Wireless enabled, but no light?

[Avalith]

I've been using Debian for about a month now and recently decided to tackle the issue I've had with not having my wireless card working. I've managed to get it to work on Ubuntu in the past on a friend's laptop with the same wireless card as mine with the light on the card actually coming on. However, the same method didn't work in Debian, so I looked around for tutorials and came across this article on the Debian Administration site. I tried it and it went off without a hitch, so I now have the option of enabling or disabling my wireless connection, but yet my wireless light will not come on and Wifi-radar can't pick up any of the available wireless networks in my area on this machine. Is there something wrong with the linked article or is there something more I have to do in order to get my wireless card working properly?

For reference, here's a copy of my terminal session where I installed the ndiswrapper driver.

avalith@debian:~/Desktop$ sudo ndiswrapper -i bcmwl5.inf
installing bcmwl5 ...
avalith@debian:~/Desktop$ sudo ndiswrapper -l
installed drivers:
bcmwl5          driver installed, hardware (14E4:4328) present
avalith@debian:~/Desktop$ sudo depmod -a
avalith@debian:~/Desktop$ sudo modprobe ndiswrapper
avalith@debian:~/Desktop$ sudo ifconfig wlan0 up

Side note: I have already blacklisted the native bcm43xx driver if that makes any difference.

Avalith Edit: Here's a copy of lspci -v if it helps any.

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS/940GML and 945GT Express M emory Controller Hub (rev 03)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 30a5
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
        Capabilities: [e0] Vendor Specific Information

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/940GML ExpressIntegrated Graphics Controller (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [VGA])
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 30a5
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 233
        Memory at d0200000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512K]
        I/O ports at 1800 [size=8]
        Memory at c0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
        Memory at d0300000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256K]
        Capabilities: [90] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit- Queue=0/0 Enable-
        Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 2

00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 30a5
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
        Memory at d0280000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512K]
        Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 2

00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 01)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 30a5
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 50
        Memory at d0340000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
        Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
        Capabilities: [60] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit+ Queue=0/0 Enable-
        Capabilities: [70] Express Unknown type IRQ 0
        Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel
        Capabilities: [130] Unknown (5)

00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 01) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
        Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=0
        Capabilities: [40] Express Root Port (Slot+) IRQ 0
        Capabilities: [80] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit- Queue=0/0 Enable+
        Capabilities: [90] Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 30a5
        Capabilities: [a0] Power Management version 2
        Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel
        Capabilities: [180] Unknown (5)

00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 3 (rev 01) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
        Bus: primary=00, secondary=06, subordinate=06, sec-latency=0
        Memory behind bridge: 30000000-300fffff
        Capabilities: [40] Express Root Port (Slot+) IRQ 0
        Capabilities: [80] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit- Queue=0/0 Enable+
        Capabilities: [90] Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 30a5
        Capabilities: [a0] Power Management version 2
        Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel
        Capabilities: [180] Unknown (5)

00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI #1 (rev 01) ( prog-if 00 [UHCI])
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 30a5
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 209
        I/O ports at 1820 [size=32]

00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI #2 (rev 01) ( prog-if 00 [UHCI])
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 30a5
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 217
        I/O ports at 1840 [size=32]

00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI #3 (rev 01) ( prog-if 00 [UHCI])
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 30a5
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 177
        I/O ports at 1860 [size=32]

00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller ( rev 01) (prog-if 20 [EHCI])
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 30a5
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 209
        Memory at d0544000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1K]
        Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
        Capabilities: [58] Debug port

00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e1) (prog-if 01 [Subtractive decode])
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
        Bus: primary=00, secondary=08, subordinate=08, sec-latency=32
        I/O behind bridge: 00002000-00002fff
        Memory behind bridge: d0100000-d01fffff
        Capabilities: [50] Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 30a5

00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 01)        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 30a5
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0
        Capabilities: [e0] Vendor Specific Information

00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) IDE Controller (rev 01) (prog-if 8a [Master SecP PriP])
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 30a5
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 217
        I/O ports at <unassigned>
        I/O ports at <unassigned>
        I/O ports at <unassigned>
        I/O ports at <unassigned>
        I/O ports at 1810 [size=16]

00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7 Family) Serial ATA Storage Controller AHCI (rev 01) (prog-if 01 [AHCI 1.0])
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 30a5
        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 225
        I/O ports at 18b0 [size=8]
        I/O ports at 18a4 [size=4]
        I/O ports at 18a8 [size=8]
        I/O ports at 18a0 [size=4]
        I/O ports at 1890 [size=16]
        Memory at d0544400 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1K]
        Capabilities: [80] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit- Queue=0/0 Enable+
        Capabilities: [70] Power Management version 2

00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 01)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 30a5
        Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 217
        I/O ports at 18c0 [size=32]

06:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation Dell Wireless 1390 WLAN Mini-PCI Card (rev 01)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 1363
        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 177
        Memory at 30000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
        Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 2
        Capabilities: [58] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit- Queue=0/0 Enable-
        Capabilities: [d0] Express Legacy Endpoint IRQ 0
        Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting
        Capabilities: [13c] Virtual Channel

08:08.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)
        Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 30a5
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 233
        I/O ports at 2000 [size=256]
        Memory at d0100000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
        Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2

[valemon]

Which is the output of the "sudo iwconfig" command? When using

sudo ifconfig wlan0 up

are you sure wlan0 is the interface you are using?

