Seeking Hidden ESSID Advice

[chiefengineer]

I know the name and password of the network, and WPA_GUI does it in a snap due to the checkbox "hidden".
I can't do it in Network Tool (Control Panel). Problem: I cannot get WPA_GUI to manage my second, powerful USB card because
I have to use USB_Modeswitch running at boot for it to get recognized as not a CD drive and then load the driver...

Maybe I am missing something because leaving it blank OR filling in the name fails. Anything obvious there? It
works like a charm with the same ESSID but not hidden?

[fatdoguser]

Hi @chiefengineer

Fatdog help ... and search for bbhook=path/to/file boot switch

The bbshell switch is similar, but interactive, drops to a shell just before the fd64.sfs layering. Resumes normal boot when you exit that shell

You can net connect also via the 'net' boot switch
net=wpa2:ssid:password:wlan0
syntax

Perhaps you can create a script that you bbhook= .... to as a boot switch and include a 'exit' at the end of that to automate the setup/configuration you desire?

Including the 'net' switch implies the coldplug switch ... early loading of modules/firmware. Combined net and bbshell can be handy for if you have multiple pre-built/configured fd64.sfs's, in the shell either ssh/scp a remote copy of fd64.sfs into a local / folder, or create a symbolic link in a / folder to whichever fd64.sfs stored in a sub folder, as in the absence of a basesfs= boot switch fatdog (bulldog) searches for any fd64.sfs in a / folder and uses that (and works even if that is a symbolic linked fd64.sfs).