Shrihari Gopalakrishna wrote:
> Hello!
> 
> I had SL40rolling (and updated to SL4.1 as per instructions on this 
> list) on an IBM Thinkpad T42 and would appreciate any help on getting 
> the following working: (I am new to linux setup)
> 
...
> 4)  A general wireless question: Is there someway to switch easily 
> between wireless settings when I move from place to place (from home to 
> work and back etc). I think right now I have to edit info in 
> System_settings->Network (system-config-network) for it to work. There 
> is something called "profile" in system-config-network - is this 
> supposed to enable easy switching between access points?
> 
> I would appreciate any help.
> 
> Thanks!
> Shri.

For the wireless question

There is a program called NetworkManager.  It probrubly is installed, 
but not turned on.  This is because it currently is very picky about 
what network card get's used.  But I believe your's is one that will work.
Basically what it does is makes it easy for *users* (you don't have to 
be root to use it, only to set it up) to connect to various wireless 
networks.  It basically will put a little icon on your panel, that you 
can click and select which wireless network to connect to.
Note: results have varied from computer to computer.  From "this is the 
greatest thing i've seen" to "the stupid thing completely locks my 
computer up."  So try it, if it works, that is great and let us know. 
If it doesn't, sorry about that, and let us know also.

Installation and setup

   yum install NetworkManager\*
(that should get NetworkManager and NetworkManager-gnome)
   /sbin/chkconfig --level 345 NetworkManager on
(and so you don't have to reboot the machine to start the deamon do)
   /etc/init.d/NetworkManager start
(Then as a regular user, on either gnome or kde do)
   NetworkManagerInfo

This should start the user interface, which gives you a icon on the 
panel, that you can then click on and select your network.

Some nice features, that can be changed.  If you have a wired connection 
AND a wireless connection, it will prefer the wired and turn off your 
wireless.  But when you remove your network wire, it will detect that 
and switch you back to wireless.
You can also confgure your WEP stuff through it as well, and tell it 
which wireless networks are prefered.

On the downside.  If your machine DOES lockup when you select a wireless 
machine.  Power cycle the machine and at least turn NetworkManager off

   /sbin/chkconfig --level 345 NetworkManager off
   /etc/init.d/NetworkManger stop

or just remove it
   yum remove NetworkManger\*

Troy