Wicd (Linux Network Manager)

Infobox Software
developer = Adam Blackburn, Dan O'Reilly
latest_release_version = 1.5.3
latest_release_date = September 2008
working_state = Stable
operating_system = Linux
genre =
license = GNU General Public License
website = http://wicd.sourceforge.net/

Wicd, which stands for Wireless Interface Connection Daemon, is an open source software utility to manage both wireless and wired networks for Linux. The project started in late 2006 with the creation of Connection Manager, which eventually became Wicd. [ [http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=299462 Connection Manager: a new wireless manager - Ubuntu Forums ] ] Wicd aims to provide a simple interface to connect to networks with a wide variety of settings.

Wicd will only automatically connect to wireless networks you have specified and will not automatically connect to an unknown network.

Wicd supports a unique type of system for wireless encryption using the powerful wpa_supplicant. Users can design their own "templates", which can be used by Wicd to connect to a large variety of networks using any type of encryption wpa_supplicant supports. Because Wicd does not use any GNOME dependencies, it can easily be used on GNOME, KDE, Xfce, Fluxbox, or any other window manager [ [http://wicd.net/ wicd - home ] ] .

Wicd is split into two major components: the daemon, and the user interface [http://wicd.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/wicd/testing-1.5.0/README?revision=313&view=markup] . These two components communicate via D-Bus. This design allows the user interface to run as a standard user, and the daemon to run as the root user, so the user can change the wireless network without knowing the root password. The split interface/daemon design would also allow a person to write a new front-end to the Wicd daemon, such as [http://code.google.com/p/wicd-qt wicd-qt]

Wicd is currently included in some distributions, such as Zenwalk Linux [ [http://packages.zenwalk.org/?p=wicd-1.4.2-noarch-52.1.tgz&zversion=current Zenwalk Package Search ] ] and Arch Linux [ [http://www.archlinux.org/packages/search/?q=wicd Arch Linux - Package Search ] ] . Wicd has also seen some use on the EEE PC [ [http://www.ubuntu-eee.com/index.php5?title=How_to_use_Wicd_instead_of_Network_Manager How to use Wicd instead of Network Manager - Ubuntu Eee ] ] .

In Contrast to Network Manager

* Can distinguish between two access points with the same SSID but different MACs
* Does not have any GNOME dependencies, is environment independent
* Provides a network list inside of the application window instead of as a dropdown menu from the tray icon
* Will not connect to a wired network until instructed by the user
* Will not connect to a wireless network until instructed by the user

See also

* NetworkManager
* Wireless tools for Linux for command-line interface

References