RPi Ralink WLAN devices
How configure RALink based devices on Official Distro (Raspbian) for a WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK secured network
Source: mikma.eu
1) sudo apt-get install wpasupplicant
2) sudo apt-get install firmware-ralink
3) sudo wpa_passphrase NetworkEssid password
4) sudo joe /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf - paste text from step 3, remove the passkey line
network={ ssid="NetworkEssid" psk=945609a382413e64d57daef00eb5fab3ae228716e1e440981c004bc61dccc98c }
5) sudo wpa_supplicant -Dwext -iwlan0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf - ctrl+c to stop
6) sudo joe /etc/network/interfaces - add:
auto wlan0 iface wlan0 inet dhcp wpa-driver wext wpa-conf /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
7) sudo ifup wlan0
Alternative method of configuring a ralink network interface card for a WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK secured network (Somewhat simpler)
Install the wpasupplicant and the ralink firmware:
1) sudo apt-get install wpasupplicant
2) sudo apt-get install firmware-ralink
Restrict access to /etc/interfaces so only root can read it (in this method, this file will contain your network password):
3) sudo chmod 0600 /etc/network/interfaces
Edit you /etc/network/interfaces:
4) sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces
5) The file already contains the configuration for eth0 (your Ethernet port) and looks something like this:
auto eth0 iface eth0 inet dhcp
add the following lines below, enter you network name (ssid) and password:
iface wlan0 inet dhcp wpa-ssid <your network ssid here> wpa-psk <your network password>
6) save the file.
The network interface will connect every time the RPi boots up. To connect it now manually, run:
7) sudo ifup wlan0
Configuring a ralink network interface card for a WEP-PSK secured network
If at all possible, stop using WEP, and change your access point settings to use WPA/WPA-2 instead. From a security standpoint, WEP is completely broken, meaning that any 12 year old can crack your network password with easily available tools.
If you still want to connect to a WEP secured network (read: unsecured network):
edit /etc/network/interfaces:
1) sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces
2) add the following below the configuration for eth0:
iface wlan0 inet dhcp wireless-essid <your network ssid here> wireless-mode managed wireless-key s:<your network's "secret" password, known to the whole neighborhood>
3) save the file.
The network interface will connect every time the RPi boots up. To connect it now manually, run:
4) sudo ifup wlan0