Managing wireless and wired network on a laptop has always been a hassle in both Linux and Windows. I have used many of the managers, but now I have my hassle-free network manager. Its name is Wicd.

Many of the wireless and wired managers will handle profiles for different networks but many leave networks without DHCP in the cold. With Wicd, all those features are included. It conquers all of the tasks the Gnome network manager in Ubuntu has attempted for many versions.

A handy panel icon is included that shows wireless connection strength and activity (indicated by blinking screens). By hovering over the panel icon, it will display the wireless network connected to, the signal strength, and the IP address utilized.

Wicd Panel Icon

The managers main window has a simple interface that is easy to use and understand. There are options to use global DNS addresses, choose your network devices, and option to always show the wired connection. Any wireless networks in your current area are shown and all are in a collapsed form. Advanced features can be accessed by clicking on the arrows to show more info. Static IP addresses and DNS addresses can be specified along with an option to auto-connect. Best of all, WEP, WPA, and WPA2 are all supported.

I have enjoyed having Wicd because I connect to one wireless network that doesn’t have DHCP and after I first set the options, I am able to automatically be on the network without any manual changes.

Wicd Window

Wicd has finally given me all of the features I want from a network manager without the crashing of Gnome network manager or the lack of wired support from the Intel manager. Instructions for installation in Ubuntu can be found on the Wicd download page. Wicd is a replacement for the Gnome network manager, so it will force an uninstall of gnome-network-manager during install.

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