[Solved] Adding a wifi icon to the panel

mcduling · 2012-11-21 06:11:39

Hi, I am running Arch with Xcfe4 on my laptop, with wireless connectivity. All works as it should. However, I would like to add a wifi icon to the panel so I know it's connected (and also to see what other wifi networks are around. Any ideas how I can achieve this?

YJLee · 2012-11-21 07:29:54

Hi! Same setup here: Arch + Xfce4! I think you need to first install some sort of network manager with GUI (I'm using wicd, I think Network Manager Applet from GNOME works well too). Then get the xfce4 notification daemon installed. Then, add the "Notification Area" item to your panel. Should be working.

mcduling · 2012-11-21 08:19:35

Thanks YJLee. I am also using wick and I have the xfce notification app installed and working well. (it pops up to tell me, for instance, that my dropbox has just been updated). I have gone into Applications > Settings > Panel > Items > but don't see anything there that I can add to show wifi connections.

YJLee · 2012-11-21 15:18:05

Have you already added 'Notification Area' to your panel? Something like this: http://docs.xfce.org/xfce/xfce4-panel/systray

mcduling · 2012-11-21 23:28:18

Yes, it is up in the right hand corner. I think the icon I need displayed is wicd. But it isn't an option in the menu.

YJLee · 2012-11-22 03:09:20

Hm, that's strange. Seems like you have pretty much the same setup as I do but somehow you can't get it to show wicd? You have wicd-gtk package installed right?

mcduling · 2012-11-22 06:47:31

Thanks YJLee. I now have the wicd icon running in my panel but when I click on it it says no wireless networks are found. I am on the internet and that is running fine. So here's what I think: I am running a different network manager not wicd. When I do wicd-curses in my terminal it also shows no wireless network found. When I originally set up my wifi connectivity I ran wifi-menu wlan0 in the terminal and it found a few networks, including mine, which I entered the security code, hit enter and was up and running. No idea what manager my system is using, but it doesn't appear to be wicd. It would be nice to access the networks from the panel, but I guess it's not the end of the world if I can't. I also did install networkmanager but that made no difference so I have uninstalled it. Any ideas?

YJLee · 2012-11-22 08:08:31

I'm not entirely sure, but I think it's connecting using the 'wifi-menu' application, and maybe wicd daemon is not running.

If you want to star wicd during boot, you should execute:

sudo systemctl enable wicd

This should tell your system to start the wicd daemon from startup. Assuming that your Arch installation is up-to-date and running systemd, of course.

You may be able to get more help at the Arch Linux forum if this doesn't work out smile

Last edited by YJLee (2012-11-22 08:09:13)

mcduling · 2012-11-22 09:23:53

Thanks for your efforts, YJLee. Much appreciated. I have now uninstalled wicd and don't have network manager installed either and my network still works but without a wifi icon in the panel. I think I'll let sleeping dogs lie because I don't want to break something.

YJLee · 2012-11-23 01:41:52

As long as it works smile I approach Arch tweakings very cautiously too...

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#1 2012-11-21 06:11:39

[Solved] Adding a wifi icon to the panel

#2 2012-11-21 07:29:54

Re: [Solved] Adding a wifi icon to the panel

#3 2012-11-21 08:19:35

Re: [Solved] Adding a wifi icon to the panel

#4 2012-11-21 15:18:05

Re: [Solved] Adding a wifi icon to the panel

#5 2012-11-21 23:28:18

Re: [Solved] Adding a wifi icon to the panel

#6 2012-11-22 03:09:20

Re: [Solved] Adding a wifi icon to the panel

#7 2012-11-22 06:47:31

Re: [Solved] Adding a wifi icon to the panel

#8 2012-11-22 08:08:31

Re: [Solved] Adding a wifi icon to the panel

#9 2012-11-22 09:23:53

Re: [Solved] Adding a wifi icon to the panel

#10 2012-11-23 01:41:52

Re: [Solved] Adding a wifi icon to the panel

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