I need a network manager application, but ...

[Alberto1]

Hello,
Due to some misworking I uninstalled wicd, the last and only network manager I had in my Kubuntu 8.04 (Debian based).
So, now I cannot connect to the Internet any longer.
My question is: how can I install wicd again (or another network manager, even by command line) if I can't connect to the Web? I have got a Knoppix Live CD. Can I use it in order to solve this problem?
Best Regards

[i845_]

The Kubuntu 8.04 LiveCD should come bundled with wicd... just locate the appropriate .deb file, and then install it. You *might* need to do a little bit of tweaking to get wicd to start at bootup.

[Alberto1]

Hello,
I've got the Kubuntu 8.04 installation CD and, in bundle with it there is knetworkmanager (I don'like it so much but it can do). So, first of all, in the sources.list I enabled the cdrom line, then by apt-cdrom add I tried to install it, but at the end of the process I obtained: "Impossible to open the file /var/lib/apt/lists/Kubuntu%208.04%20 ...... (13 Permission denied).
How can I obtain the permission to do that?
Best Regards

[i845_]

Previously, did you install wicd by hand? (I just checked my Kubuntu 8.04 DVD, and wicd is not included in it...)

Now, for the solutions:

a. You should be able to get online by issuing this command at a Terminal window:

sudo dhclient <interface>

Replace <interface> with the name of the network interface used by your machine to access the Internet (mostly eth0, for wired ethernet). Then you could follow the instructions given here (http://wicd.sourceforge.net/download.php) to install wicd.

b. Alternatively, you could download the .deb package for wicd 1.4.2-1 here (http://nchc.dl.sourceforge.net/sourceforge/wicd/wicd_1.4.2-1-all.deb). Use the following command to install the package:

sudo dpkg -i <package>

where <package> needs to be replaced by the path to the .deb file.

[Alberto1]

Previously, did you install wicd by hand? (I just checked my Kubuntu 8.04 DVD, and wicd is not included in it...)

Now, for the solutions:

a. You should be able to get online by issuing this command at a Terminal window:

sudo dhclient <interface>

Replace <interface> with the name of the network interface used by your machine to access the Internet (mostly eth0, for wired ethernet). Then you could follow the instructions given here (http://wicd.sourceforge.net/download.php) to install wicd.

b. Alternatively, you could download the .deb package for wicd 1.4.2-1 here (http://nchc.dl.sourceforge.net/sourceforge/wicd/wicd_1.4.2-1-all.deb). Use the following command to install the package:

sudo dpkg -i <package>

where <package> needs to be replaced by the path to the .deb file.
Hello,
Good advice! Thank you.
I found that dhclient works well, so, now I'm not using either Knetworkmanager or Wicd, but just it. Besides, I added a line to /etc/rc.local containing sudo dhclient (I noticed that it doesn't even need the name of the internet interface that is, in my case, eth0) so that it is launched at boot.
The only strange thing I noticed is that when I start the browser Firefox, it seems, at first, not to be able to find the URL, so, I have to try again once or twice, then, it works well. Last question: is there a shell command similar to dhclient to be used if you want to disconnect from the Internet?
With kind regards

[Satanic Atheist]

You can also enable the ethernet device at boot time to use dhclient by modifying /etc/network/interfaces - you probably want something like the following:


auto eth0

iface eth0 inet dhcp


James

[Alberto1]

Thanks a lot,
Alberto

[Satanic Atheist]

What is it with the short'n'sweet posts at the moment???

Anyway, hope it helps.

James

[i845_]

...Firefox, it seems, at first, not to be able to find the URL, so, I have to try again once or twice, then, it works well.

Happens to me sometimes when my (dilapidated) router takes unusually long to assign me an IP address.
Sometimes I even have to disable and re-enable Network Manager to get Firefox to work... not a big issue really.

Is there a shell command similar to dhclient to be used if you want to disconnect from the Internet?
sudo ifconfig eth0 down
...should do the trick.