Ubuntu
netcfg package

Can't skip configuring wireless network

Bug #36426 reported by Graeme Hewson
8
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
netcfg (Ubuntu)
Fix Released
Medium
Unassigned

Bug Description

Installing Flight 5 from CD to Toshiba Tecra laptop, which has a wireless port and a wired ethernet port; I just want to configure the latter.

Installer says in screen with title "Configure the network": "Attempting to find an available wireless network failed. eth0 is a wireless network interface. Please enter the name (the ESSID) of the wireless network you would like eth0 to use. To skip wireless configuration and continue, leave this field blank." I leave the ESSID field blank and press Enter, but the next screen prompts for the WEP key. I again press Enter, and the next screen is "Configuring the network with DHCP". This fails -- it seems the installer is still trying to use the wireless port. I see no way to use the wired port, and the only way to continue is to select "Do not configure the network at this time".

Related branches

lp:ubuntu/precise/netcfg
Revision history for this message
Graeme Hewson (ghewson) wrote :

The Breezy Badger installer detects the interfaces fine, as follows:

eth0: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. 4362
eth1: Intel Corp. PRO/Wireless 2200BG (wireless)

Revision history for this message
Graeme Hewson (ghewson) wrote :

Unfortunately sometimes the wired port appears as eth1 on bootup and sometimes it appears as eth2.

Revision history for this message
Graeme Hewson (ghewson) wrote :

I opened bug 37761 for the problem where the wired port could be eth1 or eth2.

Revision history for this message
Graeme Hewson (ghewson) wrote :

(Bug 37761 was resolved.)

Another problem is that the installer leaves /etc/network/interfaces in an incorrect state, so that ifup/ifdown fail with the message:

/etc/network/interfaces:17: too few parameters for iface line
ifdown: couldn't read interfaces file "/etc/network/interfaces"

The offending line is:

iface eth0 inet

Appending "dhcp" to it or commenting it out fixes the problem (so I can work with eth1).

Gabriel Ruiz (anakron)
Changed in netcfg:
status: New → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

This bug was fixed in the package netcfg - 1.68ubuntu13

---------------
netcfg (1.68ubuntu13) precise; urgency=low

  * When wireless detection doesn't find any network and the user doesn't
    enter any essid, skip directly to the hostname dialog rather than
    prompt for security options on a non-existing network. (LP: #36426)
 -- Stephane Graber <email address hidden> Mon, 05 Mar 2012 15:41:00 -0500

Changed in netcfg (Ubuntu):
status: Confirmed → Fix Released
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