Wireless Ubuntu

You may remember that Hal's Evil Twin runs Linux as well as XP. Well, I'm going to take HsET on a long trip with me, and I wanted it set up to run Linux properly. So I downloaded a copy of the latest Ubuntu Hardy Spin and installed it.

Worked perfectly, if I used an ethernet connection.

Then it was time to try the wireless. Previously this had been painful.

And this time it looked to be the same:

Verizon FIOS gives you a router using WEP encryption. We're rather isolate out in East Bowie, so I've never bothered to change it. So to set up the network, you go to System => Network, unlock it (i.e., sudo), click on the wireless connection, edit properties to have the correct SSID, password, etc., give the configuration a name, save it, and you're off to the races, right?

Wrong. It just wouldn't work.

Until I rebooted.

Now, mind, THIS SHOULD NOT BE NECESSARY. network-manager, bless its heart, should start and stop the wireless whenever you ask. No documentation mentions the need to reboot.

But, indeed, I had to reboot. Was it HsET? Was it me? Was it Ubuntu being crazy? I don't know.

At least it works, for now.

Note that HsET still runs XP as well, so it will keep the Evil Twin moniker, at least for a while.