Atheros ar928x working...

[mj_bell]

hmm, no bluetooth on my laptop - but I disabled anything bluetooth related (I think/hope) and still no luck!

locate wlan | grep sys sadly has no output...However output from just locate wlan is:

 /lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_acl
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_ccmp
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_scan_ap
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_scan_sta
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_tkip
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_wep
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_xauth
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan/wlan.mod.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan/wlan.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_acl/wlan_acl.mod.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_acl/wlan_acl.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_ccmp/wlan_ccmp.mod.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_ccmp/wlan_ccmp.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_scan_ap/wlan_scan_ap.mod.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_scan_ap/wlan_scan_ap.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_scan_sta/wlan_scan_sta.mod.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_scan_sta/wlan_scan_sta.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_tkip/wlan_tkip.mod.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_tkip/wlan_tkip.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_wep/wlan_wep.mod.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_wep/wlan_wep.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_xauth/wlan_xauth.mod.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-11-generic/wlan_xauth/wlan_xauth.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_acl
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_ccmp
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_scan_ap
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_scan_sta
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_tkip
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_wep
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_xauth
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan/wlan.mod.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan/wlan.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_acl/wlan_acl.mod.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_acl/wlan_acl.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_ccmp/wlan_ccmp.mod.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_ccmp/wlan_ccmp.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_scan_ap/wlan_scan_ap.mod.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_scan_ap/wlan_scan_ap.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_scan_sta/wlan_scan_sta.mod.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_scan_sta/wlan_scan_sta.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_tkip/wlan_tkip.mod.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_tkip/wlan_tkip.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_wep/wlan_wep.mod.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_wep/wlan_wep.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_xauth/wlan_xauth.mod.o
/lib/linux-restricted-modules/2.6.28-15-generic/wlan_xauth/wlan_xauth.o
/lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rndis_wlan.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.28-15-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rndis_wlan.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.28-15-generic/kernel/drivers/staging/wlan-ng
/lib/modules/2.6.28-15-generic/kernel/drivers/staging/wlan-ng/prism2_usb.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.28-15-generic/updates/rndis_wlan.ko
/usr/share/app-install/desktop/kwlan.desktop
/usr/share/app-install/icons/kwlan.png
/usr/share/hal/fdi/information/10freedesktop/10-dell-rfkill-switch-wlan.fdi
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11/drivers/staging/wlan-ng
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11/drivers/staging/wlan-ng/Kconfig
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11/drivers/staging/wlan-ng/Makefile
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic/include/config/wlan
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic/include/config/usb/net/rndis/wlan.h
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic/include/config/wlan/80211.h
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-11-generic/include/config/wlan/pre80211.h
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-15/drivers/staging/wlan-ng
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-15/drivers/staging/wlan-ng/Kconfig
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-15/drivers/staging/wlan-ng/Makefile
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-15-generic/include/config/wlan
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-15-generic/include/config/usb/net/rndis/wlan.h
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-15-generic/include/config/wlan/80211.h
/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.28-15-generic/include/config/wlan/pre80211.h

As for my laptop, its a Toshiba Satellite Pro P300 - 1CV. From lshw:

description: Notebook
product: Satellite Pro P300
vendor: TOSHIBA
version: PSPC9E-002003EN

[mj_bell]

Just noticed that in "User Settings" that "Connect to Ethernet and Wireless Networks" is unticked, but I cannot tick it (the whole area is grayed out). Could this possibly have anything to do with it (I'm currently connected to ethernet network, so I doubt it?) But thought it may be worth raising?

[pytheas22]

Thanks for all that information. Unfortunately, I did a lot of searching and the only other thing I turned up (besides the bug report referenced earlier) is this thread, where a German experiences the same problem with a Toshiba Pro 300 and ultimately gives up and buys an external wireless card.

