I've got wicd manager installed and when ever I go to cafe's where they have free wifi access, they give me the wep or whatever code it is, but my pc only ever connects when there is no security enabled, like in Macdonalds in france. Once,- I got it connected to a friends wpa connection but at first it would not connect, then I went and sat right next to the box, dont really know what I did, but then it connected all of a sudden.
What does the order of sequence mean in the options? I dont know what a pre-connection script is, or a post-connection script, or a disconnection script. I dont know if I should be using pre shared key or passphrase or I.p. static. or dns static. Its got me going crazy and also the poor bird working in the cafe. She hadn't a clue either. Please can anyone help with this and tell me what Im doing wrong? Many thanks.

I know it is a stupid thing to start with a remark like this - I'll do it anyway
wicd is working nicely for me - I only got problems when I connect to AdHoc networks (it will say "not connected" while it actually is...).

wicd writes a log-file - for me it is in /var/log/wicd/wicd.log
Some or all of this info could also be found in the system log.
/var/log/syslog
or - for me:
/var/log/messages

Open a terminal and run:
to see what is going on.

Cafe's and the like:
If they would be using anything other than an encrypted WPA or WEP connection there would be many people having problems.
I've never been in such a cafe - what do they give you? A key? Written down? No extra info whatsoever?
If they don't give you info of a specific nameserver you can be sure that an IP will be assigned to you via dhcp.
So - no static IP or DNS server to fill in.
Just check the "use encryption" box to be able to put in passphrases or equivalent.
Also I have never had to use any pre- or post connection script ever - and they likely would tell people if special things where neccesary.

anyway:
wicd - for me - detects the network and also shows the type of encryption used.
the "properties" button for that network will let you add the key - usually the right method is pre-selected.
Try a different method - there are only 5.
WPA1/2 (Passphrase)
WPA1/ (Preshared Key)
WEP in variants HEX, Passprase, Shared/Restricted

...well - maybe more:
LEAP with WEP
TTLS with WEP
- I don't even know what these are - and they probably are not easy enough to set up even for windows users so they will probably not be used - or some setup instructions will be given.

You are using Ubuntu?
try "network-manager" instead - though I don't know what it would do differently and much better than wicd.

Thanks mate, and sorry for late reply. Yes I'm using ubuntu jaunty, and y'know, I just did a fresh install to try to cover all possibilities so to speak, and it still does not connect to encryted networks. However since the re-install, I've only tried it at one place that had the encryption. I just read a post on another place and there is a guy with the same problem. I'm wondering if it is a prob with jaunty in general, or the laptop even. It's a hp, pavillion dv5 1118es, it came with vista and would not accept the xp cd I had - good really, cos I discovered linux. I should write them a thankyou letter really. I've also put back track 4 on the same pc this time, although I haven't tried connecting to the encrypted network yet. The chipset for this wireless is no good really for bt, but Im waiting for a usb dongle that I can set up ok for it.

wicd mostly works for me too. Alas, I also have trouble connecting in public places -- public or secured.

In my case, the troubles seem to happen in the neverland between wifi network dancing ==> that causes various acpi events ==> that are supposed to get handled in various ways but somehow the good stuff does not happen.

Many of my favorite public places have a dance like this:

• detect available networks
• select the public place access point
• provoke the connection processing
• when you think you are connected, use a browser to view something
• get a provider specific browser page that requires (er, "requests") some keys and clicks
• only then are you really and truly "connected" with working DNS and all the bells.

I learned the dance using win-doze which would connect just fine. In fact, win-doze would automatically lauch the browser to expose the provider specific page. This approach does not seem to play well for linux (Ubuntu).

QUESTION: Has someone decoded this provider page dance?

I keep hearing that there are problems and troubles with network manager and wicd and ubuntu and linux and {wifi hardware} and WPA. It is too frequent a story to be a total urban legend, but I cannot nail down enough details to confirm or deny the statements.

On the other hand, I seem to have lots of trouble with WPA and Ubuntu (Hardy v8.04.3 LTS) and Intel 4965.

Cheers,
~~~ 0;-Dan

That would be a scenario like this:
- you know the key - or there is none
- you connect to the AP
- it authenticates you - you are now past the stage were problems arise from being unable to connect, from incompatibilities of WLAN-Adapters and encryption.
But you are still not free to use the internet - you are still only able to see the AP until it, again, authenticates you.
This is often done via opening a browser-window and go to _any_ website.
The AP catches the first request and redirects you to its own page, where you again have to authenticate - or just acknowledge some rules etc.
Only after this you are free to use the AP as your gateway to the internet.

It gets worse or more complicated, if you are not redirected, but instead have to know and go to a specific address by yourself...
...but people at the cafe should be able to tell you about this procedure...

The network I'm part of does it this way: the network itself is an unencrypted citywide AdHoc Network (freifunk) - everyone can connect.
- each AP (rather each Node since there are no AP's in AdHoc...) gives out IP-adresses via DHCP
- only port 80 is open then - and this is redirected to an "Agreement" page running on a web-server on that Node - where basic rules are explained and some info is given
- only after acknowledging this - not just seeing it - is the redirect removed and all ports are put through to the internet
We call it "dhcpsplash", it is based on the MAC adress of the client who got an IP - fairly simple iptables rules...

I'm aware of one provider page implementation that does not deploy DNS and other route table details until the provider page dance completes successfully -- it seems that the typical DHCP exchanges get separated into multiple parts.

Since wicd and networkmanager for that matter run during boot and before login or access to a browser, this is much different than the win-doze approach where most things don't happen until part of or after login. [as I understand]

QUESTION: Why would this provider page dance work for a win-doze connection attempt but routinely fail for a linux attempt?

QUESTION: Is this provider page dance somehow partial to the ways that win-doze does its wifi connections and so the wicd/NM effort stumbles? How might one instrument and log this dance so one might troubleshoot things?

As I understand it:
wicd or NM start usually start their service at boot or default runlevel - but that does not mean it will cause any problem.
Just the interfaces are brought up (with no IP) and the available networks are scanned and shown when you - in the GUI - click the tray-icon.
There you select which network you want to connect to - only after this a connection attempt is made.
Should be no different from windows.

When a radius server is involved (I have just heard of it - never encountered or used such) it could be that windows does a better job in guiding you through the neccessary steps.
I just found this for "wicd radius" via Google:
http://tech.givemethe.net/node/4
and
http://wicd.sourceforge.net/phpbb/vi....php?f=3&t=235

I know no more...