Lenove R500 wireless not working with 9.04

[jgmillr1]

I just got my R500, partly based on user comments and reviews that the wireless worked out of the box. Not sure if Lenovo swapped in a different wireless card, but I'm having trouble getting to work.

The laptop has a switch to enable/disable the wireless. It is switched "on" and at least the bluetooth led lights and Ubuntu toggles the bluetooth icon when I switch off and on. The wireless led never lights up though. I've tried the switch and the Fn-F5 combo but that only toggles the bluetooth again. So, I'm not sure if it is an issue with the device being off or not recognized. Either way, any help is appreciated.

I can't tell what kind of wireless card is installed. Here are some relevant outputs that may help:

jgmillr1@john-laptop:~$ lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Memory Controller Hub (rev 07)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 07)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 07)
00:03.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset MEI Controller (rev 07)
00:1a.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 03)
00:1a.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 (rev 03)
00:1a.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #6 (rev 03)
00:1a.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 03)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 03)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 03)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 4 (rev 03)
00:1c.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 5 (rev 03)
00:1c.5 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 6 (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 03)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev 93)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation ICH9M LPC Interface Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation ICH9M/M-E SATA AHCI Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 03)
03:00.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 8172 (rev 10)
04:00.0 Ethernet controller: Broadcom Corporation NetLink BCM5787M Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express (rev 02)
15:00.0 CardBus bridge: Ricoh Co Ltd RL5c476 II (rev ba)
15:00.1 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Ricoh Co Ltd R5C832 IEEE 1394 Controller (rev 04)
15:00.2 SD Host controller: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C822 SD/SDIO/MMC/MS/MSPro Host Adapter (rev 21)
15:00.3 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C843 MMC Host Controller (rev ff)
15:00.4 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C592 Memory Stick Bus Host Adapter (rev 11)
15:00.5 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd xD-Picture Card Controller (rev 11)

jgmillr1@john-laptop:~$ lsusb
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 008 Device 002: ID 17ef:1003 Lenovo
Bus 008 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 17ef:1004 Lenovo
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 010: ID 0a5c:2145 Broadcom Corp.
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

jgmillr1@john-laptop:~$ dmesg | grep iwl
jgmillr1@john-laptop:~$

[shanix]

Can you provide the lspci -vv & the dmesg file?

Thanks,

[w00tstock]

I also am having this problem with my w500. I am gona go out on a limb and say you got the new lenovo branded bgn card.

Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 8172 (rev 10)
Subsystem: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device e020
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- DisINTx-
Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
Latency: 0, Cache Line Size: 64 bytes
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 11
Region 0: I/O ports at 3000 [size=256]
Region 1: Memory at f4200000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 3
Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=375mA PME(D0+,D1+,D2+,D3hot+,D3cold-)
Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-
Capabilities: [50] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit+ Queue=0/0 Enable-
Address: 0000000000000000 Data: 0000
Capabilities: [70] Express (v1) Legacy Endpoint, MSI 00
DevCap: MaxPayload 256 bytes, PhantFunc 0, Latency L0s <512ns, L1 <64us
ExtTag- AttnBtn- AttnInd- PwrInd- RBE+ FLReset-
DevCtl: Report errors: Correctable- Non-Fatal- Fatal- Unsupported-
RlxdOrd+ ExtTag- PhantFunc- AuxPwr- NoSnoop-
MaxPayload 128 bytes, MaxReadReq 512 bytes
DevSta: CorrErr+ UncorrErr- FatalErr- UnsuppReq+ AuxPwr- TransPend-
LnkCap: Port #0, Speed 2.5GT/s, Width x1, ASPM L0s L1, Latency L0 <512ns, L1 <64us
ClockPM- Suprise- LLActRep- BwNot-
LnkCtl: ASPM L0s L1 Enabled; RCB 64 bytes Disabled- Retrain- CommClk+
ExtSynch- ClockPM- AutWidDis- BWInt- AutBWInt-
LnkSta: Speed 2.5GT/s, Width x1, TrErr- Train- SlotClk+ DLActive- BWMgmt- ABWMgmt-
Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting <?>
Capabilities: [140] Virtual Channel <?>

There is also a thread on this card on the lenovo linux forums
http://forums.lenovo.com/lnv/board/m...essage.id=1196

[Spicewood]

I too have this exact same problem. I did get the new lenovo branded wireless card. Clearly I should have gotten the intel one.

From what I can tell, the new card a Realtek 8172 chip that uses the 8192se driver on vista. I went to the Lenovo website and they did not have any realtek drivers there. All their drivers were for some other company. I tried to install them and they did not work (under windows). And of course the vista drivers that came preinstalled on my machine do not work with ndiswrapper.

My next goal is to try and find some realtek drivers for XP and try them with ndiswrapper. But I have not found any.

A pointer to some working drivers would be a great help.

[Spicewood]

I got XP drivers from the lenovo post - thanks. I installed them with ndiswrapper and they recognize the card and everything looked good. Unfortunately after installing/loading ndiswrapper itself no wlan0 appeared. At this point I am at a loss. Ndiswrapper seems to be working, but the card does not turn on and there is no network interface for it.

[shanix]

Can you provide the link for the XP driver that you found?
Also, Have you checked with the

ifconfig -a

command? Perhaps it is just not turn on...

[mrvklaw]

I have exactly this problem with my new T500. I was under the impression that the Thinkpad branded wireless was an Atheros chp, but they seem to have recently changed that.