In your case, I'm not sure what else to try, but it wouldn't hurt to recompile the compat-wireless package. To do that, first go to http://linuxwireless.org/download/compat-wireless-2.6 and download the file named "compat-wireless-2.6.tar.bz2." Save it to your desktop. Then run these commands:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install build-essential
cd ~/Desktop
tar -xjvf compat-wireless-2.6.tar.bz2
cd compat-wireless*
make
sudo make install
sudo make unload
sudo make load

Then reboot and see if "sudo iwlist scan" returns any results.

[mj_bell]

Think I've attempted using the compat package...but giving it another go, and appear to have a problem when trying to load:

sudo make load
Loading ipw2100...
Loading ipw2200...
Loading libertas_cs...
Loading usb8xxx...
Loading p54pci...
Loading p54usb...
Loading adm8211...
Loading zd1211rw...
Loading rtl8180...
Loading rtl8187...
Loading p54pci...
Loading p54usb...
Loading iwl3945...
Loading iwlagn...
Loading ath...
FATAL: Module ath not found.
Loading ar9170usb...
FATAL: Module ar9170usb not found.
Loading rtl8180...
Loading rtl8187...
Loading rt2400pci...
Loading rt2500pci...
Loading rt61pci...
Loading rt2500usb...
Loading rt73usb...
Loading rndis_wlan...
Loading at76_usb...
Loading mwl8k...
Loading mac80211_hwsim...
Loading at76c50x_usb...
./scripts/load.sh: line 20: athload: command not found
./scripts/load.sh: line 22: b43load: command not found
make: *** [load] Error 127

Strange...am I doing something wrong?

I really appreciate your help pytheas22

[pytheas22]

Those errors aren't too serious. If you just reboot, the new modules should be loaded. After a reboot, does "sudo iwlist scan" return anything?

[mj_bell]

Sadly no luck, still no results shown (although it still finds wlan in the search)...

I was thinking, if on other ar928x cards are solved by the jaunty package - and the ones weren't had a conflict with bluetooth, then could it be fair to assume that something that that comes with my Toshiba laptop is interfering with the wlan? Not sure what - but most likely something networking related, perhaps the built in modem?

Sadly I'm new to Linux, as you can tell, so not sure if this is likely or not..?

[pytheas22]

I'm sorry that didn't help. To be honest, I'm really not sure what's up with the ar928x cards. There are lots of reports of issues similar to yours with networks not showing during scans, but there seems to be little apparent logic behind the source of the problem, and no consistency in the solutions: what works for some people doesn't seem to help others. It doesn't make much sense that the built-in modem should cause the wireless card not to work, but who knows.

I'm not really sure what to try next. You could try burning a live CD of Ubuntu 9.10 alpha to see if the issue is fixed there.

I'm also vaguely suspicious that this has to do with acpi issues, so booting with acpi disabled might help. There are instructions for doing that here (they're old, but should still apply to Ubuntu 9.04).

[mj_bell]

Tried disabling ACPI and it makes wlan0 disappear from the iwlist scan results again... Also noticed that pan0 has gone, but I'm guessing that went when I removed the bluetooth stuff (as pan0 was loaded to deal with a personal area network, such as bluetooth, I assume)?

However after re-enabling acpi, sudo iwlist scan now shows wmaster0, which I don't remember being there before? Could this have anything to do with anything?

Haven't tried burning the latest alpha release yet - won't get chance for a few days to download it - when I will give it a go.

Think its getting to the give up/drop kick the laptop out of the window point..

Don't be sorry, really appreciate you helping me with this - learning a bit of linux in the process, which is good .

[pytheas22]

However after re-enabling acpi, sudo iwlist scan now shows wmaster0, which I don't remember being there before? Could this have anything to do with anything?

It looks like you had wmaster0 before (see iwlist output in post 46, for example), so unfortunately I don't think this means anything.

The only other thing I can suggest at this point is to give 9.10 alpha a try. I'd love to see this problem solved as it's really baffling to me (and you're not the only one I've tried to help on here with this issue)...

[mj_bell]

Sorry for the late reply!

I've upgraded to the latest version of Ubuntu (9.10 Alpha) and still no luck.

Is it worth printing my outputs for the above statements and seeing if there is anything new?