[Avalith]

avalith@debian:~$ sudo iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11g  ESSID:off/any
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.462 GHz  Access Point: Not-Associated
          Bit Rate:54 Mb/s   Tx-Power:32 dBm
          RTS thr:2347 B   Fragment thr:2346 B
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality:0  Signal level:0  Noise level:0
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

sit0      no wireless extensions.

And yes, I'm positive that wlan0 is my wireless interface. I'm not sure what the deal with sit0 is, but I know for a fact that eth0 is my wired Ethernet interface.

Update: I've done some more messing around and now wlan0 is showing in my Network Manager as active, but the light still isn't coming on.

Avalith Edit: I've installed Wifi-radar to help scan for available networks, but I get this message every time I run it inside the terminal.

avalith@debian:~$ sudo wifi-radar
eth2      Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth2: error fetching interface information: Device not found
eth2      No such device

Is there a way to configure Wifi-radar to use wlan0 instead of eth2 while we're on the subject of wireless?

[Dapper Dan]

What is the name of your wireless access point? Whatever it is, input that into iwconfig...

/sbin/iwconfig wlan0 essid name_of_wireless_access_point

Might work...

[Avalith]

What is the name of your wireless access point? Whatever it is, input that into iwconfig...

/sbin/iwconfig wlan0 essid name_of_wireless_access_point

Might work...

I tried that and nothing's changed. However, now it appears that I don't even have the option to enable my wireless connection from the Network Manager icon near my clock in the panel anymore when I had it available last night. =/

[Dapper Dan]

Do you get anything at all by doing:

/sbin/iwlist wlan0 scanning

?

[Avalith]

avalith@debian:~$ sudo /sbin/iwlist wlan0 scanning
wlan0     No scan results

That's all I get.

[Dapper Dan]

This is too weird. Everything you've done seems to be right on the mark... the card is present and configured, yet it won't work... It's almost as if there are no access points around for you to connect to. Grasping at straw now... Let's see:

/sbin/iwconfig

Also:

/sbin/lsmod

[Avalith]

This is too weird. Everything you've done seems to be right on the mark... the card is present and configured, yet it won't work... It's almost as if there are no access points around for you to connect to.

I know there are access points around from my friend across next door using Ubuntu because his WiFi Radar is picking up about 10 different networks without any encryption at all, although the signals are weak, so I doubt that's the problem.

As for the terminal commands:

avalith@debian:~$ sudo /sbin/lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
usblp                  12768  0
rfcomm                 34584  0
l2cap                  21760  5 rfcomm
bluetooth              46020  4 rfcomm,l2cap
i915                   17728  2
drm                    61332  3 i915
ppdev                   8676  0
parport_pc             32132  0
lp                     11012  0
parport                33256  3 ppdev,parport_pc,lp
button                  6672  0
ac                      5188  0
battery                 9636  0
ipv6                  226272  12
dm_snapshot            15552  0
dm_mirror              19152  0
dm_mod                 50232  2 dm_snapshot,dm_mirror
ndiswrapper           157652  0
loop                   15048  0
joydev                  9088  0
tsdev                   7520  0
snd_hda_intel          17332  1
snd_hda_codec         137856  1 snd_hda_intel
snd_pcm_oss            38368  0
snd_mixer_oss          15200  1 snd_pcm_oss
rtc                    12372  0
i2c_i801                7468  0
snd_pcm                68676  3 snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_timer              20996  1 snd_pcm
pcspkr                  3072  0
psmouse                35016  0
serio_raw               6660  0
i2c_core               19680  1 i2c_i801
snd                    47012  8 snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer
soundcore               9248  1 snd
snd_page_alloc          9640  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
intel_agp              22140  1
agpgart                29896  3 drm,intel_agp
evdev                   9088  2
ext3                  119240  1
jbd                    52456  1 ext3
mbcache                 8356  1 ext3
ide_cd                 36064  0
cdrom                  32544  1 ide_cd
8139too                25120  0
sd_mod                 19040  3
piix                    9444  0 [permanent]
8139cp                 21920  0
mii                     5344  2 8139too,8139cp
ehci_hcd               28136  0
ahci                   17636  2
libata                 89396  1 ahci
scsi_mod              124168  3 sd_mod,ahci,libata
generic                 4868  0 [permanent]
ide_core              110504  3 ide_cd,piix,generic
uhci_hcd               21164  0
usbcore               112644  5 usblp,ndiswrapper,ehci_hcd,uhci_hcd
thermal                13608  0
processor              28840  1 thermal
fan                     4804  0

avalith@debian:~$ sudo /sbin/iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11g  ESSID:off/any
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.462 GHz  Access Point: Not-Associated
          Bit Rate:54 Mb/s   Tx-Power:32 dBm
          RTS thr:2347 B   Fragment thr:2346 B
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality:0  Signal level:0  Noise level:0
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

sit0      no wireless extensions.

[Dapper Dan]

Ndiswrapper is definitely present and there are no conflicting drivers... I'm at a loss. My next thought would be that maybe the card itself is working but the antenna part within the card is faulty and not picking up any wireless access points... That's prettty lame maybe, but all I can think of.

I have the same chipset in a PCMCIA device in a laptop. When I'm on the road and need to use another access point, I use iwlist to find the exact essid, then change my configuration to it, and it all works. Before I do this, everything appears to work just like yours does with the light blinking slowly. When I change it to the essid, the light comes on steady and I'm connected.

Sorry I couldn't help you.