* [#what_is_it_ What is it?] * [#cli CLI] ** [#self_help Self Help] *** [#man man] *** [#apropos apropos] *** [#info info] *** [#_h___help -h --help] ** [#networking_commands Networking Commands] *** [#pcmcia_cs__card____commands_ pcmcia_cs (card--- commands)] *** [#ifup__ifdown ifup, ifdown] *** [#ifconfig ifconfig] *** [#wireless_tools_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________iw____commands_ wireless-tools (iw--- commands)] *** [#ip ip] *** [#route route] ** [#system_commands System Commands] *** [#dmesg dmesg] *** [#ps ps] *** [#mod_utils mod-utils] ** [#other_commands Other Commands] ** [#terminal_shortcuts Terminal Shortcuts] *** [#_alt_ ] *** [#_shift___page_up_ ] *** [#_tab_ ] ** [#installing_or_building_packages Installing or Building packages] *** [#apt apt] *** [#emerge emerge] ** [#misc___but_still_important Misc - but still important] *** [#enable_forwarding enable forwarding] *** [#_proc /proc] *** [#redirection redirection] *** [#_var_log /var/log] * [#gui GUI] ! What is it? Wireless related commands for the beginner (or the forgetful). This is not a complete list and is not intended as a subsitute for the manual ('''man man''') nor the time tested method of experimentation. It is instead, a list of useful command line entries (or observations) that will help to kickstart the puzzled newbie into using wireless on [Linux] effectively. It concentrates on the CLI as that's the base most of the GUI's work from, it's also '''always there'''. If you're after more then the (http://www.icon.co.za/~psheer/book/index.html Rute User's Tutorial and Exposition) is one of many resources for an introduction to [Linux]. > Feel free to add to it... ! CLI '''C'''ommand '''L'''ine '''I'''nterface - Which means you're sitting at a terminal (of some sort) and entering text strings at the prompt. You may be physically at the computer or remotely accessing it via [SSH] or a [SerialConsole serial console]. !! Self Help !!! man * '''man ''' - help pages for any command/appliciation. Also has help pages for some related configuration files too. * '''man man''' - review what the man help system does !!! apropos * '''apropos ''' - search the manual descriptions for ** '''apropos route''' - return manuals that consider route to be in their "domain" !!! info * '''info''' - review what the info help system does * '''pinfo''' - a "colorful viewer" !!! -h --help help switches, add either the short format '''-h''' or the long format '''--help''' after a command to get help on it. !! Networking Commands !!! pcmcia_cs (card--- commands) PCMCIA '''C'''ard '''S'''ervices - generally starts on system boot up or may be manually started using ''/etc/init.d/pcmcia'' and displayed arguments (RedHat, Fedora, Debian and others) If it's not running on start up the '''chkconfig''' or '''setup''' can be used under RedHat, Fedora to check the start configuration. (What is it under [Debian]?) * '''cardctl eject''' -- ejects all cards ** '''cardctl eject 0''' - ejects first card ** '''cardctl eject 1''' - ejects secondcard * '''cardctl ident''' - '''ident'''ify a card. Useful when changing the default driver, by editing ''/etc/pcmcia/config, /etc/pcmcia/config-2.4 or /etc/pcmcia/host_cs.conf'' and changing the module the '''manfid''' '''bind'''s to. If problems are experienced in ejecting a card, the interface may need to be brought down first. Programs such as '''dhclient''' may be blocking the card and preventing a clean exit. !!! ifup, ifdown * '''ifdown wlan0''' - shutdown the wlan0 interface * '''ifup wlan0''' - start the wlan0 interface * also see '''ifconfig''' !!! ifconfig * '''ifconfig''' - return configuration of ethernet devices ** '''ifconfig eth0''' - eth0 values only * '''ifconfig eth0 up''' - start the eth0 interface * '''ifconfig eth0 down''' - shutdown the eth0 interface !!! wireless-tools (iw--- commands) * '''iwconfig''' - displays all interfaces (the '''ifconfig''' of wireless cards) ** '''iwconfig wlan1''' - displays wlan1 only ** '''iwconfig''' '''txpower''' <#/#mW> - for cards that support, changes transmit power (NB: If using mW, don't forget the suffix) * '''iwlist scan''' -- scans from all supported cards and reports stats on accesspoints or clients found ** '''iwlist wlan0 scan''' - scans for nodes (only from wlan0) * '''iwpriv wlan0 hostscan #''' - then issue dmesg to check results - it peforms a quick scan of wireless nodes ** 1 = send Probe Request at 1 Mbps ** 2 = send Probe Request at 2 Mbps ** 3 = send Probe Request at 5.5 Mbps ** 4 = send Probe Request at 11 Mbps To perform MAC filtering (deny), use the following two commands: * '''iwpriv wlan1 maccmd 2''' - implement a deny policy (see the README in the Hostap tarball) ** '''iwpriv wlan1 addmac 00:00:c8:2f:ae:53''' - to exclude a specific MAC address. Then use the following to verify the above input (if using hostap) ** '''cat /proc/net/hostap/wlan1/ap_control''' - which should return... *** MAC