I made a brief foray into IceWM during which I used “tradition ifup” instead of KNetworkManager. I switched back to KDE and even though I have re-enabled “user controlled with network manager” KNetworkManager still doesn’t run at KDE login. The connection’s fine and I can start it up myself and it works.
What is the best way to set it back to run at login so I’m automatically connected to the network?
I am not sure I understand you, so take this for what it is worth.
When you use ‘tradition with ifup’, this means that the network is started on reaching runlevel 3 (or higher, including 5 what you are using normaly). This is as it was for more then 30 years in Unix and later Linux. This still is imho the best way to use for computer room systems and desktops (having allways the same cable or wireless connection).
But with the laptop came the fact that network connection is something that should be influenced by the end-user (not root). Thus the end-user can choose what connection he wants. For this Networkmanager was invented. There is a deamon that does the configuration (as root) ad there are clients run by the end-user (belonging to the Desktop Environment of choice) that tell the deamon what to do.
From the above it will be clear that when using Network manager the connection will be made only after a user loged in. The user has to decide what to do (including the use of the users defaults at login). Because the Network manager deamon can not guess which user is going to log in it can not decidede earlier.
Hope this clarifies a bit.
In KDE, go to System Settings/Configure Desktop -> Advanced (Tab) -> Autostart.
Make sure that knetworkmanager is enabled there.
I got intrigued now… how do I get wireless connection when I enter into runlevel 3? Network is controlled by KDE4’s network manager, which, of course, is not up.
I found that I can go to yast and change to ifup, but is this only solution?
Without extra software, yes.
What is the problemwith ifup? It is the normal way to start your network for about 20 years or more. I have desktops where I do this all the time, never used Networkmanager, no need for it.
I am assuming sp3wn has a laptop with (potentially) multiple wireless connections to manage.
I had a similar issue.
What I wanted was for KNetworkManager to start up and auto connect to any pre-set wireless connections I have saved; this would be at Level 5 - KDE login.
Two steps work for me:
When I am a new WiFi area, such as an airport, it is easy to then right click on the tray icon and set up a new temporary wireless connection.
One can probably do this with ifup as well, I did not try.
My solution to have the network up and running at start is. Change to ifup and install WICD. Go to YAST → System services (runlevel) -->Click on expert mode radio button–> Highlight WICD → Ensure that runlevels B(boot) 2,3 & 5 are highlighted.
If you are booting into a known network WICD will be connected as KDE starts.
@syampillai Thank you so much!!
That was exactly what I have been looking around for! 
Can’t get Networkmanager working in 11.3.
When I try to install WICD I get dependency warning " nothing proivides gksu…"
???
I also had this issue with knetworkmanager.
The autostart in KDE did not function as it was supposed to.
Here is how I fixed it:
start knetworkmanager manually.
click on applet > manage connections > Other > click the box that says “Show tray icon”
Now it starts automatically when I boot. Of course it is the last thing that comes up, causing all my network enabled plasmoids to complain they have no connection.
If you install WICD from here –> Index of /repositories/X11:/xfce:/nilda/openSUSE_11.3/i586 it will get libgksu2-0-2.012-6.5.i586.rpm from the same repo.