[SOLVED] How tho configure my system to start wlan0 instead of eth0?

markush · 11-29-2010, 05:40 PM

Hello all,

I'm running Slackware-13.1 on my laptop. Connection to my network is via wlan0, a cable in most cases not pluged in.

When starting the system the first attempt to configure the network is via eth0, which ends with dhcpcd timing out since there is no cable pluged in. Afterwards wlan0 is set up properly.

I have installed ifplugd, which is a daemon who connects to ethernet only if a cable is connected. With Gentoo this works out of the box. With Slackware ifplugd is started after rc.inet1 (probably). So the the system still tries to connect via ethernet before connecting to the wireless network.

I have also installed wicd.

How can I manage that wlan0 is prefered over eth0?

I noticed that neither wicd nor ifplugd belong to the default full installation of Slackware and therefore assume, there must be a solution which meets my requirements without even one of both programs.

The laptop is only used at home. Wireless connection is normaly used. I need eth0 only in a case of emergency.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Markus

manwichmakesameal · 11-29-2010, 07:40 PM

If you don't want eth0 starting, you can just change

Code:

USE_DHCP[0]="YES"

to

Code:

USE_DHCP[0]=""

in /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf

markush · 11-30-2010, 02:11 PM

Hello manwichmakesameal,

thanks for your answer. I had a similar idea already but your solution disables eth0 also if a cable is connected.

I've searched by myself and found the following solution. I disabled the entry for ifplugd to be started in rc.local and inserted it in rc.M instead of the section where rc.inet1 is started. Here the section in rc.M

Code:

...
# ifplugd starten bevor rc.inet1 startet
if [ -x /etc/rc.d/rc.ifplugd ]; then
  # Start ifplugd
  echo "Starting ifplugd:  /etc/rc.d/rc.ifplugd start"
  /etc/rc.d/rc.ifplugd start
fi

# Initialize the networking hardware.
#if [ -x /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1 ]; then
#  . /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1
#fi]
...

It seems that it works properly.

If someone has a better idea or additional information about this issue, please post it.

Thanks in advance.

Markus