[SOLVED] Atheros AR5007 wireless not working on debian

[Yavva]

Hi,

I have installed Debian Linux 5.0.3 yesterday. Sadly, for some reason I can't get my wireless adapter to work on Linux (it works fine when I boot Vista). I have read many forum threads and tried different methodsbut none of them had any result. It seems the OS can't detect my Atheros AR5007 adapter. The Network manager doesn't display any device for wireless connection and the button on my laptop refuses to bring the adapter to life.

I would appreciate if someone could give me some instructions to solve this issue.

Thanks

Here is the data from my system:

============ lspci ============
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)
00:1b.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
00:1d.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 [8086:2830] (rev 03)
	Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
	Kernel modules: 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
	Kernel modules: 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
	Kernel modules: 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
	Kernel modules: 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: PIIX_IDE
	Kernel modules: 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
	Kernel modules: ahci
00:1f.3 SMBus [0c05]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) SMBus Controller [8086:283e] (rev 03)
	Kernel driver in use: i801_smbus
	Kernel modules: i2c-i801
01:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Atheros Communications Inc. AR242x 802.11abg Wireless PCI Express Adapter [168c:001c] (rev 01)
	Kernel modules: ath_pci, ath5k
02:01.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ [10ec:8139] (rev 10)
	Kernel driver in use: 8139too
	Kernel modules: 8139cp, 8139too

============ lsusb ============
Bus 004 Device 002: ID 04f2:b057 Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd 
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

============ lsmod ============
Module                  Size  Used by
nls_utf8                1760  0 
isofs                  28196  0 
zlib_inflate           14144  1 isofs
udf                    67780  0 
nls_base                6820  3 nls_utf8,isofs,udf
crc_itu_t               2080  1 udf
ndiswrapper           152796  0 
i915                   25312  2 
drm                    65320  3 i915
rfcomm                 28272  0 
l2cap                  17248  5 rfcomm
bluetooth              44996  4 rfcomm,l2cap
ppdev                   6468  0 
parport_pc             22500  0 
lp                      8164  0 
parport                30988  3 ppdev,parport_pc,lp
ipv6                  235396  16 
acpi_cpufreq            6796  1 
cpufreq_stats           3776  0 
cpufreq_ondemand        6476  1 
cpufreq_conservative     5960  0 
freq_table              4224  3 acpi_cpufreq,cpufreq_stats,cpufreq_ondemand
cpufreq_userspace       3172  0 
cpufreq_powersave       1856  0 
loop                   12748  0 
joydev                  8480  0 
snd_hda_intel         325720  1 
snd_pcm_oss            32800  0 
snd_mixer_oss          12320  1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm                62660  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss
snd_seq_dummy           2660  0 
snd_seq_oss            24992  0 
snd_seq_midi            5728  0 
snd_rawmidi            18496  1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event      6432  2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq                41456  6 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
uvcvideo               45800  0 
snd_timer              17800  2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device          6380  5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
compat_ioctl32          1312  1 uvcvideo
serio_raw               4740  0 
videodev               27520  1 uvcvideo
i2c_i801                7920  0 
snd                    45636  11 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_seq_oss,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
psmouse                32336  0 
ath_pci                76832  0 
wlan                  170032  1 ath_pci
v4l1_compat            12260  2 uvcvideo,videodev
i2c_core               19828  1 i2c_i801
pcspkr                  2432  0 
video                  16464  0 
output                  2912  1 video
wmi                     6440  0 
ath_hal               192144  1 ath_pci
battery                10180  0 
soundcore               6368  1 snd
button                  6096  0 
ac                      4196  0 
intel_agp              22524  1 
snd_page_alloc          7816  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
agpgart                28808  3 drm,intel_agp
evdev                   8000  8 
ext3                  105576  1 
jbd                    39476  1 ext3
mbcache                 7108  1 ext3
ide_cd_mod             27684  0 
cdrom                  30176  1 ide_cd_mod
ide_pci_generic         3908  0 [permanent]
sd_mod                 22200  3 
piix                    6568  0 [permanent]
ide_core               96168  3 ide_cd_mod,ide_pci_generic,piix
8139too                20384  0 
ata_generic             4676  0 
ahci                   23596  2 
libata                140448  2 ata_generic,ahci
scsi_mod              129548  2 sd_mod,libata
8139cp                 16800  0 
mii                     4896  2 8139too,8139cp
dock                    8304  1 libata
ehci_hcd               28428  0 
uhci_hcd               18672  0 
usbcore               118192  5 ndiswrapper,uvcvideo,ehci_hcd,uhci_hcd
thermal                15228  0 
processor              32576  4 acpi_cpufreq,thermal
fan                     4196  0 
thermal_sys            10856  4 video,thermal,processor,fan

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

============ kernel version ============
2.6.26-2-686

============ ifconfig ============

============ iwconfig ============
============ lspci ============
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)
00:1b.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
00:1d.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 [8086:2830] (rev 03)
	Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
	Kernel modules: 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
	Kernel modules: 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
	Kernel modules: 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
	Kernel modules: 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: PIIX_IDE
	Kernel modules: 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
	Kernel modules: ahci
00:1f.3 SMBus [0c05]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) SMBus Controller [8086:283e] (rev 03)
	Kernel driver in use: i801_smbus
	Kernel modules: i2c-i801
01:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Atheros Communications Inc. AR242x 802.11abg Wireless PCI Express Adapter [168c:001c] (rev 01)
	Kernel modules: ath_pci, ath5k
02:01.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ [10ec:8139] (rev 10)
	Kernel driver in use: 8139too
	Kernel modules: 8139cp, 8139too

