Activate wireless card

[Crav3r]

Hello!

I have searched around for a long time to find a solution to this but without luck.

Ok. I have a laptop with ubuntu installed. But i cant get the wlan to work. when i had vista on it i had to use a combination on the keyboard to "activate" the wlan. ( FN - F1 )

But on ubuntu this wont work. Ubuntu dont recognise this function because it was made espesially for my computer.

In the trobleshooting guide of wlan point 5.2.1 it says that i have to activate the card from windows. But i dont have windows on the computer anymore, even if i had it would just disconnect when booting to linux.

How can i activate my wlan card without windows, or the Function keys?
(ubuntu have the driver) it only says that its "DISABLED"

Please help me! I have been working on this for a long time.
Im not very skilled at Linux yet.

[bigtomrodney]

What laptop are you using? Can you post the make/model please.

Have you checked the BIOS to see if it can be enabled there?

[Crav3r]

I have a AMILO Notebook Pa 3553.
Model: MS2242

Im not sure how to make/model.

Checking the BIOS now.

Edit:

BIOS says that the Wireless is Enabled.

[waterhead]

Hello.

More info would help us in fixing your problem. Read through the thread linked to below, and provide us with the information that it shows how to find.

Wireless Setup - Start Here

You can try something. When in windows, activate the card. Then disable anything that would turn it off, such as power saving settings. You want it to remain on when you shut down windows.

In Linux, unfortunately those shortcut keys don't work too good. They are good to disable it, but not too good at enabling it. It is best to leave it enabled all of the time.

[Crav3r]

But one problem is that i dont have Windows anymore.

I will find the information in a minute

[waterhead]

But one problem is that i dont have Windows anymore.

That is GOOD! Once we get it working, we won't have to worry about windows screwing it up anymore.

I know of a process that may enable it. I will wait until you provide the info before I "lay it on you".

[Crav3r]

Here is the information you asked for

============ lspci ============
00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 Host Bridge [1022:9600]
00:01.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 PCI to PCI bridge (int gfx) [1022:9602]
Kernel modules: shpchp
00:02.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 PCI to PCI bridge (ext gfx port 0) [1022:9603]
Kernel driver in use: pcieport-driver
Kernel modules: shpchp
00:04.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 0) [1022:9604]
Kernel driver in use: pcieport-driver
Kernel modules: shpchp
00:05.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 1) [1022:9605]
Kernel driver in use: pcieport-driver
Kernel modules: shpchp
00:06.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 2) [1022:9606]
Kernel driver in use: pcieport-driver
Kernel modules: shpchp
00:07.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] RS780 PCI to PCI bridge (PCIE port 3) [1022:9607]
Kernel driver in use: pcieport-driver
Kernel modules: shpchp
00:11.0 SATA controller [0106]: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 SATA Controller [AHCI mode] [1002:4391]
Kernel driver in use: ahci
00:12.0 USB Controller [0c03]: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 USB OHCI0 Controller [1002:4397]
Kernel driver in use: ohci_hcd
00:12.1 USB Controller [0c03]: ATI Technologies Inc SB700 USB OHCI1 Controller [1002:4398]
Kernel driver in use: ohci_hcd
00:12.2 USB Controller [0c03]: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 USB EHCI Controller [1002:4396]
Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd
00:13.0 USB Controller [0c03]: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 USB OHCI0 Controller [1002:4397]
Kernel driver in use: ohci_hcd
00:13.1 USB Controller [0c03]: ATI Technologies Inc SB700 USB OHCI1 Controller [1002:4398]
Kernel driver in use: ohci_hcd
00:13.2 USB Controller [0c03]: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 USB EHCI Controller [1002:4396]
Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd
00:14.0 SMBus [0c05]: ATI Technologies Inc SBx00 SMBus Controller [1002:4385] (rev 3a)
Kernel driver in use: piix4_smbus
Kernel modules: i2c-piix4
00:14.2 Audio device [0403]: ATI Technologies Inc SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA) [1002:4383]
Kernel driver in use: HDA Intel
Kernel modules: snd-hda-intel
00:14.3 ISA bridge [0601]: ATI Technologies Inc SB700/SB800 LPC host controller [1002:439d]
00:14.4 PCI bridge [0604]: ATI Technologies Inc SBx00 PCI to PCI Bridge [1002:4384]
00:18.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 11h HyperTransport Configuration [1022:1300] (rev 40)
00:18.1 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 11h Address Map [1022:1301]
00:18.2 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 11h DRAM Controller [1022:1302]
00:18.3 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 11h Miscellaneous Control [1022:1303]
00:18.4 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 11h Link Control [1022:1304]
01:05.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: ATI Technologies Inc RS780M/RS780MN [Radeon HD 3200 Graphics] [1002:9612]
Kernel driver in use: fglrx_pci
Kernel modules: fglrx
01:05.1 Audio device [0403]: ATI Technologies Inc RS780 Azalia controller [1002:960f]
Kernel driver in use: HDA Intel
Kernel modules: snd-hda-intel
02:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: ATI Technologies Inc Mobility Radeon HD 3400 Series [1002:95c4]
Kernel driver in use: fglrx_pci
Kernel modules: fglrx
02:00.1 Audio device [0403]: ATI Technologies Inc RV620 Audio device [Radeon HD 34xx Series] [1002:aa28]
Kernel driver in use: HDA Intel
Kernel modules: snd-hda-intel
08:00.0 Network controller [0280]: RaLink RT2860 [1814:0781]
Kernel driver in use: rt2860
Kernel modules: rt2860sta
09:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller [10ec:8168] (rev 02)
Kernel driver in use: r8169
Kernel modules: r8169
0a:00.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394) [0c00]: JMicron Technologies, Inc. IEEE 1394 Host Controller [197b:2380]
Kernel driver in use: ohci1394
Kernel modules: firewire-ohci, ohci1394
0a:00.1 System peripheral [0880]: JMicron Technologies, Inc. SD/MMC Host Controller [197b:2382]
Kernel driver in use: sdhci-pci
Kernel modules: sdhci-pci
0a:00.2 SD Host controller [0805]: JMicron Technologies, Inc. Standard SD Host Controller [197b:2381]
Kernel modules: sdhci-pci
0a:00.3 System peripheral [0880]: JMicron Technologies, Inc. MS Host Controller [197b:2383]
0a:00.4 System peripheral [0880]: JMicron Technologies, Inc. xD Host Controller [197b:2384]

