Can't get wireless support on my Toshiba L305-S5933

[boothruwindow]

Hello, all! I've been here for a little while, but I'm still too much a newbie. I haven't been able to learn as much of the Linux syntax as I thought I would by now, for getting sidetracked with trying to get my computers (particularly my laptop) working with a functional, wireless-friendly distro. My username, by the way, takes after something which a cartoon eagle did to his computer (from his tree branch, furnished with a rolltop desk) in the comic strip "Shoe", which I read as a kid - I need help again - I am trying to avoid doing something similar!

I am having problems connecting to my wireless router through my laptop in all flavors of Ubuntu. I'm a linux newbie who has downloaded about a dozen or so distros, in search of one which works well on my brand-new laptop (Toshiba L305-S5933). I'm getting problems from all of them which I didn't have under Windows on that machine (comparable resource wastefulness not among them), but there were a few which didn't fail to immediately detect my wireless connection. which is critical for my laptop. Again, I'm a newbie, so I don't mean to be haughty about this, but DreamLinux (which can't accept my phone card when it's plugged in) does immediately detect my network named "linksys", plus the neighbor's networks, too. My laptop has a wireless switch, which I made sure was on. Furthermore, Ubuntu is stepping on my attempts to manually add that network, which it failed to recognize from the start. Here is what happened with the Ubuntu 8.1 (GNOME) cd:

1. There is a nasty red triangle on my network icon on the top GNOME bar.

2. A right click of the this icon reveals that "Enable Networking" is checked, good.

3. A right click on the same icon shows that the "Wired Network" is greyed out, dead. Ok, just now I realized that was not "Wireless Network", which appears in a similar menu of at least one distro I've tested. So it doesn't look like I have any wireless control at this level.

4. On this particular boot from the cd, "Auto echo" is greyed out, too.

5. The other two options between right-click and left-click lead to the same window, where I go to the "Wireless" tab of "Network Connections and attempt to add "linsys", just as it had appeared when Vista and a few Linux distros were able to detect it.

6. I type this into the Connection Name box, but the "OK" button remains disabled.

7. The "SSID" box, which I wouldn't know anyway, remains blank.

8. The "Mode" box defaults to "infrastructure", and I leave it at that.

9. Another box which I know nothing about, "BSSID", is left blank.

10. Ditto with "MAC address".

11. The box for "MTU" defaults to "automatic".

12. The "OK" button remains disabled.

13. I push the "Cancel" button and notice that under the default tab "Wired", is this line "Auto eth0" is set to "never", and although I push the "Edit" button, I see no obvious way of changing this condition through the "Editing..." screen.

Any idea what the cause of this is, if it isn't my hardware? I would be most grateful to anyone who can help.

Thanks.

Oh, one more thing - under the "Editing Auto etho" window, the "Connect automatically" option was checked, therefore I don't see why I'm having this problem. I did this without the cable plugged in, because I never planned to use one on my laptop - it's wireless enabled, and activated for that. I tried it just now with the cable plugged in, but I still couldn't get wireless detection. Well, I am a newbie, and used to seeing wireless, once enabled, showing detection of all detectable networks. Is Ubuntu supposed to be different in that way, or is it really a Toshiba hardware issue (there were some distros which would not load at all on this machine, and Puppy Linux couldn't handle my display screen). Why isn't Ubuntu detecting my linksys network?

[reed9]

Hello and welcome. The good news is that your wireless can definitely work under linux if some distros detect it. It should be a fairly simple matter to fix in any distro. The basic issue is generally that some needed driver or firmware is not free software, and therefore many distros do not include it by default. We need to know the chipset of the wireless card to troubleshoot. Please read this http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/wir...tart-here.html and post the requested information.

[D-cat]

As reed was saying, it's not specificly an Ubuntu thing, many Linux distributions do not include closed source drivers for legal reasons. Ubuntu also doesn't include experimental drivers (which may be your case, we don't know yet). In any case, you will need to download and install the necessary driver first; in most cases, this is not difficult, but it does mean being tethered to your router with an ethernet cable for the moment.

