Stupidly complex wireless set up.

[PasserBy9]

Hi,

I've spent the last couple of days trying to set up a wireless connection to an encrypted network at my Uni, but I refuse to go to the IT services guys - just because I'm too stubborn.

After adding a WPA Supplicant config file, when I go on to use the 'wpa_supplicant' command in terminal, I always get given the response that my driver is not supported.

So far I have been putting in my Interface name (card name) as 'ath0' and I have been, up until now, pretty sure that that driver name was 'ath_pci' ... but I'm guessing that is probably wrong as Linux isn't liking me at the moment.

I know that wireless works since I am currently using it on the Uni's unencrypted/more restricting wireless network. The configuration of which using 'Interface: Wifi 802.11g (ath0)' / 'Driver: 11g_ath_pci' (and I have also tried using the name 11g_ath_pci as my driver name too).

If I am correct (and my knowledge of Linux is pretty poor), ath_pci is a name used by Madwifi for its Atheros drivers???

So in short ... what the hell is my Wireless card driver name if it isn't ath_pci/11g_ath_pci/Madwifi?

Cheers in advanced

PS ... to give you some more info to work on. These are the instructions my Uni gives. So far I've tried both install types, manual seems to easier as it gives me more feedback.

I can give you more info if you need but I am ... reasonably ... confident that ath0 is the interface name and the driver is Madwifi, it is just something about the driver name I am inputting that is wrong.

[rokytnji]

I am no wireless expert, but I know what commands the experts here will ask you to use and then post the results from terminal in your next post. They are going to be:

dmesg | grep firmware
lsmod
lspci
lsusb (that is lower case L for first letter)

Open a Termiunal and post the outputs on the terminal screen in your next post. Better members than me will be able to help you out better then.

P.s. Include your distro and kernel and computer specs for best results. To get kernel version type into terminal

uname -r

Good luck.

[waterhead]

Thanks rokytnji, you're right on the money.

PasserBy9: It is useless to try and help until you provide the info that was asked for.

[PasserBy9]

Sorry, yes - I should have thought about that!

The system is Linpus (Acer's Fedora based own operating system) with the Kernel being 2.6.23.9lw. The laptop is one of the Acer Aspire One - 1.6GHz, 512MB memory, 8Gig Flash Hard Drive with an Atheros Wireless Card (it says Atheros AR5BXB63 on the back - I read somewhere that sometimes the AR500x stuff sometimes gets misidentified on the system, not sure if it is true here but the system says it is an AR5006EG on the PCI output).
I'm guessing you can all probably figure out the rest of the specs from looking at the PCI list, I have no USB attachments except for a webcam so I won't bother adding that list.

Terminal results as follows ...

Module List (lsmod)

Module                  Size  Used by
aufs                   95956  3 
wlan_tkip               8384  0 
wlan_ccmp               4480  0 
wlan_xauth               640  0 
wlan_wep                3904  0 
wlan_acl                2048  0 
wlan_scan_sta           7232  1 
fastoffdrv               768  0 [permanent]
sdhci                   9292  0 
mmc_core               14852  1 sdhci
pciehp                 22232  0 
pci_hotplug             7688  1 pciehp
cpufreq_conservative     3080  0 
cpufreq_userspace       1388  0 
cpufreq_powersave        640  0 
cpufreq_stats           2256  0 
cpufreq_ondemand        3532  1 
acpi_cpufreq            3604  1 
freq_table              1608  3 cpufreq_stats,cpufreq_ondemand,acpi_cpufreq
jmb38x_xd               3776  0 
xd_card                18696  1 jmb38x_xd
flash_bd                5056  1 xd_card
mspro_block             9860  0 
jmb38x_ms               4484  0 
memstick                4292  2 mspro_block,jmb38x_ms
snd_hda_intel         163404  1 
fmaud                 142820  1 snd_hda_intel
snd_seq_oss            20160  0 
snd_seq_midi_event      3008  1 snd_seq_oss
snd_seq                27920  4 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
uvcvideo               39752  0 
snd_seq_device          3468  2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq
compat_ioctl32           640  1 uvcvideo
videodev               20928  1 uvcvideo
ath_pci                68256  0 
v4l1_compat            10500  2 uvcvideo,videodev
v4l2_common            10688  2 uvcvideo,videodev
snd_pcm_oss            26208  0 
ath_rate_atheros       23424  1 ath_pci
wlan                  126744  9 wlan_tkip,wlan_ccmp,wlan_xauth,wlan_wep,wlan_acl,wlan_scan_sta,ath_pci,ath_rate_atheros
rng_core                2180  0 
ath_dfs                25796  1 ath_pci
ath_hal               147200  3 ath_pci,ath_rate_atheros
r8101                  16400  0 
snd_pcm                41028  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss
uhci_hcd               13644  0 
snd_timer              11012  2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
snd_page_alloc          4168  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
battery                 6472  0 
video                  10896  0 
backlight               1860  1 video
thermal                 8092  0 
button                  3536  0 
output                  1280  1 video
processor              18624  2 acpi_cpufreq,thermal
ac                      2116  0 
snd_mixer_oss           9856  2 snd_pcm_oss
snd                    27236  8 snd_hda_intel,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_pcm_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_mixer_oss
soundcore               2976  2 snd
usb_storage            34656  0 
ehci_hcd               20300  0 
atkbd                   8912  0 
psmouse                13320  0