============ lsusb ============
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0951:1624 Kingston Technology
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

============ lsmod ============
Module Size Used by
nls_iso8859_1 12032 1
nls_cp437 13696 1
vfat 18816 1
fat 58272 1 vfat
usb_storage 99520 1
binfmt_misc 16776 1
ppdev 15620 0
bridge 56340 0
stp 10500 1 bridge
bnep 20224 2
input_polldev 11912 0
joydev 18368 0
lp 17156 0
parport 42220 2 ppdev,lp
snd_hda_intel 434100 3
snd_pcm_oss 46336 0
snd_mixer_oss 22656 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm 82948 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss
snd_seq_dummy 10756 0
snd_seq_oss 37760 0
snd_seq_midi 14336 0
snd_rawmidi 29696 1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event 15104 2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq 56880 6 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_mid i_event
snd_timer 29704 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device 14988 5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi ,snd_seq
snd 62628 15 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,sn d_seq_oss,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_de vice
video 25360 0
fglrx 2081668 37
psmouse 61972 0
shpchp 40212 0
i2c_piix4 18448 0
soundcore 15200 1 snd
rt2860sta 523352 1
output 11008 1 video
pcspkr 10496 0
sdhci_pci 15232 0
sdhci 23940 1 sdhci_pci
serio_raw 13316 0
agpgart 42696 1 fglrx
snd_page_alloc 16904 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
ohci1394 38576 0
ieee1394 94660 1 ohci1394
r8169 40836 0
mii 13312 1 r8169
fbcon 46112 0
tileblit 10752 1 fbcon
font 16384 1 fbcon
bitblit 13824 1 fbcon
softcursor 9984 1 bitblit

============ dmesg-firmware ============

============ kernel version ============
2.6.28-13-generic

[waterhead]

Thank you.

Just to summarize things, this is the wireless:

08:00.0 Network controller [0280]: RaLink RT2860 [1814:0781]
	Kernel driver in use: rt2860
	Kernel modules: rt2860sta

And as stated above, it is using this driver:

Module                  Size  Used by
rt2860sta             523352  1

The on/off function of a wireless is usually controled by the rfkill module, but I don't see that module loading. You could try loading it manually.

sudo modprobe rfkill

Rfkill keeps a record of the state of the wireless. You can see the current state with this command.

cat /sys/class/rfkill/rfkill0/state

It should return with a 0 or 1.

0 = off
1 = on

If it returns with a 0 (I hope it does), You can change it with this command.

sudo echo 1 > /sys/class/rfkill/rfkill0/state

Technically, you would remove and reload the wireless module after changing the state. This did not work for me, but rebooting instead did.

Let us know how this works out. This rfkill thing is rather new to me. I don't know if you will need to always load the rfkill module. It may not be needed after changing the state.

[Crav3r]

When i wrote:

"sudo modprobe rfkill"

i got: FATAL: Module rfkill not found.

"cat /sys/class/rfkill/rfkill0/state"

gave me:
cat: /sys/class/rfkill/rfkill0/state: No such file or directory

This is for Ubuntu?

( Im very new )

[waterhead]

It looks like the rt2860 driver is a Ralink proprietary driver, and not part of the rt2x00 LinuxWireless drivers. This is why the rfkill module is not implemented.

I don't know a lot about this driver. You could download the source, and read the documentation that comes with it:

Ralink Technology: Linux

I did see a RT2860WebUI program available at the Ralink download page. Give that a try.

Just to see if there is a wireless network connection listed, use these two coomands, and post the output.

ifconfig

iwconfig

And try this one too:

iwlist scan

This page HERE says that it needs configuring with the iwpriv command, before you can use standard Linux commands. It also says that you may need to use Wicd instead of NetworkManager. I have had to do this with an Atheros wireless n card too.

I hope some of this info helps you get it working. If you get it working, please post back with the details on how you did it.