HOWTO: ipw3945 connecting to a University Network (802.1x / PEAP)

[UltraMathMan]

First of all this is my first HOWTO and it details how I got connected to Lehigh University's wireless network with wpa_supplicant. I decided to post this as I was having trouble finding info on this subject [of connecting to a University 802.1x network] and figured this might serve as a springboard to help others connect to their own 802.1x University networks.

**I recommend backing up all config files before editing them and take no responsibility for any damage this may cause**

Ok, that said let's get started, first make sure you have the wpa_supplicant installed.

sudo apt-get install wpasupplicant

Now create the wpa_supplicant configuration file

sudo gedit /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

then paste the following, edit as needed and save.

# for lehigh university
network={
        ssid="lu"
        scan_ssid=1
        key_mgmt=IEEE8021X
        eap=PEAP
        phase2="auth=MSCHAPV2"
        identity="your university login name"
        password="your password"
}

Now edit /etc/network/interfaces with

sudo gedit /etc/network/interfaces

adding

wpa-driver wext
wpa-conf /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

under your wireless interface.

Restart networking

sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart

and enjoy!

Hope this helps somebody

*Adapted from http://coral.ie.lehigh.edu/~asm4/howtos/wireless.html

[UltraMathMan]

Ok, so I went home today and couldn't connect through Administration -> Networking to my WEP encrypted network. It seems wpa_supplicant takes control of the networking management and for those of you who happen to use this HowTo note that you will need to add any future network config to the wpa_supplicant.conf file eg:

 # wireless for home
network={
        ssid="your network name"
        key_mgmt=NONE
        wep_key0=
        wep_tx_keyidx=1
}

where wep_key0=your wep key

See the link at bottem of previous post for full config file example.

[vkkim]

Thanks! I'm at LU as well and it works great!

[visik7]

better to use the facilities in /etc/network/interfaces

here is my conf:
"DON'T CUT AND PASTE THE CODE MUST BE ADAPTED"

auto eth1
iface eth1 inet dhcp
        wpa-driver wext # this is the default and useless if set to wext only usefull if you need another driver (supported by wpa_supplicant
        wpa-ap-scan 2
        wpa-ssid <ssid>
        wpa-scan-ssid 1
        wpa-key-mgmt IEEE8021X
        wpa-eap TTLS
        wpa-anonymous-identity anonymous
        wpa-phase2 auth=PAP
        wpa-identity <username>
        wpa-password <password>

but I've a little python script that detect where am I and select the right conf, this is the /etc/network/interfaces:
"DON'T CUT AND PASTE THE CODE MUST BE ADAPTED"

auto eth1
mapping eth1
        script /etc/network/scripts/checkap
        map uni <replace with the mac address of the campus ap>
        map home <replace with the mac address of the home ap>

iface uni inet dhcp
        wpa-ap-scan 2
        wpa-ssid <ssid>
        wpa-scan-ssid 1
        wpa-key-mgmt IEEE8021X
        wpa-eap TTLS
        wpa-anonymous-identity anonymous
        wpa-phase2 auth=PAP
        wpa-identity <username>
        wpa-password <password>

iface home inet dhcp
        wireless-essid CAME
        wireless-mode managed

and this is the python script for check the wireless
(/etc/network/scripts/checkap)

#!/usr/bin/python

import time, pyiw, sys, os

excepted = 'yes'
while excepted == 'yes':
        try:
                iface = pyiw.WirelessInterface(sys.argv[1])
                excepted = 'no'
        except:
                excepted = 'yes'
        time.sleep(1)

buffer = sys.stdin.read()

networks = buffer.split('\n')
i=0
while i<len(networks):
        networks[i] = networks[i].split(' ')
        i+=1

for node in iface.Scan():
        for mac in networks:
                if node ['ap_mac'] in mac:
                        print mac[0]
                        break

attached there is a python module needed for discover the wireless (put it in /etc/network/scripts/ or wherever you have the checkap script)

[randomnumber]

I am at UWF (Univ. of West FL) and no one seems to know how to connect to their wireless with linux. I have been using my laptop as a dual boot and been booting XP so that it is logged onto the network then rebooting and using linux. Some how the connection stays. I can even boot linux up an hour later and it will still be able to connect, it is only when I come in the next day that I can not connect without booting XP first.

Anyway, I used the first part of your thread and tried to connect without booting XP first and it connected. It maybe a fluke so I will try a few more times before saying it works. Being that the network allows for connections for long periods of time after original connection I can not truely have tested it. If it turns out that it works I would be happy to submit the information to the school so that others at our school can use linux on our wireless network.

I have network manager conrtolling my connections and it seems to work well. I do not have to add the extra on this thread about being on different networks. If the network is there, it connects.

I want to say thanks for the information and I am excited to see if it connects tommorrow.

THANKS

It would be neat if someone would explain why switching os would leave a availble connection.

[randomnumber]

I tried the connection setup and it works half way. The config file does not seem to work. It could be that I error ed in setting up the config file. I have found that I can get a connection using network-manager that can be added to your system. It is not the manager that ubuntu uses as default, you have to add network-manager and disable the connections through the default manager so that this application can access the network card. If you do not disable the network card, network-manger will not be able to use/see the network card.

I connect to the network by:
1.click the network-manager icon
2.select “Connect to Other Wireless Network..”
3.change “Wireless Security:” to “WPA Enterprise”
This expands the menu to have more options
4.type network name, example “uwf-argo-air”
5.change “EAP method” to “PEAP”
6.change “Key Type:” to “Dynamic WEP”
7.type user id in “Identity”, UWF sail lab I.D.
8.type user password in “Password”, UWF sail Lab password
9.Then connect.

Network Manager appears to be using wpa_supplicant. If you are interested In seeing information from wpa_supplicant while connecting you can install and run wpa_gui. These applications are run as root so you would to type sudo wpa_gui to get it to work.

I hope this is a process that really works. I will continue to test the connection to see if it is a fluke of success.

Thanks everyone.

a nice page and has how to install network-manager
http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Dapper#H...etwork-Manager

[ubuntu_demon]

I'm having problems connecting to wireless university network (PEAP,WEP)
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=278603

Thanks for taking a look

[halfdan.k]

A fairly good and graphical guide to dapper 6.06 and a (common) uni wifi wep/peap 802.1x network...made my day

http://www.sai.uio.no/it/oppkobling/...linux-eng.html

[dennis.groome]

There's lots of great information in this thread. I have a similar problem, but I'm trying to get a connection to a wired network over ethernet using PEAP-MSCHAPv2 and 802.1x. Can these configurations be adapted to use a wired NIC on eth0? What needs to be changed?

[staticsage]

Originally Posted by dennis.groome There's lots of great information in this thread. I have a similar problem, but I'm trying to get a connection to a wired network over ethernet using PEAP-MSCHAPv2 and 802.1x. Can these configurations be adapted to use a wired NIC on eth0? What needs to be changed?

I'm facing the same problem. Anyone know where to start with this?