I use Gentoo. Previously I have used knetworkmanager to manage my wireless networks. Should I still be using it? I had thought by now that Solid would provide an interface to manage networks which was exposed to the user via a plasmoid? However, after some very frustrating hours Googling, I can't seem to find a plasmoid. So, what's the current state of network management in KDE?

Note: I've asked in several other places and got conflicting answers. Ranging from "the plasmoid should already be installed with plasma-desktop" to "the plasmoid's included with knetworkmanager". However, the most common answer seems to be "just use nm-applet", which surely isn't needed over 3 years after KDE4 was first released?!?!??

Due to the complexity in managing networks, only a basic abstraction (sufficient to indicate whether the system is online/offline, etc) is available through Solid.

Seperate applications should then exist for interfacing with the various management schemes you wish to use. In this case, usage of Network Management (Plasma applet version of KNetworkManager) is recommended.

Previously there was a system tray icon. Now it is a widget whose operation is not as self-evident as the old system tray icon but essentially, if you install the widget, right click on it and select Network Management Options, select the Wireless tab and then Add, a registration form will pop up. Select scan and then click on the icon of the wireless network to which you want to connect. It will detect the encryption and ask for the password. Check Connect automatically and thereafter, whenever you are in range, it will connect automatically - requesting the password either directly or through KWallet.