Wireless network does not like Ubuntu only windows.

[Nem1976]

Good morning all.

I just started working with a new company this last week and I have run into an issue with my Ubuntu Laptop. I can't connect to the wireless network. The Access points are Cisco and the DHCP is a program call firstspot.

I can connect to the wireless via Windows Vista which I have on the laptop as well(via dualboot).

If I try to connect using Wicd Manager I just get obtaining IP address. It goes for about 1 min then just stops trying. I talked to the System admin and he mentioned that he has also had issues with Mac's connecting to the wireless network as well.

With out taking or changing the wireless network is there something I can test or try to see where the problem is located.

I'm starting to think that the gateway server that is handing out dhcp is causing the issue but I wanted to be sure.

Thanks for any help.

[blazercist]

you need to provide alot more information

in order to diagnose the problem you need to provide the output of these commands in terminal


sudo ifconfig


lsmod


depending on whether the wireless adapter in PCI or USB either:

lspci


or


lsusb

Also, you need to give us information about the security scheme in place on this network... is it WEP WPA etc...

[Nem1976]

Sorry for not providing enough info I'm still not awake and still green when it comes to linux.

Current security is none anyone can connect to the wireless network but if you try to browse the web you are taken to a login page were you need to provide a username and password.


sudo ifconfig


eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:16:d4:af:b2:58
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

lo Link encap:Local Loopback
inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1
RX packets:1907 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:1907 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:96228 (93.9 KB) TX bytes:96228 (93.9 KB)

wlan0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:19:d2:69:b8:96
UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:46 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:10662 (10.4 KB)

wlan0:avahi Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:19:d2:69:b8:96
inet addr:169.254.8.199 Bcast:169.254.255.255 Mask:255.255.0.0
UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

wmaster0 Link encap:UNSPEC HWaddr 00-19-D2-69-B8-96-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00
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)




lsmod

Module Size Used by
nls_iso8859_1 4992 1
nls_cp437 6656 1
vfat 14464 1
fat 54556 1 vfat
usb_storage 73664 1
libusual 19108 1 usb_storage
af_packet 23812 4
binfmt_misc 12808 1
i915 32512 2
drm 82452 3 i915
rfcomm 41744 2
l2cap 25728 13 rfcomm
bluetooth 61156 4 rfcomm,l2cap
ipv6 267780 16
ppdev 10372 0
acpi_cpufreq 10796 1
cpufreq_conservative 8712 0
cpufreq_ondemand 9740 1
cpufreq_userspace 5284 0
cpufreq_powersave 2688 0
cpufreq_stats 7104 0
freq_table 5536 3 acpi_cpufreq,cpufreq_ondemand,cpufreq_stats
sbs 15112 0
sbshc 7680 1 sbs
dock 11280 0
iptable_filter 3840 0
ip_tables 14820 1 iptable_filter
x_tables 16132 1 ip_tables
parport_pc 36260 0
lp 12324 0
parport 37832 3 ppdev,parport_pc,lp
arc4 2944 2
ecb 4480 2
blkcipher 8324 1 ecb
joydev 13120 0
pcmcia 40876 0
snd_hda_intel 344728 3
snd_pcm_oss 42144 0
snd_mixer_oss 17920 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm 78596 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss
snd_page_alloc 11400 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
snd_hwdep 10500 1 snd_hda_intel
iwl3945 89844 0
iwlwifi_mac80211 219108 1 iwl3945
cfg80211 15112 1 iwlwifi_mac80211
snd_seq_dummy 4868 0
battery 14212 0
video 19856 0
output 4736 1 video
container 5632 0
snd_seq_oss 35584 0
snd_seq_midi 9376 0
ac 6916 0
snd_rawmidi 25760 1 snd_seq_midi
psmouse 40336 0
sdhci 19076 0
snd_seq_midi_event 8320 2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
serio_raw 7940 0
snd_seq 54224 6 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_mid i_event
mmc_core 51460 1 sdhci
yenta_socket 27276 1
rsrc_nonstatic 13696 1 yenta_socket
pcmcia_core 40596 3 pcmcia,yenta_socket,rsrc_nonstatic
snd_timer 24836 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device 9612 5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi ,snd_seq
button 9232 0
acer_acpi 18112 0
led_class 6020 1 acer_acpi
evdev 13056 8
snd 56996 17 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,sn d_hwdep,snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_rawmidi,snd_ seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
wmi_acer 9644 1 acer_acpi
intel_agp 25492 1
pcspkr 4224 0
soundcore 8800 1 snd
shpchp 34452 0
pci_hotplug 30880 1 shpchp
agpgart 34760 3 drm,intel_agp
iTCO_wdt 13092 0
iTCO_vendor_support 4868 1 iTCO_wdt
ext3 136712 1
jbd 48404 1 ext3
mbcache 9600 1 ext3
sg 36880 0
sr_mod 17956 0
cdrom 37408 1 sr_mod
sd_mod 30720 5
pata_acpi 8320 0
ata_piix 19588 2
b44 28432 0
ata_generic 8324 0
ssb 34308 1 b44
mii 6400 1 b44
libata 159344 3 pata_acpi,ata_piix,ata_generic
scsi_mod 151436 5 usb_storage,sg,sr_mod,sd_mod,libata
ehci_hcd 37900 0
uhci_hcd 27024 0
usbcore 146028 5 usb_storage,libusual,ehci_hcd,uhci_hcd
thermal 16796 3
processor 36872 4 acpi_cpufreq,thermal
fan 5636 0
fbcon 42912 0
tileblit 3456 1 fbcon
font 9472 1 fbcon
bitblit 6784 1 fbcon
softcursor 3072 1 bitblit
fuse 50580 3



