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%Edited by Chris Woollard (2012-06-03)
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\section{Getting online}\label{sec:getting-online}
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This section of the manual will help you to check your connection to the Internet and help you configure it where needed. Ubuntu can connect to the Internet using a wired, wireless, or a dial up connection. Ubuntu 12.04 also supports more advanced connection methods, which will be briefly discussed at the end of this section.
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A \gls{wired connection} is when your computer connects to the Internet using an Ethernet cable. This is usually connected to a wall socket or a networking device \dash like a switch or a \gls{router}.
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\marginnote{In order to connect wirelessly, you must be in a location with a working wireless network. To set up your own wireless network, you will need to purchase and install a wireless router or access point. Some locations may already have a publicly accessible wireless networks available. If you are unsure whether your computer has a wireless card, check with your manufacturer.}
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A \gls{wireless connection} is when your computer connects to the Internet using a wireless radio network \dash usually known as Wi-Fi. Most routers now come with wireless capability, as do most laptops and netbooks. Because of this, Wi-Fi is the most common connection type for these types of devices. Wireless connectivity makes laptops and netbooks more portable when moving to different rooms of a house and while traveling.
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A \gls{dialup connection} is when your computer uses a \emph{modem} to connect to the Internet through a telephone line.
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\index{Internet!connecting|(}
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\index{NetworkManager}
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\subsection{NetworkManager}
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\marginscreenshot{03-connection-states-icons.png}{ss:connection-states-icons}{Different connection states and their respective icons.}
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In order to connect to the Internet using Ubuntu, you need to use the \application{NetworkManager} utility. \application{NetworkManager} allows you to turn network connections on or off, manage wired and wireless networks, and make other network connections, such as dial up, mobile broadband, and VPN's.
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\marginscreenshot{03-active-connection.png}{ss:active-connection}{Here you can see the currently active connection is ``Wired connection 1.''}
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You can access \application{NetworkManager} by using its icon found the top panel. This icon may look different depending on your current connection state. Clicking this icon will reveal a list of available network connections. The current connection (if any) will have the word ``disconnect'' underneath it. You can click on ``disconnect'' to manually disconnect from that network.
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This menu also allows you to view technical details about your current connection or edit all connection settings. In the image to the right you will see a tick mark next to ``Enable Networking.'' Click on the tick mark to disable all network connections. Clicking a second time will enable networking again. This can be very useful when you are required to turn off all wireless communications, like in an airplane.
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\subsection{Establishing a wired connection}
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\marginnote{Are you already online? If the NetworkManager icon in the top panel shows a connection then you may have successfully connected during the Ubuntu setup process. You can also simply open a browser and see if you have access to the Internet. If so, you do not need to do anything for the rest of this section.}
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If you have an \emph{Ethernet} cable running from a wall socket or networking device, such as a switch or router, then you will want to setup a wired connection in Ubuntu.
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In order to connect to the Internet with a wired connection, you need to know whether your network supports \gls{DHCP} \emph{(Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)}. \acronym{DHCP} is a way for your computer to automatically be configured to access your network and/or Internet connection. \acronym{DHCP} is usually automatically configured on your router. This is usually the quickest and easiest way of establishing a connection to the Internet. If you are unsure whether your router is setup to use \acronym{DHCP}, you may wish to contact your \gls{ISP}'s \emph{(Internet Service Provider)} customer service line to check. If your router isn't configured to use \acronym{DHCP} then they will also be able to tell you what configuration settings you need in order to get online.
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\subsubsection{Automatic connections with DHCP}
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\marginscreenshot{03-connection-information.png}{ss:connection-information}{This window displays your \acronym{IP} address and other connection information.}
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If your network supports \acronym{DHCP} then you may already be set up for online access. To check this, click on the NetworkManager icon. There should be a ``Wired Network'' heading in the menu. If ``Wired connection 1'' appears directly underneath, then your machine is currently connected and probably setup for \acronym{DHCP}. If ``Disconnected'' appears in gray underneath the wired network section, look below to see if an option labeled ``Wired connection 1'' appears in the list. If so, click on it to attempt to establish a wired connection.