The most important piece of information we need from you is the output of the command (type in a terminal window)

lspci | grep -i net

which will tell us exactly what network cards are installed on your laptop. From there, we can point you in the right direction.

[boothruwindow]

Sorry it took so long for me to get it together.

The most important piece of information we need from you is the output of the command (type in a terminal window)

lspci | grep -i net

Here's the output for that:

02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8101E/RTL8102E 
PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller (rev 02) 
03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR242x 802.11abg 
Wireless PCI Express Adapter (rev 01)

Hello and welcome. The good news is that your wireless can definitely work under linux if some distros detect it. It should be a fairly simple matter to fix in any distro. The basic issue is generally that some needed driver or firmware is not free software, and therefore many distros do not include it by default. We need to know the chipset of the wireless card to troubleshoot. Please read this http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/wir...tart-here.html and post the requested information.

Well, once I got all the specified files which weren't of zero output on my hard disk, and tried to attach them to this message, I don't know if any of it's going through at all, so I'll have to cut n' paste instead:

lspci.txt:

00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Memory Controller Hub [8086:2a40] (rev 07)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:2a42] (rev 07)
00:02.1 Display controller [0380]: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:2a43] (rev 07)
00:1a.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 [8086:2937] (rev 03)
00:1a.1 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 [8086:2938] (rev 03)
00:1a.7 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 [8086:293c] (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller [8086:293e] (rev 03)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 1 [8086:2940] (rev 03)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 2 [8086:2942] (rev 03)
00:1c.4 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 5 [8086:2948] (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 [8086:2934] (rev 03)
00:1d.1 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 [8086:2935] (rev 03)
00:1d.2 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 [8086:2936] (rev 03)
00:1d.3 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #6 [8086:2939] (rev 03)
00:1d.7 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 [8086:293a] (rev 03)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge [8086:2448] (rev 93)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation ICH9M LPC Interface Controller [8086:2919] (rev 03)
00:1f.2 SATA controller [0106]: Intel Corporation ICH9M/M-E SATA AHCI Controller [8086:2929] (rev 03)
00:1f.3 SMBus [0c05]: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) SMBus Controller [8086:2930] (rev 03)
02:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8101E/RTL8102E PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller [10ec:8136] (rev 02)
03:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Atheros Communications Inc. AR242x 802.11abg Wireless PCI Express Adapter [168c:001c] (rev 01)

lsmod:

