Laptop Network Card Won't Connect

[planegenius]

Let me just start off by saying that I've been a windows user all my life, but I am ready to switch to Ubuntu on my laptop. So far, so good, but I can't seem to connect to the net.

I am running Ubuntu 8.10 off a CD image, I want to check if it works before I ditch windows. The GUI is gnome.

The Network Adapter in question is a D-Link DWL-650. When I use the GUI network manager, i see all of the available routers in my area, including mine. The lights on the device are on. However whenever I click to connect to a router, it loads, and then displays the message-

"The Network Connection has been disconnected."

Another thing I noticed. To check something on the card, I removed it and put it back in. When I put it back in, the lights didn't come back on, and I couldn't see any possible connections.

I have no idea what to do! Is it a driver issue or a connectivity issue? I have also read that this can happen because I am running it from a CD.

I really like Ubuntu and can't wait to get started with it, and I thank you in advance for any and all help. :smile:

[superprash2003]

well. your wireless should work with ubuntu.. testing wireless through a live cd can be tricky.. you would have to install the drivers and sometimes reboot etc..post an output of the following from the terminal..
1)lshw -C network
2)iwlist scanning
3)iwconfig
4)ifconfig

[planegenius]

To run a command as administrator (user "root"), use "sudo <command>".
See "man sudo_root" for details.

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ lshw -C network
WARNING: you should run this program as super-user.
*-network
description: Ethernet interface
product: RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+
vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
physical id: 2
bus info: pci@0000:09:02.0
logical name: eth0
version: 10
serial: 00:c0:9f:ee:9e:1a
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: bus_master cap_list ethernet physical
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=8139too driverversion=0.9.28 latency=64 maxlatency=64 mingnt=32 module=8139too multicast=yes
*-network
description: Wireless interface
product: RTL8180L 802.11b MAC
vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:0a:00.0
logical name: wmaster0
version: 20
serial: 00:0d:88:64:ea:54
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: bus_master cap_list logical ethernet physical wireless
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=rtl8180 latency=64 maxlatency=64 mingnt=32 module=rtl8180 multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11b
*-network DISABLED
description: Ethernet interface
physical id: 1
logical name: pan0
serial: de:19:0c:50:0b:be
capabilities: ethernet physical
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=bridge driverversion=2.3 firmware=N/A multicast=yes
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ iwlist scanning
lo Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

wmaster0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

wlan0 Scan completed :
Cell 01 - Address: 00:14:A5:0D:AD:45
ESSID:"Motorola"
Mode:Master
Channel:1
Frequency:2.412 GHz (Channel 1)
Quality=17/100 Signal level:-130 dBm
Encryption key:off
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:tsf=00000072b546f189
Extra: Last beacon: 40ms ago

pan0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ iwconfig
lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

wmaster0 no wireless extensions.

wlan0 IEEE 802.11b ESSID:"Motorola"
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.412 GHz Access Point: 00:14:A5:0D:AD:45
Bit Rate=1 Mb/s Tx-Power=27 dBm
Retry min limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr=2352 B
Power Management:off
Link Quality=85/100 Signal level:-129 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

pan0 no wireless extensions.

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ ifconfig
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:c0:9f:ee:9e:1a
UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)
Interrupt:21 Base address:0xa000

lo Link encap:Local Loopback
inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1
RX packets:432 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:432 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:27072 (27.0 KB) TX bytes:27072 (27.0 KB)

wlan0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:0d:88:64:ea:54
UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

wmaster0 Link encap:UNSPEC HWaddr 00-0D-88-64-EA-54-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

[planegenius]

Is this all of what you guys need?

Any diagnosis from this?

[planegenius]

After installing the software and drivers for another adapter, something changed.

I installed the software and drivers for the Dynex Enhanced Wireless G USB Network Adapter in Windows. The USB adapter didn't seem to work in Ubuntu, so I put the Dlink card back in.

Now the card seems to have limited range and strength. I see my router but its signal strength is very very low. When I select it, it does connect. However, it only stays connected for a short time and then disconnects.

I have no idea what to do. I REALLY want to use Ubuntu, but I need the internet. I really need your help here.

Thanks

[benerivo]

I'm not sure what you can try from within ubuntu to improve connectivity to your signal, which may be coming in too weakly, or very inconsistently. I would try two things in this order...

1. Change the router broadcast settings. In the router settings you can change the channel it broadcasts on. You currently use channel 1. You can also change the wireless type -- i think these are known as a, b, and g.

2. You can change the network manager in ubuntu, from networkmanager applet, to wicd. I think this is automatically done (setup) if you install wicd.

[Shpongle]

yea it could most likly be the router settings, my friend was having the same prob that fixed it

[planegenius]

Alright, thanks for the reply guys.

I changed those settings on my router, and still nothing. Heres the thing, I have a list of several routers that I can connect to, and none of them work. I also tried to install the alternate manager you suggested, but it would not install saying it conflicted with the current manager.

I read about installing the drivers in a special way with a special program. Is that what needs to be done?

Thanks again!

[benerivo]

You can get wicd to install be removing networkmanager first, but i don't think this is relevant to your problem, as it looks like it is your card being poorly supported in ubuntu. I also get this impression from a brief google search. I think i know what you mean by 'special' driver installation. It sounds like the option to use the windows driver inside ubuntu. I have never had to use this myself, but for a start the official web page is...
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/Driver/Ndiswrapper

[planegenius]

Yep, that was it.

I tried it out, and still nothing.

After the newer driver wouldn't work, I tried an older one and it took it. It says that the hardware isn't present though. When I click 'configure network' I get the error message-

"Could not find a network configuration tool"

Any ideas? I really appreciate your help.

[benerivo]

The error message sounds strange, but it may be a false lead to finding a solution. Here is a link to a confirmed bug...
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ndisgtk/+bug/295892

I'm really of no help to you now, but from what i have seen, it seems that there are many people with your card with similar problems. It may be worth trying wicd as a lucky solution.

[planegenius]

Well good news and bad news...

Good news is with all this tinkering, I'm learning how to get around Ubuntu well!

Bad News is that wicd didn't fix it.

Is it possible to set up the dynex ehanced wirless g usb?

This is so very frustrating, I want this OS, but I need to be able to connect to the net. I appreciate everyone's help!

[planegenius]

I think I may have found a solution here. I looked and a couple different sources, and they all point to this-

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/restricted-manager/+bug/123292

Updating the firmware on the card, and then changing something else...

Can I ask for some kind soul to look at this and tell me how exactly to do all that it asks. I'm still new to this and could use some help, I don't want to mess my card up.

Thanks!