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Centrino / IPW 2200 Wireless for Mandriva 2007

taupist — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 16:52:16 GMT

It's absolutely critical that you get the right firmware for your driver . . .

http://ipw2200.sourceforge.net/firmware.php

For Mandriva 2007 that would be the 3.0 version of the firmware.

You then have to create a soft link to "/lib/firmware" (which is where your firmware should be); As Root, issue this command in the terminal ln -s /lib/firmware /etc/firmware Next, open "Configure Your Computer", go to "Set up a new network interface" and you should see a list with "eth2: Intel Corp.|Intel(R) Pro Wireless . . ."
Select this item from the list and click next, you should be able to accept default values.
Next, go to "Reconfigure a network interface", you should see a page called "Manage connections" with a dropdown box at the top. For each item in the dropdown box (including the wireless), go to the "Options" tab and make sure that the "start at boot" option is unchecked. Mandriva 2007 has a habit of freezing during the boot process if the "Start at boot" option is enabled.
When you get to the wireless item in the dropdown box, do the same and also go to the "Wireless" tab and make sure the field "ESSID" is blank. This is NOT true of all Linux distros, some are scripted to default to "any" if this field is left blank, Live CD distros are often this way.
When you are finished with all the items in the dropdown box click "Ok".
Next go to the "Security" section and "Set up a personal firewall . . .", make sure none of the boxes on the first screen are checked and follow through to the third screen where there is a dropdown box at the bottom of the screen. In this dropdown box, select the wireless interface (possibly, "eth2") and follow through with the rest of the options.
Starting with Mandriva 2007, the firewall no longer has a "deny all" policy. Any interface that isn't automatically set up when the system is installed is left wide open and you are vulnerable to attack. By all means, make sure that the firewall is watching the interface(s). You should be able to reboot and select a network from the net applet in the system tray, you'll have to type in you're Root password to connect.
For an explanation of why it shouldn't be automatic read the previous entry in my blog "Wireless Security and MITM".
Best of luck to you and enjoy!

Wireless security and MITM

taupist — Sun, 20 Aug 2006 18:26:00 GMT

        Most of us have heard of "Man In The Middle" attacks, one form that MITM takes is this:

        You go into a coffee shop that has a WAP and log on, pretty soon a guy comes in and sits down a few tables away from you. When he logs on (unknown to you), he activates a virtual WAP. This is possible with the Atheros wireless chipset which can be both a wireless client and virtual WAP at the same time. If he can find a way to interrupt your wireless signal then your system will automatically bind to the next strongest signal (which is probably his virtual WAP). So, just that easy, your network traffic is routed through his laptop. At this point I'll just ask you to use your imagination . . .

        To avoid this situation, you have to check the configuration of your wireless card. You're looking for a setting called "ESSID", if your "ESSID=any" then you are vulnerable. Just blank the "ESSID" field and save the configuration. Now, whenever you don't have a connection you have to manually select a network from the list and type in your Root password to connect. Problem solved.

        BTW, if you let someone 'gank' your system like that it is the moral equivilant of what's called the "fools mate" in chess. Ever heard of that?!

Ethereal on Mandriva 2006 Community

taupist — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 15:34:54 GMT

        Well, I downloaded and installed Ethereal from the mirror and guess what? It wouldn't capture packets. Several error windows kept opening up on top of each other.

        Finally I hit on the idea that the first error might be causing all the others. It was saying that it couldn't

find '/usr/sbin/dumpcap'. When I looked, I found '/usr/bin/dumpcap', so I created a soft link;

                                      ln -s /usr/bin/dumpcap /usr/sbin/

        I don't know if it is the right way to fix it (might be clumsy), but it seems to work fine now. Ethereal is

happily humming away.

Some good, some ?

taupist — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 17:46:59 GMT

In the time since I started out, I've bought copies of Mandrake 6.0, Suse 8.2 Pro, Mdk 9.1 Personal,

RH 6.0 & 6.2 and Mdk 10.0 Powerpack. I've upgraded to an Inspiron 6000 and Mdv 2006 Free, gave all the others away except the first (Mdk 6.0). I'm still kind of attached to that one, hope to get it running again sometime. I was really put off by the password issues with RH, not meaning to beat a dead horse, but I just can't excuse that.

Maybe someday I'll be able to get a big HD and install Mdv, Suse, Deb and a couple of others that I'd like to try out.

My early experience with Linux.

taupist — Mon, 16 Jan 2006 20:20:46 GMT

        The first experience I had with Linux was in about 1999, when I found a copy fo Mandrake 6.0 in a

discount store. This store specialized in overstock and insurance claim merchandise. The price was right

so I decided to check it out.

        It was several months before I worked up the nerve to install it; my machine was an old 486 DX2/66 with 48 Mb of RAM, but I was still nervous about trashing the system. My fears were completely unfounded

and soon I was hooked. In those days I couldn't get a network connection at all, but the system was beautiful.

        I have a friend that thinks that eye candy is a waste of resources and he's probably right, but all the different Window Managers and themes were so cool . . .

        Call me crazy, but I loved it. Since then, we seemed to have lost some of the flair but it's still pretty cool. Nowadays, I'm learning a lot about how to administer the system and also a lot more about security.

        That's the "name of the game", never a dull moment, always something interesting to do. I couldn't have asked for more. I have more control of my system and more knowledge of computer systems than I could have gotten any other way. Even if I'd gone to college they couldn't have taught me as much, without the influence of Linux. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.