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\marginnote{An \acronym{IP} (Internet Protocol) address is a unique number assigned to your machine so that your router can identify you on the network. Think of it like a phone number for your computer. Having this unique address allows the router to speak to your computer, and therefore send/receive data.
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If you are still not online after following these steps, you may need to try setting up your network connection manually using a static \acronym{IP} address.} To check if you are online, click on the NetworkManager icon in the top panel and select the Connection Information option. You should see a window showing details of your connection. If your \acronym{IP} address is displayed as 0.0.0.0 or starts with 169.254, then your computer was not successfully assigned connection information through \acronym{DHCP}. If it shows another address (\eg, 192.168.219.133), then it is likely that your \acronym{DHCP} connection to the router was successful. To test your Internet connection, you may want to open the Firefox web browser to try loading a web page. More information on using Firefox can be found later in this chapter.
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\subsubsection{Manual configuration with static address}
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If your network does not support \acronym{DHCP} then you need to know a few items of information before you can get online. If you do not know any of this information, then you call your \acronym{ISP}.
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\item An \define{\acronym{IP} address} \dash This is a unique address used for identifying your computer on the network. An \acronym{IP} address is always given in four numbered groups, separated by dots, for example – 192.168.100.10. When connecting using \acronym{DHCP}, this address will periodically change (hence, the name ''dynamic''). However, if you have configured a static \acronym{IP} address, your IP address will never change.
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\item A \define{network mask} \dash This tells your computer the size of the network to which it is being connected. It is formatted the same way as the \acronym{IP} address, but usually looks something like 255.255.255.0.
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\item A \define{gateway} \dash This is the \acronym{IP} address of the device that your machine looks to for access to the Internet. Usually, this will be the router's \acronym{IP} address.
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\marginnote{\advanced{If you do not know your \acronym{ISP}'s \acronym{DNS} server addresses, Google has \acronym{DNS} servers that anyone in the world can use for free. The addresses of these servers are:
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\item \define{\acronym{DNS} server} \dash This is the \acronym{IP} address of the \acronym{DNS} \emph{(Domain Name Service)} server. \acronym{DNS} is what your computer uses to resolve \acronym{IP} addresses to domain names. For example \url{http://www.ubuntu.com} resolves to 91.189.94.156. This is the \acronym{IP} address of the Ubuntu website on the Internet. \acronym{DNS} is used so you don't have to remember \acronym{IP} addresses. Domain names (like \url{ubuntu.com}) are much easier to remember. You will need at least one \acronym{DNS} server address but you can enter up to three addresses in case one server is unavailable.
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To manually configure a wired connection, click on the \application{NetworkManager} icon and select \menu{Edit Connections}. Make sure you are looking at the ``Wired tab'' inside the \window{Network Connections} window. The list may already have an entry, such as ``Wired connection 1'' or a similar name. If a connection is listed, select it and click the \button{Edit} button. If no connection is listed, click the \button{Add} button.
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If you are adding a connection, you need to provide a name for the connection. This will distinguish the connection being added from any other connections added in future. In the ``Connection Name'' field, choose a name such as ``Wired Home.''
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\marginscreenshot{03-editing-ipv4.png}{ss:connection-editing-window}{In this window you can manually edit a connection.}
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To setup the connection:
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\item Make sure that the \checkbox{Connect automatically} option is selected under the connection name.
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\item Switch to the \button{\acronym{IP}v4 Settings} tab.
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\item Change the \dropdown{Method} to ``Manual.''
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\item Click on the \button{Add} button next to the empty list of addresses.
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\item Enter your \acronym{IP} address in the field below the \textfield{Address} header.
