From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Dec 20 17:21:58 2004 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id A10BD16A4CE for ; Mon, 20 Dec 2004 17:21:58 +0000 (GMT) Received: from mp.cs.niu.edu (mp.cs.niu.edu [131.156.68.41]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 3F2B643D2D for ; Mon, 20 Dec 2004 17:21:58 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from bennett@cs.niu.edu) Received: from mp.cs.niu.edu (bennett@localhost [127.0.0.1]) by mp.cs.niu.edu (8.13.2/8.13.2/d) with ESMTP id iBKHL1A1029589 for ; Mon, 20 Dec 2004 11:21:01 -0600 (CST) Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2004 11:21:01 -0600 (CST) From: Scott Bennett Message-Id: <200412201721.iBKHL1qr029588@mp.cs.niu.edu> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: ifconfig for WLAN using WEP X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2004 17:21:58 -0000 Paul Schmehl wrote: >--On Monday, December 20, 2004 02:14:20 AM -0600 Scott Bennett > wrote: > >> I've been asked in freebsd-newbies to move this to freebsd-questions, >> so I'll start with my original message content after this line. >> I'm trying to get my FreeBSD 5.2.1 system to connect to our household >> wireless net. The router and the only other computer in the household are >> using WEP, so my FreeBSD machine needs to do so as well. Unfortunately, >> whenever I add a WEP-related argument (e.g., wep, wepkey, wepmode) to the >> ifconfig command, as in >> >> ifconfig fwe0 wep >> >> I get >> >> ifconfig: SIOCS80211: Invalid argument >> >This was posted recently here by Daan Vreeken. > >You can't combine "use DHCP" and "use this SSID" in /etc/rc.conf . >To do both, you need to create a startup script that sets the interface >options (ssid / wep key / etc) and then just set /etc/rc.conf to use DHCP. I wasn't combining them. Here's some background information: the only "connected" interface at the time of the ifconfig shown above is the loopback. The ethernet interface is "UP" but not physically connected to anything. The wireless interface is not "UP" and not previously configured for anything. As I wrote before, the problem is that *any* WEP-related terms given to the ifconfig command result in the error message being returned. Scott Bennett, Comm. ASMELG, CFIAG ********************************************************************** * Internet: bennett at cs.niu.edu * *--------------------------------------------------------------------* * "A well regulated and disciplined militia, is at all times a good * * objection to the introduction of that bane of all free governments * * -- a standing army." * * -- Gov. John Hancock, New York Journal, 28 January 1790 * **********************************************************************