How to make Ubuntu WIFI less of a pain

[Kleenux]

Not used to rant... and I always thank the community for bringing us such a nice software. And, thank you again.
But come on guys, if something has to work flawlessly, in 2013, that's Wifi.

Not talking about drivers and other h/w problems, just the regular graphical interface when the physical interface works fine.

- IT WORKS ok when the Wifi source was already ON when Ubuntu is booted on.

- but when the source was not available at the time and switched on later on, the interface tries other networks... then it is usually very hard to switch to a working SSID. It waits for 30 secs or so, then asks again for the password (while it knows it, and displays it ok!), and cannot connect anyway. Have to reboot, then it works.

Did things improve in 13.04?
Is there an alternative working wifi manager?

[on 12.04.2 LTS]

[varunendra]

If your post is supposed to be taken as a question or help request, you should consider changing the title. If it is an opinion or complaint or a discussion, this is not the right section for it.

- but when the source was not available at the time and switched on later on, the interface tries other networks... then it is usually very hard to switch to a working SSID. It waits for 30 secs or so, then asks again for the password (while it knows it, and displays it ok!), and cannot connect anyway. Have to reboot, then it works.

That ^^ doesn't sound normal to me. Most probably a driver issue.

Is there an alternative working wifi manager?

Wicd : https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WICD

[Kleenux]

Thanks for the answer (and fixed the title)

Driver: am supposed to have a working driver (for a Dell E5530). The "symptoms" of the problems seem to tend towards a programming issue in the interface, not the driver (hard to tell without looking at the [heavy] code).

WiCD: is, indeed, wicked. Using my laptop professionally. I want to be able to switch my laptop and it to find any available/know network automatically, or let me click on a SSID and enter a pass, so that I've access to Internet. Well, something you don't worry about, like what you expect from a Mac or iPhone. Having to reboot in front of a client/friend/... looks all but professional (let alone the annoyance).

[lisati]

(and fixed the title)

*cough* Your original title could be interpreted as referring to a kind of bread or a "pain in the donkey"

[Kleenux]

This was, indeed, a kind of bread