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\item Click to the right of the \acronym{IP} address, directly below the \textfield{Netmask} header and enter your network mask. If you are unsure, ``255.255.255.0'' is the most common.
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\item Click on the right of the network mask directly below the \textfield{Gateway} header and enter the address of your gateway.
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\item In the \textfield{\acronym{DNS} Servers} field below, enter the address of your \acronym{DNS} server(s). If you are entering more than one, separate them with commas \dash for example, ``8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4''.
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\item Click \button{Apply} to save your changes.
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\advanced{A \acronym{MAC} address is a hardware address for your computer's network card. Entering this information is sometimes important when using a cable modem connection. If you know the \acronym{MAC} address of your network card, this can be entered in the appropriate text field in the \button{Wired} tab of the editing window. To find the MAC addresses for all installed networking devices, open a terminal window, and at the command line prompt, type \userinput{ifconfig}. This will display a lot of information about each of the network devices installed on the computer. The wired devices will be labeled as \textfield{LAN0}, \textfield{LAN1}, etc. The wireless devices will appear as \textfield{WLAN0}, \textfield{WLAN1}, etc.}
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When you have returned to the \application{Network Connections} screen, your newly added connection should now be listed. Click \button{Close} to return to the desktop. If your connection was configured correctly, the \application{NetworkManager} icon should have changed to show an active wired connection. To test if your connection is properly set up, simply open a web browser. If you can access the Internet, then you are connected!
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\index{Internet!wireless}
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If your computer is equipped with a wireless (Wi-Fi) card and you have a wireless network nearby, you should be able to set up a wireless connection in Ubuntu.
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\subsubsection{Connecting to a wireless network for the first time}
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\marginnote{To improve speed and reliability of your wireless connection, try moving closer to your router or wireless access point.}
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If your computer has a wireless network card, you can connect to a wireless network. Most laptops and netbooks have a built-in wireless networking card.
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Ubuntu is usually able to detect any wireless network in range of your computer. To see a list of wireless networks, click on the \application{NetworkManager} icon. Under the ``Wireless Networks'' heading you should see a list of available wireless networks. Each network will be shown by its name and a signal meter to the left showing its relative signal strength. The signal meter looks like a set of bars similar to what is seen when viewing signal strength of a cell phone. Simply put, the more bars, the stronger the signal.
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A wireless network can be open to anyone, or it can be protected with a password. A small padlock will be displayed by the signal bar if any wireless network within range are password-protected. You will need to know the correct password in order to connect to these secured wireless networks.
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To connect to a wireless network, select the desired network by clicking on its name within the list. This will be the name that was used during the installation of the wireless router or access point. Most \acronym{ISP}s (Internet service providers) provide pre-configured routers with a sticker on them detailing the current wireless network name and password. Most publicly accessible wireless networks will be easily identifiable by the name used for the wireless network \dash for example ``Starbucks-Wireless.''
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If the network is unprotected (\ie, the signal meter does not show a padlock), a connection should be established within a few seconds\dash and without a password required. The \application{NetworkManager} icon in the top panel will animate as Ubuntu attempts to connect to the network. If the connection is successful, the icon will change to display a signal meter. An on-screen notification message will also appear informing you that the connection was successful.
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If the network is password-protected, Ubuntu will display a window called \window{Wireless Network Authentication Required} as it tries to make a connection. This means that a valid password is required to make a connection. This is what the screen should look like:
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\screenshot{03-wireless-authentication.png}{ss:wireless-authentication}{Enter your wireless network password.}
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If you know the password, enter it in the \textfield{Password} field and then click on the \button{Connect} button. As you type the password, it will be obscured from view to prevent others from reading the password as you type it. \marginnote{To verify the characters you are entering for the password, you can view the password by selecting the \checkbox{Show Password} check box. Then, you can make the password obscure again by selecting the \checkbox{Show password} check box again}. Once the password is entered, click on the \button{Connect} button. The \application{NetworkManager} icon in the top panel will animate as Ubuntu attempts to connect to the network. If the connection is successful, the icon will change to display a signal meter. An on-screen notification message will also appear informing you that the connection was successful.