There is a discussion over at the Lenovo forums as well:

http://forums.lenovo.com/lnv/board/m...thread.id=1195

I tried installing both the XP and Vista drivers with ndiswrapper, but it fails with some unknown symbols in the log file.

If anyone has any ideas about getting this to work, I would really appreciate it.

Output from ndiswrapper:

Jun 15 16:26:56 daneel kernel: [66358.875840] ndiswrapper (ntoskernel_exit:2671): object f6282220(2) was not freed, freeing it now
Jun 15 16:27:00 daneel kernel: [66363.749396] ndiswrapper version 1.53 loaded (smp=yes, preempt=no)
Jun 15 16:27:01 daneel loadndisdriver: loadndisdriver: load_driver(358): couldn't load driver net8192se 
Jun 15 16:27:01 daneel kernel: [66363.833260] ndiswrapper (import:242): unknown symbol: ntoskrnl.exe:'IoWMIQueryAllData'
Jun 15 16:27:01 daneel kernel: [66363.833278] ndiswrapper (import:242): unknown symbol: ntoskrnl.exe:'IoWMIOpenBlock'
Jun 15 16:27:01 daneel kernel: [66363.833788] ndiswrapper (load_sys_files:206): couldn't prepare driver 'net8192se'
Jun 15 16:27:01 daneel kernel: [66363.834505] ndiswrapper (load_wrap_driver:108): couldn't load driver net8192se; check system log for messages from 'loadndisdriver'
Jun 15 16:27:01 daneel kernel: [66363.840546] usbcore: registered new interface driver ndiswrapper

lspci -vv:

03:00.0 Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 8172 (rev 10)
        Subsystem: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device e020
        Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- DisINTx-
        Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
        Latency: 0, Cache Line Size: 64 bytes
        Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 11
        Region 0: I/O ports at 3000 [size=256]
        Region 1: Memory at f4200000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
        Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 3
                Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=375mA PME(D0+,D1+,D2+,D3hot+,D3cold-)
                Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-
        Capabilities: [50] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit+ Queue=0/0 Enable-
                Address: 0000000000000000  Data: 0000
        Capabilities: [70] Express (v1) Legacy Endpoint, MSI 00
                DevCap: MaxPayload 256 bytes, PhantFunc 0, Latency L0s <512ns, L1 <64us
                        ExtTag- AttnBtn- AttnInd- PwrInd- RBE+ FLReset-
                DevCtl: Report errors: Correctable- Non-Fatal- Fatal- Unsupported-
                        RlxdOrd+ ExtTag- PhantFunc- AuxPwr- NoSnoop-
                        MaxPayload 128 bytes, MaxReadReq 512 bytes
                DevSta: CorrErr+ UncorrErr- FatalErr- UnsuppReq- AuxPwr- TransPend-
                LnkCap: Port #0, Speed 2.5GT/s, Width x1, ASPM L0s L1, Latency L0 <512ns, L1 <64us
                        ClockPM- Suprise- LLActRep- BwNot-
                LnkCtl: ASPM L0s L1 Enabled; RCB 64 bytes Disabled- Retrain- CommClk+
                        ExtSynch- ClockPM- AutWidDis- BWInt- AutBWInt-
                LnkSta: Speed 2.5GT/s, Width x1, TrErr- Train- SlotClk+ DLActive- BWMgmt- ABWMgmt-
        Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting <?>
        Capabilities: [140] Virtual Channel <?>
        Capabilities: [160] Device Serial Number 00-e0-4c-ff-fe-22-55-88

[1caras]

I have the same chipset, Realtek 8172 on a Lenovo T400. After some tinkering trying to ndiswrapper in a winXP driver, I'm getting conflicting messages: the driver seems to have installed correctly, but it doesn't actually load.

I started by using the generic ndiswrapper guide using the inf and sys drivers found here. Punching in

sudo modprobe ndiswrapper

gives me

"net8192se : driver installed
device (10EC:8172) present"

but after loading, ndisgtk gives me an "Unable to see if hardware is present" message, even though it lists the driver as installed, with hardware present. iwconfig and ifconfig don't see it either.

Any ideas would of course be appreciated, or if someone can build upon this. Also, does anyone know if this chipset is to get official support in the future?

Thanks in advance...

[mrvklaw]

Any ideas would of course be appreciated, or if someone can build upon this. Also, does anyone know if this chipset is to get official support in the future?

Thanks in advance...

In your syslog, do you see any errors? I see the following whenever I load that driver with ndiswrapper:

Jul  9 09:46:05 daneel loadndisdriver: loadndisdriver: load_driver(358): couldn't load driver net8192se 
Jul  9 09:46:05 daneel kernel: [72894.293895] ndiswrapper (import:242): unknown symbol: ntoskrnl.exe:'IoWMIQueryAllData'
Jul  9 09:46:05 daneel kernel: [72894.293901] ndiswrapper (import:242): unknown symbol: ntoskrnl.exe:'IoWMIOpenBlock'
Jul  9 09:46:05 daneel kernel: [72894.294054] ndiswrapper (load_sys_files:206): couldn't prepare driver 'net8192se'
Jul  9 09:46:05 daneel kernel: [72894.294249] ndiswrapper (load_wrap_driver:108): couldn't load driver net8192se; check system log for messages from 'loadndisdriver'
Jul  9 09:46:05 daneel kernel: [72894.296045] usbcore: registered new interface driver ndiswrapper

[_az_]

I had the same error message when using the WinXP(32-Bit) drivers. The Win2k Drivers work except for Encryption.