lspci

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 02)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 02)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 3 (rev 02)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 4 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7 Family) SATA IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
05:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection (rev 02)
06:01.0 Ethernet controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4401-B0 100Base-TX (rev 02)
06:04.0 CardBus bridge: ENE Technology Inc CB-712/4 Cardbus Controller (rev 10)
06:04.1 FLASH memory: ENE Technology Inc ENE PCI Memory Stick Card Reader Controller (rev 01)
06:04.2 SD Host controller: ENE Technology Inc ENE PCI Secure Digital Card Reader Controller (rev 01)
06:04.3 FLASH memory: ENE Technology Inc FLASH memory: ENE Technology Inc: (rev 01)
06:04.4 FLASH memory: ENE Technology Inc SD/MMC Card Reader Controller (rev 01)

[blazercist]

It appears you have the same wireless chipset as me and your system is detecting the adapter correctly and the driver seems to be functioning properly....Why are you using Wicd? Why not just network-manager? I use network manager and it works just fine.

[Nem1976]

If I remember right I installed it to be able to see wireless networks with a hidden ssid. Every other network I can connect to it's just this specific network I'm having issues. I'm starting to think it's the Firstspot server causing the issue.

[blazercist]

could be, I had a problem with my home network once and I just set my router to factory defaults and the problem went away, maybe its the configuration on the AP thats causing the problem.

[Nem1976]

I'm starting to think that it's either the access points or the gateware server. Leaning more towards the gateway server(firstspot) since I'm running Cisco Access points.

[The incredible bulk]

First let me say sorry for your issues.

Second, I have a very large amount of wireless experience. From cisco to Mikrotik and about everything in between. I guess that said let's start on your issue.

Now as I understand the wireless link association process:

Connect to the access point in question (usually identified by bssid)
exchange security information so that the client and ap can find a common token
agree on said protocol, and then the client hands the ap it's security information
AP authenticates and allows a REGISTRATION.
Network traffic is passed (including dhcp information)


If there's a breakdown at ANY step, you don't get good MOJO.

Now all that said (sorry for being windy) I would simply check my logs on the AP for an ASSOCIATION as cisco likes to call it... Mikrotik it's a registration.. but you get the idea. Simply check to see if the AP even is letting you in the door (you'd be looking for your the MAC address of your wireless card.)

Then look at the logs on your DHCP server, and see if your MAC shows up there. In my experience it's usually the cisco AP being a bit OVER ZEALOUS with it's security.

Hope this helps