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If you entered the password incorrectly, or if it doesn't match the correct password (for example if it has recently been changed and you have forgotten), \application{NetworkManager} will make another attempt to connect to the network, and the \window{Wireless Network Authentication Required} window will re-appear so that you can re-type the password. You can hit the \button{Cancel} button to abort the connection. If you do not know the correct password, you may need to call you \acronym{ISP}'s customer support line or contact your network administrator.
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Once you have successfully established a wireless connection, Ubuntu will store these settings (including the password) to make it easier to connect to this same wireless network in the future. You may also be prompted to select a \emph{keyring} password here. The keyring stores passwords in one place so you can access them all in the future by remembering just the keyring password.
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\subsubsection{Connecting to a saved wireless network}
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If you have previously established a connection to a wireless network, this connection information will be stored by Ubuntu. This will allow you to connect to the network again without having to re-enter the password.
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In addition, Ubuntu will automatically try to connect to a wireless network in range if it has the settings saved. This works on both open and secure wireless networks.
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If you have numerous wireless networks in range that are saved on your computer, Ubuntu may choose to connect to a one network while you may want to connect to another network. To remedy this action, click on the \application{NetworkManager} icon. A list of wireless networks will appear along with their signal meters. Simply click on the network to which you wish to connect, and Ubuntu will disconnect from the current network and attempt to connect to the one you have selected.
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If the network is secure and Ubuntu has the details for this network saved, Ubuntu will automatically connect. If the details for this network connection are not saved, or incorrect, or have changed, then you will be prompted to enter the network password again. If the network is open (no password required), all of this will happen automatically and the connection will be established.
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\subsubsection{Connecting to a hidden wireless network}
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In some environments, you may need to connect to a hidden wireless network. These hidden networks do not broadcast their names, and, therefore, their names will not appear in the list of available wireless networks even if they are in range. In order to connect to a hidden wireless network, you will need to get its name and security details from your network administrator or \acronym{ISP}.
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To connect to a hidden wireless network:
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\item Click on \application{NetworkManager} in the top panel.
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\item Select \menu{Connect to a hidden wireless network}. Ubuntu will then open the \window{Connect to Hidden Wireless Network} window.
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\item In the \textfield{Network name} field, enter the name of the network. This is also known as the \emph{\acronym{SSID}} \emph{(Service Set Identifier)}. You must enter the name exactly how it was given to you. For example, if the name is ``Ubuntu-Wireless,'' entering ``ubuntu-wireless'' will not work as the ``U'' and ``W'' are both uppercase in the correct name.
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\item In the \dropdown{Wireless security} field, select one of the options. If the network is an open network, leave the field set to ``None.'' If you do not know the correct setting for the field, you will not be able to connect to the hidden network.
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\item Click the \button{Connect} button. If the network is secure, you will be prompted for the password. Provided you have entered all of the details correctly, the network should then connect, and you will receive an on-screen notification informing you that the connection was a success.
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As is the case with visible wireless networks, hidden wireless network settings will be saved once a connection is made, and the wireless network will then appear in the list of saved connections \application{NetworkManager}.
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\subsubsection{Disabling and enabling your wireless card}
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\marginnote{Many modern laptops also have a physical switch/button built into the chassis that provides a way to quickly enable/disable the wireless card.}
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By default, wireless access is enabled if you have a wireless card installed in your computer. In certain environments (like on airplanes), you may need to temporarily disable your wireless card.
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To disable your wireless card, click on the \application{NetworkManager} icon and deselect the \menu{Enable Wireless} option. Your wireless radio will now be turned off, and your computer will no longer search for wireless networks.
