Wicd is an open source wired and wireless network manager for Linux which aims to provide a simple interface to connect to networks with a wide variety of settings.
Some of Wicd’s features include:
1. No Gnome dependencies (although it does require GTK), so it is easy to use in XFCE, Fluxbox, Openbox, Enlightenment, etc.
2. Ability to connect to wired and wireless networks
3. Profiles for each wireless network and wired network
4. Many encryption schemes, some of which include WEP/WPA/WPA2 (and you can add your own)
5. Remains compatible with wireless-tools
6. Tray icon showing network activity and signal strength
There are instructions for installing Wicd on Ubuntu, Debian, Arch, Fedora, Slackware, and Gentoo on the downloads page, although it should work on any Linux distro.
Note: This application works perfectly fine on macbook.
How to install
Add the Wicd repository to the Ubuntu package manager. To open the package manager in Gnome, go to Administration > Synaptic Package Manager. When it appears, go to Settings > Repositories > Third Party Software > Add…, and enter the following line:
deb http://apt.wicd.net gutsy extras
Now change gusty to (dapper, edgy, feisty, gutsy, hardy) accordingly to the version of ubuntu that you are using. Now go to the terminal
sudo apt-get install wicd
Now go to applications > internet > wicd and configure your wireless settings.
Wicd
A.Y. Siu said
I use WICD since it remembers my wireless passwords without constantly prompting me for my gnome-keyring (I have a netbook, so I prefer to have an autologin, and Ubuntu doesn’t play nice with Network-Manager, libpam-keyring, and autologins).