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I'm new to linux, and I decided to put Linux Mint on my Gateway laptop when Vista died on it. The wireless worked on install, but the signal is greatly diminished compared to what it was Windows (it used to work all over the house without problem but now I have to be really close to the router). I've tried an Ubuntu live cd in it before as well as Backtrack, and neither one worked on install, so I'm assuming it's using some sort of odd driver. Can I fix this, or will I be stuck with diminished range? Here's my card info:
Code:
00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Mobile PM965/GM965/GL960 Memory Controller Hub [8086:2a00] (rev 03)
Kernel driver in use: agpgart-intel
Kernel modules: intel-agp
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:2a02] (rev 03)
Kernel modules: intelfb
00:02.1 Display controller [0380]: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:2a03] (rev 03)
00:1a.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 [8086:2834] (rev 03)
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
00:1a.1 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 [8086:2835] (rev 03)
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
00:1a.7 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 [8086:283a] (rev 03)
Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd
00:1b.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) HD Audio Controller [8086:284b] (rev 03)
Kernel driver in use: HDA Intel
Kernel modules: snd-hda-intel
00:1c.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 1 [8086:283f] (rev 03)
Kernel driver in use: pcieport-driver
Kernel modules: shpchp
00:1c.2 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 3 [8086:2843] (rev 03)
Kernel driver in use: pcieport-driver
Kernel modules: shpchp
00:1c.5 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 6 [8086:2849] (rev 03)
Kernel driver in use: pcieport-driver
Kernel modules: shpchp
00:1d.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 [8086:2830] (rev 03)
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
00:1d.1 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 [8086:2831] (rev 03)
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
00:1d.2 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 [8086:2832] (rev 03)
Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
00:1d.7 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 [8086:2836] (rev 03)
Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd
00:1e.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge [8086:2448] (rev f3)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation 82801HEM (ICH8M) LPC Interface Controller [8086:2815] (rev 03)
Kernel modules: iTCO_wdt
00:1f.1 IDE interface [0101]: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) IDE Controller [8086:2850] (rev 03)
Kernel driver in use: ata_piix
00:1f.2 SATA controller [0106]: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) SATA AHCI Controller [8086:2829] (rev 03)
Kernel driver in use: ahci
00:1f.3 SMBus [0c05]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) SMBus Controller [8086:283e] (rev 03)
Kernel modules: i2c-i801
06:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8101E/RTL8102E PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller [10ec:8136] (rev 01)
Kernel driver in use: r8169
Kernel modules: r8169
Sorry it took me awhile to reply. I confirmed that it is definately some sort of issue with the laptop; none of the internet would work at a hotel I was staying at even though it had decent signal. Here is the output for ifconfig:
wlan0 IEEE 802.11bg ESSID:"Tim Watson Family"
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.412 GHz Access Point: 00:1B:5B:7C:BB:51
Bit Rate=54 Mb/s Tx-Power=20 dBm
Retry min limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr=2352 B
Power Management:off
Link Quality=62/100 Signal level:-40 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0
It looks like the bit rate is already at the maximum. If it wasn't you could manually set it:
Code:
iwconfig wlan0 rate 54M
The link quality isn't the greatest either. You could move around and check it to see how it changes. If the bit rate changes, then manually set it to 54 Mb/s.
The only other option is to disable the native driver, and use NDISwrapper. NDISwrapper uses a WinXP driver to connect, so you would need that. No Vista or combo WinXP/Vista driver will work, but a Win2k/WinXP driver would be OK.
__________________
Paul
Please do not PM me with requests for help. I will not reply.
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