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To reactivate your wireless card, simply reverse the process above. Ubuntu will then begin to search for wireless networks automatically. If you are in range of a saved network, you will automatically be connected.
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\subsubsection{Changing an existing wireless network}
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At times you may want to change the settings of a saved wireless network\dash for example, when the wireless password gets changed.
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To edit a saved wireless network connection:
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\item Click on the \application{NetworkManager} icon and select \menu{Edit Connections\ldots}
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\item A \window{Network Connections} window will open. Click on the \tab{Wireless} tab.
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\item By default, saved networks are in chronological order with the most recently connected at the top. Find the network you want to edit, click on it, and click on the \button{Edit} button.
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\item Ubuntu will now open a window called \window{Editing \variable{connection name}}, where \variable{connection name} is the name of the connection you are editing. This window will display a number of tabs.
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\item Above the tabs, there is a field called \textfield{Connection name} where you can change the name of the connection to give it a more recognizable name.
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\item If the \checkbox{Connect automatically} option is not selected, Ubuntu will detect the wireless network but will not attempt a connection until it is selected from the \application{NetworkManager} menu. Select or deselect this option as needed.
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\item On the \tab{Wireless} tab, you may need to edit the \textfield{\acronym{SSID}} field. A \acronym{SSID} is the wireless connection's network name. If this field isn't set correctly, Ubuntu will not be able to connect to the wireless network in question.
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\item Below the \acronym{SSID} is a \textfield{Mode} field. The ``Infrastructure'' mode means that you would be connecting to a wireless router or access point. The ``ad-hoc'' mode is for a computer-to-computer connection (where one computer shares another's connection) and is often only used in advanced cases.
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\item On the \tab{Wireless Security} tab, you can change the \textfield{Security} field. A selection of ``None'' means that you are using an open network that doesn't require a password. Other selection in this tab may required additional information:
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\item [\acronym{WEP} 40/128-bit Key] is an older security setting is still in use by some older wireless devices. If your network uses this method of security, you will need to enter a key in the \textfield{Key} field that will appear when this mode is selected.
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\item [\acronym{WEP} 128-bit Passphrase] is the same older security as above. However, instead of having a key, your network administrator should have provided you with a passphrase to connect to the network.
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\item [\acronym{WPA} \& \acronym{WPA2} Personal] is the most common security mode for wireless networking. Once you select this mode, you will need to enter a password in the \textfield{Password} field.
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\item If your network administrator requires \acronym{LEAP}, Dynamic \acronym{WEP} or \acronym{WPA} \& \acronym{WPA2} Enterprise then you will need to have the administrator help you with those modes.
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\item In the \tab{\acronym{IP}v4 Settings} tab, you can change the \textfield{Method} field from ``Automatic (\acronym{DHCP})'' to ``Manual'' or one of the other methods. For setting up manual settings (also known as a static address), please see the section above on manual setup for wired network connections.
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\item When you finish making changes to the connection, click \button{Apply} to save your changes and close the window. You can click \button{Cancel} at any time to close the window without saving any changes.
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\item Finally, click \button{Close} on the \window{Network Connections} window to return to the desktop.
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After clicking \button{Apply}, any changes made to the network connection will take effect immediately.
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\subsection{Other connection methods}
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There are other ways to get connected with Ubuntu.
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With \application{NetworkManager}, you can configure ``Mobile Broadband'' connections to connect to the Internet through your cellular data carrier.
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You can connect to \acronym{DSL} \emph{(Digital Subscriber Line)} networks, a method of connecting to the Internet through your phone line via a modem.
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It is also possible for \application{NetworkManager} to establish a \acronym{VPN} \emph{(Virtual Private Network)} connection. These are most commonly used to create a secure connection to a workplace network.
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The instructions for making connections using ``Mobile Broadband,'' \acronym{DSL}, or \acronym{VPN} are beyond the scope of this guide.
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\index{Internet!connecting|)}
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working-with-ubuntu/gettingonline.tex
