D. Because I know everybody "cares so much." /Sarcasm.
But yeah, I am asking around in forums. Waiting for responses....
But yeah, I am asking around in forums. Waiting for responses....
Did you sort this out? I'm having exactly the same problem... and I've been searching for your questions on the KDE forums, but can't find them.
I simply don't understand why networking is such a nightmare with network-manager.
(I'm using Sabayon 3.2)
I simply don't understand why networking is such a nightmare with network-manager.
(I'm using Sabayon 3.2)
I gave it a lot of effort, but it just doesn't want to work. I am thinking that it is a problem with dynamic IPs, and that KNetworkmanager is just to stupid (for lack of a better term) to configure the network right. Here is my post on the KDE forum:
http://www.kde-forum.org/artikel/15890/KNetworkManager.html
Sorry to not be of any help :(
http://www.kde-forum.org/artikel/15890/KNetworkManager.html
Sorry to not be of any help :(
Thanks for the link... shame you didn't get it working. This problem is totally crazy - there is no reason why it should be a problem, and what's more, searching the web it looks like people have had this problem using Suse, Ubuntu, Debian and Gentoo... all with Network Manager (K or G flavours).
And the problem has been registered by people since October...
Why on earth something isn't done about it already seems a complete mystery???
And the problem has been registered by people since October...
Why on earth something isn't done about it already seems a complete mystery???
I would like to know exactly that. I enjoy a lot of KDE apps, but KNetworkManager, well, lets just say it needs to COMPLETELY redone. Good luck! If I find anything, I'll post it.
This is waaaaaaaaay outdated, but the problem still exists. BTW, I'm not 100% sure it's entirely knetworkmanagers fault, but it's a definite problem with the combination of knetworkmanager and WEP. Now that the serialmonkey drivers are in the kernel, knetworkmanager + ralink + WPA just work (i have an rt73). They also have been working rather reliably for months. Prior to that, I couldn't make any secured connections, but I was using the legacy driver, and not the open source one, which doesn't support WPA or scanning.
Anyhow, networkmanager based applications still suck, but they do work (as long as you don't use WEP).
I've been trying to find out for the past 24 hours why WEP + Ralink + knetworkmanager (and quite a few other applications) don't seem to want to connect, and came across your blog rant, and figured I'd let you know it's still applicable. (There IS the chance it might be a problem with 64 bit distros and WEP being unhappy).
Anyhow, networkmanager based applications still suck, but they do work (as long as you don't use WEP).
I've been trying to find out for the past 24 hours why WEP + Ralink + knetworkmanager (and quite a few other applications) don't seem to want to connect, and came across your blog rant, and figured I'd let you know it's still applicable. (There IS the chance it might be a problem with 64 bit distros and WEP being unhappy).
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