How do I detect new wireless networks

I forgot to mention that on laptop 2 the network menu is under an icon showing one screen behind the other(network-icon)

Hi, I assume you have Intel Pro/Wireless 2200 WLAN (802.11b/g). Hardy now use iwl2200 driver so you can check whether the module is loaded or not by running the follow command in terminal:

lsmod | grep iwl

You should see iwl2200 in the standard output channel. If not you can try load these modules iwl2200, mac802211 and cfg80211. Example:

modprobe iwl2200

Then run

sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart

Then you can try the network-manager applet, else continue to run this in terminal:

sudo iwlist scan

Cheers,

That made get a list of available networks in network manager, but the other computer has an easier way to connect to new networks. So I really don't know if I can call it a problem still, but rather a matter convenience, since I move a lot around.

Erm, sorry Tor, I don't get you. Do you mean that you can't see the list of available network after every reboot?

If so, then add the fore mentioned modules into /etc/modules using your favourite editor of choice (don't delete any thing inside, only append the content)

sudo gedit /etc/modules

Then add in the modules, each line 1 module so it will look like this
iwl2200
mac802211
cfg80211

Cheer

I am sorry too, it is hard to explain. I have done what you suggested.
What I miss on my laptop 2 that I have got on laptop 1, is the icon in the upper right part of the screen, with a list of available wireless networks under. As it is now, I have to open network manger, unlock it, find the wireless network, and if I plan to return to this network create a location. If I create a new location, it will be a little bit easier, but still quite complicated operation to connect to a new wireless network.

Is that more understandable?

Please be patient wiht me.

Tor, just go "Manual Connection" again. Unlock it, choose "Wireless Connection" then "Properties". Tick "Enable Roaming".

Done! Hope it helps.

Hi again, and I really appreciate your eager to help. I have thougt of what you suggest, and the strange thing is that my intenet connection disappears when I enable roaming. I have to go back to my old configuration to get the connection again.
Tor

Hmph, may I suggest you purge the old network-manager then reinstall it?

You also can try reinstall your wireless driver (just an extra, cos I think the problem lies with your network-manager, though it doesn't hurt to test whether the problem is in the driver or not). Get the latest driver here http://linuxwireless.org/ just follow the website instruction, quite easy to follow.

Alternatively, you can use Wicd (http://wicd.net/) which I am pretty sure it will work well (as in detect and refresh network list).

All else failed, ask in the forum or wait for other to help you here in this matter.

By getting on the track with the help from Idyllic, I found an answer to my problem here: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/network-manager/+bug/141106
The helping message says:
 Matt Wilkie wrote on 2008-02-01: (permalink)

ok, I have automatic wireless back. Following a comment on Linux.com[1], I changed both the wired and wireless networks to roaming mode and then rebooted. Voila! I can now see all the wireless networks in my vicinity. Before rebooting I tried simply logging off and back on again but that didn't change anything. I suspect that rebooting was the key, that I didn't need to change the wired network to roaming also, but I'm not about to test it now as I don't want to break it again.

[1] "The missing step" by Anonymous
http://www.linux.com/?module=comments&func=display&cid=1163952

Thanks for help