Managing Network Configuration From the Desktop

You can manage network configuration from the desktop by using the Network Administration GUI (formerly NWAM). The tool is similar to using the netcfg and netadm commands. With the GUI, you can connect to a wired or wireless network, configure a new wired or wireless connection, create Location profiles, and activate or deactivate profiles. Managing reactive network configuration from the desktop works best for users of laptop computers, and in situations where network conditions change often, for example when switching from a home office to the wireless network at work, or when traveling.

Follow these general guidelines and best practices for managing network configuration from the desktop:

• When managing network configuration from the desktop, the simplest solution is to enable the system-generated Automatic NCP. See Example 7-2. At home, you can use this NCP to connect to your wireless network.

• If you decide you want to use a wired connection, plug in the Ethernet cable. Do not switch the default Automatic NCP. The network connection will automatically adapt from a wireless network connection to a wired network connection, without having to make any other changes to your existing network configuration.

• At the office, the same rules apply. If no Ethernet cable is plugged into the network, and the Automatic NCP is enabled, reactive networking is used and a wireless network connection is automatically established.

• If you switch to the DefaultFixed NCP, you must then configure the various network components manually by using the dladm and ipadm commands.

• Keep in mind that for both the home and office scenario, you must initially choose a wireless network and save it to your list of favorite wireless networks, if you have not already done so.

  Choose a wireless network by using the network administration GUI or by running the netadm select-wifi command. For example:

  $ netadm select-wifi net1
  1: ESSID home BSSID 0:b:e:85:26:c0
  2: ESSID neighbor1 BSSID 0:b:e:49:2f:80
  3: ESSID testing BSSID 0:40:96:29:e9:d8
  4: Other
  Choose WLAN to connect to [1-4]: 1

• To view the status of your current network connection, hover your mouse over the Network Status notification icon located on the desktop or just click the icon. The Network Status notification icon also includes contextual menu for creating and managing network configuration with the GUI.

  If the Network Status notification icon is not visible in the desktop, start it by choosing System → Administration → Network. To start the GUI from the command line, run the nwam-manager command. See the nwam-manager(1M) man page in the JDS/GNOME man page collection for more information.

• IP-related configuration is managed in the Network Profile section of the Network Preferences dialog box. The Network Preferences icon is displayed in the upper right-hand corner of the desktop. Access the Network Preferences dialog box by clicking the Network Status notification icon located on the desktop or by choosing the Network Preferences option from the Network Status notification icon's contextual menu.

See Chapter 4, Using the Network Administration Graphical User Interface, in Connecting Systems Using Reactive Network Configuration in Oracle Solaris 11.1 or the online help for detailed instructions.