PCI components list (lspci)

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel 945GME Express Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel 945GME Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel 82801G (ICH7 Family) HD Audio Controller: Realtek ALC662G/268 (rev 02)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 02)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 3 (rev 02)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 4 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7 Family) SATA IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel 82801G (ICH7 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek RTL8102E PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller (rev 02)
03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros AR5006EG 802.11 b/g Wireless PCI Express Adapter (rev 01)

For the 'dmesg | grep' command I'm not too sure what specifically to search for, so I searched for 'ath' and 'wlan' as both are quite prominent prefixes in the module list. So...

dmesg | grep ath

ath_rate_atheros: Version 2.0.1
ath_rate_atheros: driver unloaded
ath_rate_atheros: Version 2.0.1
[root@localhost ~]# dmesg | grep ath
ath_hal: module license 'Proprietary' taints kernel.
ath_hal: 0.9.17.1 (AR5212, RF5111, RF5112, RF2413, RF5413)
ath_dfs: Version 2.0.0
ath_rate_atheros: Version 2.0.1
ath_pci: 0.9.4.5 (Atheros/multi-bss)
ath_pci: Acer-5.3.2.13-2008-June-13
<ath_vap_create> sc_softled = 0
ath_vap_create: LED ON
ath_stop_locked: LED OFF 2
ath_stop_locked: LED OFF 2
ath_pci: driver unloaded
ath_rate_atheros: driver unloaded
ath_dfs: driver unloaded
ath_hal: driver unloaded
ath_hal: 0.9.17.1 (AR5212, RF5111, RF5112, RF2413, RF5413)
ath_dfs: Version 2.0.0
ath_rate_atheros: Version 2.0.1
ath_pci: 0.9.4.5 (Atheros/multi-bss)
ath_pci: Acer-5.3.2.13-2008-June-13
<ath_vap_create> sc_softled = 0
ath_vap_create: LED ON
ath_stop_locked: LED OFF 2

and dmesg | grep wlan

wlan: 0.8.4.2 (Atheros/multi-bss)
wlan: mac acl policy registered
wlan: mac acl policy unregistered
wlan: driver unloaded
wlan: 0.8.4.2 (Atheros/multi-bss)
wlan: mac acl policy registered

I feel like I have just spammed the forum with all my information, I should probably stop otherwise I'll end up giving out my Bank Account details and Mother's maiden name!
Just say if I left something useful out or if I searched for the wrong thing in the 'dmesg' search.

[waterhead]

Thank You!

This is your wireless card, as Linux sees it:

03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros AR5006EG 802.11 b/g Wireless PCI Express Adapter (rev 01)

The driver for your card is called ath_pci, and it is loading. There are also many other wireless modules loading in addition to ath_pci:

Module                  Size  Used by
wlan_tkip               8384  0 
wlan_ccmp               4480  0 
wlan_xauth               640  0 
wlan_wep                3904  0 
wlan_acl                2048  0 
wlan_scan_sta           7232  1 
 ath_pci                68256  0 
ath_rate_atheros       23424  1 ath_pci
wlan                  126744  9 wlan_tkip,wlan_ccmp,wlan_xauth,wlan_wep,wlan_acl,wlan_scan_sta,ath_pci,ath_rate_atheros
ath_dfs                25796  1 ath_pci
ath_hal               147200  3 ath_pci,ath_rate_atheros

The output of dmesg isn't as important right now. But it can be an effective tool in diagnosing problems. I do see a lot of "driver unloaded" messages, as a driver can't work if it's unloaded. But since we see it in the list, I won't worry right now.

Have you configured the wireless as a new network card? If it is similar to Fedora ( I think it is) you want to run the Network program from the main menu. When that opens, your network connections should be listed. The wireless will be either wlan0 or ath0. Click on it to highlight it, and then click on the "Edit" icon on the top. In this section, you want to select these choices:

-Controlled by NetworkManager
-Allow All Users To Enable and Disable This Device
-Automatically obtain IP address settings with DHCP
-Automatically obtain DNS information from provider

Once that is done, close that window, and save the new settings with File--->Save. Now click the green "Activate" button at the top. You now may need to reboot.

After the reboot, there should be an icon in the system tray (taskbar) for the NetworkManager. Right click it to make sure "Enable Wireless" is checked. Now left click to see a list of available networks. You can click on it to connect.

If there is a password, it should ask to save it either in a keyring manager, or KWallet. Say yes, and give the keyring/Wallet a password of it's own. Now all future passwords will also be saved, and accessed with a single password. No more remembering multiple wireless passwords.

My instructions are for Fedora, so Linpus may be a bit different.

If there are still connection problems, you may need to install an updated driver. Let me know how it works out.