============ lsusb ============
Bus 004 Device 002: ID 04f2:b057 Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd 
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

============ lsmod ============
Module                  Size  Used by
nls_utf8                1760  0 
isofs                  28196  0 
zlib_inflate           14144  1 isofs
udf                    67780  0 
nls_base                6820  3 nls_utf8,isofs,udf
crc_itu_t               2080  1 udf
ndiswrapper           152796  0 
i915                   25312  2 
drm                    65320  3 i915
rfcomm                 28272  0 
l2cap                  17248  5 rfcomm
bluetooth              44996  4 rfcomm,l2cap
ppdev                   6468  0 
parport_pc             22500  0 
lp                      8164  0 
parport                30988  3 ppdev,parport_pc,lp
ipv6                  235396  16 
acpi_cpufreq            6796  1 
cpufreq_stats           3776  0 
cpufreq_ondemand        6476  1 
cpufreq_conservative     5960  0 
freq_table              4224  3 acpi_cpufreq,cpufreq_stats,cpufreq_ondemand
cpufreq_userspace       3172  0 
cpufreq_powersave       1856  0 
loop                   12748  0 
joydev                  8480  0 
snd_hda_intel         325720  1 
snd_pcm_oss            32800  0 
snd_mixer_oss          12320  1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm                62660  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss
snd_seq_dummy           2660  0 
snd_seq_oss            24992  0 
snd_seq_midi            5728  0 
snd_rawmidi            18496  1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event      6432  2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq                41456  6 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
uvcvideo               45800  0 
snd_timer              17800  2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device          6380  5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
compat_ioctl32          1312  1 uvcvideo
serio_raw               4740  0 
videodev               27520  1 uvcvideo
i2c_i801                7920  0 
snd                    45636  11 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_seq_oss,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
psmouse                32336  0 
ath_pci                76832  0 
wlan                  170032  1 ath_pci
v4l1_compat            12260  2 uvcvideo,videodev
i2c_core               19828  1 i2c_i801
pcspkr                  2432  0 
video                  16464  0 
output                  2912  1 video
wmi                     6440  0 
ath_hal               192144  1 ath_pci
battery                10180  0 
soundcore               6368  1 snd
button                  6096  0 
ac                      4196  0 
intel_agp              22524  1 
snd_page_alloc          7816  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
agpgart                28808  3 drm,intel_agp
evdev                   8000  8 
ext3                  105576  1 
jbd                    39476  1 ext3
mbcache                 7108  1 ext3
ide_cd_mod             27684  0 
cdrom                  30176  1 ide_cd_mod
ide_pci_generic         3908  0 [permanent]
sd_mod                 22200  3 
piix                    6568  0 [permanent]
ide_core               96168  3 ide_cd_mod,ide_pci_generic,piix
8139too                20384  0 
ata_generic             4676  0 
ahci                   23596  2 
libata                140448  2 ata_generic,ahci
scsi_mod              129548  2 sd_mod,libata
8139cp                 16800  0 
mii                     4896  2 8139too,8139cp
dock                    8304  1 libata
ehci_hcd               28428  0 
uhci_hcd               18672  0 
usbcore               118192  5 ndiswrapper,uvcvideo,ehci_hcd,uhci_hcd
thermal                15228  0 
processor              32576  4 acpi_cpufreq,thermal
fan                     4196  0 
thermal_sys            10856  4 video,thermal,processor,fan

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

============ kernel version ============
2.6.26-2-686

============ ifconfig ============

============ iwconfig ============

[waterhead]

In see two problems:

1) You are using a 2.6.26 kernel. Although this kernel isn't really old, Linux changes rapidly. The current stable kernel is 2.6.31. This is important because the drivers are kernel modules, and wireless drivers have been going through some rapid changes.

2) You are loading two wireless drivers, NDISwrapper and ath_pci. The ath_pci driver may work with your card, but you first must remove the ndiswrapper driver.

Development of the ath_pci driver (aka:MadWifi) has been discontinued. All development has been switched to the ath5k/ath9k family of drivers. These drivers are in more recent kernels.

I recommend that you use the ath5k driver for this card. Either upgrade to a newer distro, Like Ubuntu 9.04/9.10, or you can install the drivers from source.

Download - Linux Wireless

You should blacklist the ath_pci and ndiswrapper modules, to prevent them from loading.

[reed9]

Debian has ath5k in the stock kernel, but, well, from their ath5k wiki

AR242x chipset
Found in the Acer eMachines D620 laptop, among others. This suffers from a "noise floor calibration timeout" bug, which means the wireless may not function after installing Lenny. The bug is fixed since kernel 2.6.28.1.
Lenny users: install a backported kernel 2.6.29 (or later) image package from Debian Backports.

ath5k - Debian Wiki

[Yavva]

Hi,

the ath5k driver was indeed present in my debian distribution. I had already tried to use the ath5k with the backported kernel, but I don't know why it didn't work. Then I tried with ath_pci and ndiswrapper, getting no better results.

The only thing that really worked was upgrading to ubuntu 9.10. Though the wireless displays on my laptop keep red (instead of the normal blue), the wireless connection works fine.

The sad thing is that in the upgrading process (using the Ubuntu installer), my HD has apparently suffered some serious injury (according to S.M.A.R.T). The laptop is running normally though.

Well, Problem Solved! Thanks!