Ubuntu wifi help - newbie

**dancudds** · 03-15-2007

Another guy, dreaming of linux in the bathroom etc.

Ok guys first let me give you my specs;

Fresh install Ubuntu 6.6 Kernal 2.6.17-10-generic
Running on my Japanese laptop trtying to get my Buffalo WLI-CB-AMG54 card to work.
I've tried this lark with Fedora but never got anywhere. My mate recommend Ubuntu so here I am.

So after installing Ubuntu I was excited to see Ubuntu picked up my card and even its MAC address. I was then in tears to read I still had to go the ndiswrapper route ;(

Ok, so I got hold of my .inf file, installed ndiswrapper and -i the inf file

Code:

sudo ndiswrapper -l
Installed drivers:
netamg54                driver installed, hardware present

Looking good! wooohooo

Code:

dan@danubuntu:~$ ndiswrapper -m
dan@danubuntu:~$ sudo modprobe ndiswrapper

Cool still no errors.

Code:

lo        Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0      Interface doesn't support scanning.

sit0      Interface doesn't support scanning.

wifi0     Interface doesn't support scanning.

ath0      Scan completed :
          Cell 01 - Address: 00:12:A9:09:B5:10
                    ESSID:"thickwood"
                    Mode:Master
                    Frequency:2.462 GHz (Channel 11)
                    Quality=6/94  Signal level=-89 dBm  Noise level=-95 dBm
                    Encryption key:on
                    Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s
                              9 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s
                              48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
                    Extra:bcn_int=100
          Cell 02 - Address: 00:14:6C:24:F5:40
                    ESSID:"NETGEAR"
                    Mode:Master
                    Frequency:2.462 GHz (Channel 11)
                    Quality=6/94  Signal level=-89 dBm  Noise level=-95 dBm
                    Encryption key:on
                    Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s
                              12 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s; 9 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s
                              48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
                    Extra:bcn_int=100
                    Extra:wme_ie=dd180050f2020101000003a4000027a4000042435e0062322f00
                    Extra:ath_ie=dd0900037f0101000e0000
          Cell 03 - Address: 00:19:7D:01:88:D2
                    ESSID:"Livebox-5D48"
                    Mode:Master
                    Frequency:2.412 GHz (Channel 1)
                    Quality=9/94  Signal level=-86 dBm  Noise level=-95 dBm
                    Encryption key:on
                    Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s
                              24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s; 9 Mb/s
                              12 Mb/s; 48 Mb/s
                    Extra:bcn_int=100
                    IE: WPA Version 1
                        Group Cipher : TKIP 
                        Pairwise Ciphers (1) : TKIP 
                        Authentication Suites (1) : PSK  
          Cell 04 - Address: 00:0D:0B:4A:B5:95
                    ESSID:"000D0B4AB594"
                    Mode:Master
                    Frequency:2.462 GHz (Channel 11)
                    Quality=52/94  Signal level=-43 dBm  Noise level=-95 dBm
                    Encryption key:on
                    Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s
                              9 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s
                              48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
                    Extra:bcn_int=100
                    IE: WPA Version 1
                        Group Cipher : TKIP 
                        Pairwise Ciphers (1) : TKIP 
                        Authentication Suites (1) : PSK

ok now my first slip. ath0! what's that. Why isn't wifi0 working. I've seen this on other posts to, oh well not too worry.
It's found my network ESSID:"000D0B4AB594" yes! so I know that atleast it's plugged in! lol

Code:

dan@danubuntu:~$ sudo iwconfig ath0 ESSID 000D0B4AB594
dan@danubuntu:~$ sudo iwconfig ath0 key s:"patty007"

n.b i've run these comands for wifi0 too just encase.

so now I run

Code:

sudo dhcpcd ath0

and wait, because nothing happens ;(

ok not to worry, i've read there's an alternative command to run on ubuntu, dhclient

Code:

dan@danubuntu:~$ sudo dhclient ath0
There is already a pid file /var/run/dhclient.pid with pid 6934
killed old client process, removed PID file
Internet Systems Consortium DHCP Client V3.0.4
Copyright 2004-2006 Internet Systems Consortium.
All rights reserved.
For info, please visit http://www.isc.org/sw/dhcp/

wifi0: unknown hardware address type 801
wifi0: unknown hardware address type 801
Listening on LPF/ath0/00:0d:0b:ed:45:ca
Sending on   LPF/ath0/00:0d:0b:ed:45:ca
Sending on   Socket/fallback
DHCPDISCOVER on ath0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 3
DHCPDISCOVER on ath0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 8
DHCPDISCOVER on ath0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 13
DHCPDISCOVER on ath0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 8
DHCPDISCOVER on ath0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 15
DHCPDISCOVER on ath0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 14
No DHCPOFFERS received.
No working leases in persistent database - sleeping.

ahh!!! what's happening, wifi0 errors??? but I thought I was using ath0.
I've tried running these commands on wifi0, the same error.

