WICD - uma alternativa ao Network Manager
Para quem usa apenas conexão cabeada, o Network Manager funciona bem, mas para quem quer usar wireless, o Network Manager é um terror. O wicd resolve todos os problemas da porcaria bugada do network-manager. Dá só uma olhada nos recursos:
# Compatible with standard *nix networking commands (iwconfig, ifconfig, etc)
# Once configured, will connect even if the X display does not start
# Can be configured via the command line using wicd-curses
# Support for wired networks, as well as named profiles to save multiple wired configurations.
# Supports configuring static IP addresses and DHCP on a per network basis
# Store different static IPs, gateways, subnet masks, DNS server addresses per network
# Automatically connect at boot - no user intervention required, even for encrypted networks
# Keeps network keys in root accesible only (600) files (unencrypted, however)
# Encryption (template based)
1. WPA 1/2
2. WEP
3. LEAP
4. TTLS
5. EAP
6. PEAP
# Automatically connects at resume from suspend
# Displays information about the network
# Ability to run scripts before/after connecting/disconnecting
# A console interface (wicd-curses)
Dá de 10 no outro... do jaunty em diante, ele já está nos repositórios.
http://wicd.sourceforge.net