Module                  Size  Used by
ipv6                  263972  14 
i915                   38144  2 
drm                    86056  3 i915
binfmt_misc            16904  1 
af_packet              25728  2 
bridge                 56980  0 
stp                    10628  1 bridge
bnep                   20480  2 
rfcomm                 44432  0 
sco                    18308  2 
l2cap                  30464  6 bnep,rfcomm
bluetooth              61924  6 bnep,rfcomm,sco,l2cap
ppdev                  15620  0 
parport_pc             39204  0 
lp                     17156  0 
parport                42604  3 ppdev,parport_pc,lp
acpi_cpufreq           15500  1 
cpufreq_userspace      11396  0 
cpufreq_stats          13188  0 
cpufreq_powersave       9856  0 
cpufreq_ondemand       14988  1 
freq_table             12672  3 acpi_cpufreq,cpufreq_stats,cpufreq_ondemand
cpufreq_conservative    14600  0 
wmi                    14504  0 
sbs                    19464  0 
sbshc                  13440  1 sbs
pci_slot               12552  0 
container              11520  0 
iptable_filter         10752  0 
ip_tables              19600  1 iptable_filter
x_tables               22916  1 ip_tables
uvcvideo               62728  0 
compat_ioctl32          9344  1 uvcvideo
videodev               41344  1 uvcvideo
joydev                 18368  0 
v4l1_compat            22404  2 uvcvideo,videodev
video                  25104  0 
output                 11008  1 video
ath_pci                99096  0 
wlan                  211952  1 ath_pci
ath_hal               198864  1 ath_pci
snd_hda_intel         381488  3 
snd_pcm_oss            46848  0 
snd_mixer_oss          22784  1 snd_pcm_oss
psmouse                45200  0 
snd_pcm                83204  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss
battery                18436  0 
serio_raw              13444  0 
snd_seq_dummy          10884  0 
ac                     12292  0 
intel_agp              33724  1 
button                 14224  0 
snd_seq_oss            38528  0 
snd_seq_midi           14336  0 
snd_rawmidi            29824  1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event     15232  2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq                57776  6 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_timer              29960  2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device         15116  5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
snd                    63268  15 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_seq_oss,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
agpgart                42184  3 drm,intel_agp
evdev                  17696  11 
pcspkr                 10624  0 
shpchp                 37908  0 
pci_hotplug            35236  1 shpchp
soundcore              15328  1 snd
snd_page_alloc         16136  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
squashfs               46600  1 
loop                   23180  2 
aufs                  169892  1 
exportfs               12544  1 aufs
isofs                  40100  1 
ext3                  133256  0 
jbd                    55444  1 ext3
mbcache                16004  1 ext3
nls_iso8859_1          12032  0 
nls_cp437              13696  1 
vfat                   18816  0 
fat                    57376  1 vfat
sr_mod                 22212  1 
sd_mod                 42264  2 
cdrom                  43168  1 sr_mod
crc_t10dif              9984  1 sd_mod
usbhid                 35840  0 
hid                    50560  1 usbhid
sg                     39732  0 
usb_storage            81728  0 
libusual               27156  1 usb_storage
ahci                   37132  2 
libata                177312  1 ahci
scsi_mod              155212  5 sr_mod,sd_mod,sg,usb_storage,libata
dock                   16656  1 libata
r8169                  35972  0 
ehci_hcd               43276  0 
uhci_hcd               30736  0 
usbcore               148848  7 uvcvideo,usbhid,usb_storage,libusual,ehci_hcd,uhci_hcd
thermal                23708  0 
processor              42156  4 acpi_cpufreq,thermal
fan                    12548  0 
fbcon                  47648  0 
tileblit               10880  1 fbcon
font                   16512  1 fbcon
bitblit                13824  1 fbcon
softcursor              9984  1 bitblit
fuse                   60828  3

I have the dmsg file too, but it's so long that it may exceed my posting limits. Please let me know if there's anything I need to look for there.

Thanks.

[D-cat]

You're wireless card is Atheros. This is a well know issue. Here's the instructions. Note: you need to be connected to the Internet.

Step one, make sure your backports are enabled:
Press [Alt + F2], in the box, type gksu gedit /etc/apt/sources.list In the next box type your password.

In gedit, look about half way down for the backports section. If there is a comment (#) in front of the two lines directly below beginning with deb, remove them. It should read something like

deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ intrepid-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ intrepid-backports main restricted universe multiverse

If you removed the comments, save the file. Exit.

Step 2: Install the ath5k backport
Open a terminal window. Type the following:

sudo apt-get update
Password: (your password (if it asks), doesn't echo)

sudo apt-get install linux-backports-modules-intrepid

Step 3: Blacklist the non-functioning MadWiFi drivers

gksu gedit /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist

When gEdit come up, add the following lines to the end of the file:

blacklist ath_hal
blacklist ath_pci

Check to see if there is an entery for ath5k. If there is, comment it out (add a "#" in front of it, so it reads
# blacklist ath5k); if not, don't add anything else.

Save and exit.

Step 4: Restart the system.

When your computer comes back up, you should have full wireless support.

[boothruwindow]

gedit, look about half way down for the backports section. If there is a comment (#) in front of the two lines directly below beginning with deb, remove them. It should read something like

deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ intrepid-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ intrepid-backports main restricted universe multiverse

I have a one-screen list in front of me, with similar code, but nothing containing the word "backport". I'm testing the CD, should I expect the installed sources.list file to be different?

[reed9]

You can safely add those lines if they're not there.

Here's how to do it the graphical way, if that's easier:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories/Ubuntu

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Wi...Driver/Atheros

[boothruwindow]

You guys did it again - it works! Thanks!http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/ima...on_biggrin.gif