> Yes you're right about that. However, DHCP is universally what you find > at WiFi hotspots. When NetworkManager and the drivers work in some kind > of harmony, the end result of picking APs off a list and getting on with > credentials through nm-applet or knetworkmanager is quite beautiful. NM Not really. Its vulnerable to trivial attacks. Just set up a fake base station that changes MAC and identifier every packet it sends, then send about 50K packets/second. Enjoy the resulting hell. Now remember I can carry that fake AP device in my pocket wherever I go. > broken out into a daemon means it works in runlevel 3 too. Before that > I would be hunkered down in a motel working iwconfig by hand, which is > pretty sad and slow. Agreed. > > If they can fix the memory leaks in knetworkmanager (seen earlier today > with 300M to its name), get the wireless drivers all acting right and > yes support static IPs we'll all come to love it I think. Probably the best example to look at is the Nokia N800 which has the same essential functionality but working properly. They don't have to deal with ethernet but they do deal with ppp through phones,dial on demand, scanning for wireless, statically configured wireless and remembering preferences for all of them. Try setting up GSM or 3G data on your Fedora desktop and on an N800 and you'll see the difference. Try using mixed dynamic addresses (out on the road) and static at home and you'll see the difference. its just much better designed. The N800 is also partially vulnerable to attacks but the attack and UI issues are really different things. Alan