Ok so I know my card is kinda working as it's picking up my damn SSID!

I'm really at the end of what I can do here guys.
I've looked around google and everything but can't find anything on this weirdness I am having.
My access point is working fine wid my windows etc.

Please somebody guide me!

**MikeTbob** · 03-15-2007

I'm not sure if it will solve your problem but it appears that you have an Atheros chipset, MADWifi is made for these chipsets, so you might wanna have a look at that.
http://madwifi.org/

**dancudds** · 03-15-2007

Originally Posted by MikeTbob

I'm not sure if it will solve your problem but it appears that you have an Atheros chipset, MADWifi is made for these chipsets, so you might wanna have a look at that.
http://madwifi.org/

I will certainly look into it but from what I've read so far madwifi is not free-licence and there doesn't seem to be the same level of open support for it.
I'm kinda happy too that I'm even seeing the SSID of my access point! Sad I know but it's a glimer of hope.
Btw - I'm loving Ubuntu. I'm a total windows user all my life but this is really turning me! If I only had wifi I'd through my VLKs for vista away!

Another update - I've installed wiassistant. Neat bit of kit, GUI to my SSIDs. Running from terminal this was still showing a hang on dhcpcd so I removed my WEP from the access point but still no joy.

**MikeTbob** · 03-16-2007

Originally Posted by dancudds

I will certainly look into it but from what I've read so far madwifi is not free-licence.

From the Madwifi website.

Welcome to madwifi.org
This is the Open Source project site for MadWifi.

Open source is as free as it gets. I have been using it for about a year now.

**dancudds** · 03-16-2007

cool sounds like a place to start. Do you know if this will crack my ndiswrapper stuff?
Also do you know a handy newbie place to start for this mad lark? All the tutorials I can find are on ndiswrapper.
Thanks for your help.

**Juan Pablo** · 03-16-2007

You don't need NDISwrapper for your card, it's Atheros based and should be working now, just connect to an AP and change your IPs and you are done

**dancudds** · 03-16-2007

Originally Posted by Juan Pablo

You don't need NDISwrapper for your card, it's Atheros based and should be working now, just connect to an AP and change your IPs and you are done

Does this mean it should work out of the box? I thought it was as I could see it in Device manager etc and there seemed to be activity on the lights my wifi card has.
How do I connect to an AP then? I tried going through the network GUI in ubuntu but it just doesn't connect with no error messages. I can scan my ath0 but is this what ndiswrapper created? How can I remove ndiswrapper! lol
I know I'm probably just one keystroke away from grinning on this. I can see my AP when I scan

**MikeTbob** · 03-16-2007

I don't use Ubuntu, so I really don't know where your settings go and stuff like that. But it seems to me, if you can see an AP you should be able to configure the card through the network tool using DHCP. Have you tried creating a new connection with the GUI?
Can you get an IP with the command line?
ifconfig ath0 up
ifconfig ath0 "IPaddress"
See this link "scanning for AP points"
http://madwifi.org/wiki/UserDocs/Fir...orAccessPoints

**Juan Pablo** · 03-16-2007

Let's begin clean, reboot your computer

Code:

modprobe ath_pci
ifconfig ath0 up
iwlist ath0 scan

Look for the essid you want and connect to it like this

Code:

iwconfig ath0 essid "mywifi"

Now set up your IP address, with DHCP or static
Try to configure it with the Ubuntu Network manager

More info here http://madwifi.org/wiki/UserDocs/FirstTimeHowTo

**dancudds** · 03-16-2007

Hey guys, thank you all for your prompt help.
Seems I was just making too much work for myself as ubuntu DID have all the drivers for my card!
I just needed to get myself the network manager to make everything a bit more transparent for me.
Sorry ndiswrapper but today ubuntu is the real hero!

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