Why do I have to enter a password when NetworkManager connects to a WEP or WPA network?
To securely store your WEP/WPA keys and EAP information NetworkManager utilizes the Gnome Keyring when using GNOME, and with KDE in the Wallet. Many wireless settings are per-user settings, like WPA and 802.1x certificates and smartcards, and not necessarily system-wide settings for all users of the computer. However, NetworkManager 0.7 will allow users to “publish” settings and make them available for all users. From Gnome 2.20 onward Gnome will automatically unlock the keyring on login if your Keyring password matches your login password. You can use Seahorse to change your password if it does not match.