policy: deny *** MAC entries:1 *** MAC list: *** 00:00:c8:2f:ae:53 !!! ip supplied by the iproute or iproute2 package. A (minimum) 2.2 kernel is usually required and the package may need to be manually installed. * There is no manual page, use ''' ip help''' instead * '''ip a''' display address's ** '''ip a help''' - further help for address's * '''ip r''' display routes (also review the '''route command''') ** '''ip r help''' further route help * '''ip a a 10.10.146.58/30 dev eth0 label eth0:0''' - add a virtual interface to dev eth0 * '''ip l s eth0 mtu 1200''' - change the mtu to 1200 !!! route * '''route -n''' - display routes without resolving names (no names = quicker) !! System Commands !!! dmesg display the kernel messages. Useful immediately after boot up or at any time that the OS messages may need reviewing. ie: You have (computer based) problems !!! ps show running processes options - too many to list - review the manual. * '''ps -adelf''' - a fairly complete long listing. Needs wordwrap to review effectively . Try redirecting * '''ps axf''' - a threaded listing !!! mod-utils Commands centred around modules (drivers). Not usually needed except when first installing a card, that is not automatically detected. * '''lsmod''' list running modules * '''insmod ne2k-pci''' - load the module ne2k-pci (realtek cards) If errors are reported back about missing dependencies then look in ''/lib/modules//modules.dep'', find the module you're trying to load and see what else is mentioned on that line, in this case it's 8390. Load 8390 first then load ne2k-pci and all should be okay. * '''depmod''' - register modules into the database (/lib/modules/ ''' F1''', ''' F2''' etc will change consoles. Usually up to 7 consoles are preconfigured, the number can be changed in ''/etc/inittab''. Reduce the number for a headless, low memory machine. !!! Use scroll back on current console. The scroll back on the current terminal (console) will be lost when changing to another console. Unsurprisingly ''' ''' has a similar effect !!! Enter the start of a command at the prompt then use '''''' to complete the typing. If more than one result would be possible then '''''' to list them all. !! Installing or Building packages !!! apt * '''apt-get install ''' - a '''very''' easy to use package installer/uninstaller originally for [Debian]. Simply type the command and the name of the application (package) you want and '''apt''' will download it, install it and configure it for you. Apt is available for some rpm distributions as an add on package, '''yum''' is an equivalent now installed by default in [RedHat Fedora]. * '''apt-cache search ''' - a quick way to find and list packages with short descriptions for [Debian]. Try something like '''apt-cache search wireless''' and see what you get. {/regexpicons/emoticons/emoticon-face3.png ;)} * '''apt-cache show ''' - show the version, size, full description and so forth for a package. !!! emerge * '''emerge '''- a '''very''' easy to use application installer/uninstaller found in (http://www.gentoo.org Gentoo). Simply type the command and the name of the application (package) you want and '''portage''' will download it, '''compile''' it, install it and configure it for you. Edit /etc/make.conf to setup exactly how you want your applications compiled. !! Misc - but still important !!! enable forwarding Routers must have this set, firewalls will often set it within their scripts. The scripts or whatever will all write either '''0''' (false) or '''1''' (true) to ''/proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward''. Read it using... * '''cat /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward''' Write to it (and enable forwarding) with... * '''echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward''' and check with the previous '''cat''' command !!! /proc Directory of running processess and their configuration variables. When you edit a config file and run the application, this is where those changes are stored (close enough?) * '''cat /proc/interrupts''' - show irq's in use (and thus check, resolve clashes) * '''cat /proc/pci''' - show results found for pci bus (slots). ie: detected values for pci cards such as ethernet, video, cradles * ''' cat /proc ''' - use command completion to display all files in proc directory, pick one and '''cat''' it !!! redirection redirect output to another place * eg '''ps -adelf > /tmp/dump'''%%% * '''less /tmp/dump''' - line wrapping (from the above command) is now viewable. !!! /var/log When something goes wrong, and no messages are returned - '''look here''' (it's a directory). Look here anyway and become familar with the layout and what is captured. * ''/var/log'' tells all (that it knows about anyway). ! GUI '''Graphical User Interface''' Is there a point in listing GUI applications? I can't picture describing the mouse shortcuts, but the section is here if there's a need.