Must reinstall wireless driver after reboot

[it_broke_again]

Hi, everyone!

I'm having an odd issue with my wireless driver. After I start my computer, 99% of the time, I must reinstall my wireless driver in order to get it to work. I was wondering if anyone else had this problem and if there is a fix for it. Here is some more information: (the terminal output is for the relevant hardware/drivers only-- if more information is needed, please just let me know)

Ubuntu 8.04 x64
Toshiba Satellite A215-S4817

lspci

14:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR242x 802.11abg Wireless PCI Express Adapter (rev 01)


ndiswrapper -l

net5211 : driver installed
device (168C:001C) present (alternate driver: ath_pci)

*Note: I had a previous problem with the driver not being x64, but now I am using the x64 driver listed above and the wireless card will work, I just need to keep reinstalling the driver.

If anyone has any suggestions, they would be much appreciated. Please let me know if you need more information.

Thanks!

~ Lisa

[Aearenda]

When using NDISwrapper, you have to add 'ndiswrapper' to the end of /etc/modules to make it load every boot - and you should run sudo ndiswrapper -m as well, so that it adds the appropriate aliases in /etc/modprobe.d.

[it_broke_again]

Thanks for your suggestion. I tried "sudo ndiswrapper -m" and it gave me lines and lines of this:

module configuration already contains alias directive


I also tried adding "ndiswrapper" to /etc/modules, but it still didn't work on startup.

What happens is that it will detect a signal, try to connect to the internet but it will never work-- I have to reinstall the driver for it to connect to the wireless signal. Is there anything else I could try?

Thanks,
~Lisa

[lswest]

i assume you're running on 8.04?
idea #1: make a script like this: right-click anywhere, desktop will probably be your first choice, choose "new file" and "empty document" then enter this into the file: #!/bin/bash
sudo modprobe -r ath_pci
sudo modprobe -r ndiswrapper
sudo modprobe ndiswrapper when saving, make sure that it ends in ".sh" and make it executable (by going to properties and under "permissions" check the "allow executing as a binary file" option. Then run it to see if it gets your wireless working. If it does do this:sudo cp /path/to/script /etc/init.d/wireless.sh #you can call it anything, i called it wireless.sh for simplicity's sake
sudo chmod 755 /etc/init.d/wireless.sh
sudo update-rc.d wireless.sh defaults #this will make it run at boot Hope it helps (don't have an atheros card, so i can't test it)

idea #2: otherwise you can set a script to install the drivers, such as #!/bin/bash
sudo ndiswrapper -i /path/to/driver/
sudo modprobe ndiswrapper and save it in a script, then make it run at boot like i listed above.

idea #3: Also, check to see if you blacklisted the ath_pci driver by doing sudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist and seeing if there is a line that read "blacklist ath_pci" if it doesn't exist, add it.

good luck,
Lswest

**Note** the ideas are numbered according to when i thought of them, not in what order you should try them.

[Aearenda]

It seems to me that if the blacklist entry is right, the rest of lswest's steps are unnecessary. However, I have seen a problem with some wireless cards such that they only start up on the second attempt - so
ifdown wlan0
ifup wlan0
added to /etc/rc.local will make it work.

[lswest]

It seems to me that if the blacklist entry is right, the rest of lswest's steps are unnecessary. However, I have seen a problem with some wireless cards such that they only start up on the second attempt - so
ifdown wlan0
ifup wlan0
added to /etc/rc.local will make it work.

um, the "other steps" are all seperate ideas, wait, i'll number them. Sorry for any confusion.

*edit* numbered and noted.

Also, i think the issue is with conflicting drivers (the ath_pci and the ndiswrapper drivers), not so much a startup error.

[Aearenda]

Sorry lswest, I did understand that, it's MY language that's wrong! I should have said 'suggestions' or 'ideas'.

You may well be right about the driver conflict.

[it_broke_again]

Lswest, I did try creating the two scripts that you had suggested and they were a big help. Though I didn't get a chance to formally set them up, they helped me to avoid reinstalling the driver after every startup-- which is tiresome.

Though I was interested in trying out all the suggestions that you and Aearenda made, I cannot because I am no longer near a wireless network (back from college). I thank you both for your help and I will keep this thread bookmarked to give any further comments or thank yous when I return to college (and the wireless network there).

:)

[lswest]

I hope it works for you, and any feedback would be greatly appreciated.