[pkg-wpa-devel] Bug#498923: Bug#498923: wpagui needs a menu entry

[Kel Modderman]

tags 498923 pending
thanks

On Monday 15 September 2008 02:16:19 Sheridan Hutchinson wrote:
> Package: wpagui
> Version: 0.6.4-2
> Severity: wishlist
> 
> wpagui is a great tool for us wpa_supplicant users, however I've often 
> wondered if it could have an entry in the menu system?

I agree, and have done some work to make this reality, though it is not
totally complete yet:

http://lists.shmoo.com/pipermail/hostap/2008-September/018463.html

Also added is the ability to embed wpa_gui into the system tray, which I find
to be a nice feature.

There are two problems that require some extra thought:

1) The new icon is in svg format, extra work is required to convert to png or
   xpm formats (Debian menu). This requires pretty heavy dependencies in
   imagemagick and inkscape, I am not sure if these should be added to the
   build dependencies or if we should just use the scalable svg icon only
   (which is just great for my KDE desktop) and not bother with a Debian
   menu entry.

2) wpa_gui may need to have the path to control interface socket and/or
   interface name to function under more complex setups, this would require
   some extra work to support via the menu entry. I had only one thought
   so far:

   * Install a shell script wrapper to eg. /usr/bin/wpa_gui_desktop
   * Have the shell script source ~/.wpa_gui.conf and/or
     /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_gui.conf and exec /usr/bin/wpa_gui with correct
     arguments for cases where the defaults have been changed

   Or people with more complex setups could just open a shell and do it
   themselves, as the wpa_gui defaults should work for 99% of setups.

> 
> The package zenmap has an example of how to do a menu entry that request 
> root priviledges (if that's any help?)

No it is not, wpa_gui should not be run as root if possible. When a user is
part of the 'netdev' group, and wpa_supplicant is configured to grant netdev
group members access to the control interface socket, you may run wpa_gui as
user. This setup is documented for the `wpa-roam' use case of wpasupplicant
package, see "Interacting with wpa_supplicant with wpa_cli and wpa_gui" section
of:
  /usr/share/doc/wpasupplicant/README.Debian.gz

Unfortunately, the static (aka "Managed Mode") /etc/network/interfaces statza's
only allow root access to control socket, but in these cases wpa_gui is not
very useful except to query status.

Thanks, Kel.