Explore Your World: Easy To Internet With WICD Network Manager On Ubuntu

Wicd is an open source wired and wireless network manager for Linux which aims to provide a simple interface to connect to networks with a wide variety of settings.

Some of Wicd's features include:
1.No Gnome dependencies (although it does require GTK), so it is easy to use in XFCE, Fluxbox, Openbox, Enlightenment, etc.
2.Ability to connect to wired and wireless networks
3.Profiles for each wireless network and wired network
4.Many encryption schemes, some of which include WEP/WPA/WPA2
5.Remains compatible with wireless-tools
6.Tray icon showing network activity and signal strength

If you are using Ubuntu Jaunty (not currently released), Wicd is in the universe repository.Installing Wicd in Ubuntu is very simple. You just have to add the Wicd repository to the Ubuntu package manager. To open the package manager in Gnome, go to terminal and type

$gedit /etc/apt/sourceslist.d

and add this line

deb http://apt.wicd.net hardy extras

where gutsy is your version of Ubuntu in lowercase (dapper, edgy, feisty, gutsy, hardy, intrepid). You'll also need to add the key used for signing Wicd by running the following command in a terminal:

$ wget -q http://apt.wicd.net/wicd.gpg -O- | sudo apt-key add –

Now, click Reload, and wait while the package lists are downloaded. Now, search for "Wicd", and right click on it. Select Install, then press Apply, and Wicd will automatically be downloaded and installed for you. This will also keep you automatically up to date with the latest and greatest version of Wicd. Please note that this will remove network-manager, which is the default GNOME network manager and may cause loss of network connection temporarily.

TROUBLESHOOTING

If Wicd fails to connect after you install it, make sure that the only entry in your /etc/network/interfaces file is

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

You can change the contents of this file by pressing alt + f2, then typing

$ gksudo gedit /etc/network/interfaces

if you are using Gnome, or replace gedit with kate if you are using KDE. This will allow you to view and edit the /etc/network/interfaces.You can ignore lines that start with #.

STARTTING WICD

If you are using a desktop environment without a notification area, you can run the Wicd GUI by running