Can't get wireless card to work

**jpete** · September 30th, 2008

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I am trying to use madwifi with my Linksys WMP110 pci card.

I can get it to install the module, modprobe shows ath_pci is installed, but I can't get anything to work after that. I am following the how to the madwifi site.

http://madwifi.org/wiki/UserDocs/Fir...eMadWifiModule

I had tried to use ndiswrapper but that didn't seem to work either.

This is really making want to pitch Linux and go back to Windows so if someone can help, I'd really appreciate it.

**pytheas22** · September 30th, 2008

Sorry no one responded till now. If you could please open a terminal, run the following commands and post the output here, I'll try to find instructions on getting your card working:

Code:

lshw -C Network
lspci -nn
uname -m
dmesg | grep -e ath -e wlan

madwifi is going through a lot of changes lately (switching to ath5k/ath9k) that make it confusing to understand which version you need to install, but with the above information I'll look it up and give you instructions.

**jpete** · September 30th, 2008

Thanks for the help. Here are the results.

lshw -C Network

Code:

jeff@jeff-desktop:~$ sudo lshw -C Network
[sudo] password for jeff:
  *-network:0 UNCLAIMED
       description: Network controller
       product: AR5416 802.11abgn Wireless PCI Adapter
       vendor: Atheros Communications Inc.
       physical id: e
       bus info: pci@0000:00:0e.0
       version: 01
       width: 32 bits
       clock: 66MHz
       capabilities: bus_master cap_list
       configuration: latency=64
  *-network:1
       description: Ethernet interface
       product: VT6102 [Rhine-II]
       vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
       physical id: 12
       bus info: pci@0000:00:12.0
       logical name: eth0
       version: 78
       serial: 00:13:d4:8e:9a:36
       size: 100MB/s
       capacity: 100MB/s
       width: 32 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd autonegotiation
       configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=via-rhine driverversion=1.4.3 duplex=full ip=192.168.1.2 latency=64 link=yes maxlatency=8 mingnt=3 module=via_rhine multicast=yes port=MII speed=100MB/s

lspci -nn

Code:

jeff@jeff-desktop:~$ sudo lspci -nn
00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: VIA Technologies, Inc. K8T800Pro Host Bridge [1106:0282]
00:00.1 Host bridge [0600]: VIA Technologies, Inc. K8T800Pro Host Bridge [1106:1282]
00:00.2 Host bridge [0600]: VIA Technologies, Inc. K8T800Pro Host Bridge [1106:2282]
00:00.3 Host bridge [0600]: VIA Technologies, Inc. K8T800Pro Host Bridge [1106:3282]
00:00.4 Host bridge [0600]: VIA Technologies, Inc. K8T800Pro Host Bridge [1106:4282]
00:00.7 Host bridge [0600]: VIA Technologies, Inc. K8T800Pro Host Bridge [1106:7282]
00:01.0 PCI bridge [0604]: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8237 PCI bridge [K8T800/K8T890 South] [1106:b188]
00:0e.0 Network controller [0280]: Atheros Communications Inc. AR5416 802.11abgn Wireless PCI Adapter [168c:0023] (rev 01)
00:0f.0 RAID bus controller [0104]: VIA Technologies, Inc. VIA VT6420 SATA RAID Controller [1106:3149] (rev 80)
00:0f.1 IDE interface [0101]: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C PIPC Bus Master IDE [1106:0571] (rev 06)
00:10.0 USB Controller [0c03]: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller [1106:3038] (rev 81)
00:10.1 USB Controller [0c03]: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller [1106:3038] (rev 81)
00:10.2 USB Controller [0c03]: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller [1106:3038] (rev 81)
00:10.3 USB Controller [0c03]: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller [1106:3038] (rev 81)
00:10.4 USB Controller [0c03]: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB 2.0 [1106:3104] (rev 86)
00:11.0 ISA bridge [0601]: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8237 ISA bridge [KT600/K8T800/K8T890 South] [1106:3227]
00:11.5 Multimedia audio controller [0401]: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller [1106:3059] (rev 60)
00:11.6 Communication controller [0780]: VIA Technologies, Inc. AC'97 Modem Controller [1106:3068] (rev 80)
00:12.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6102 [Rhine-II] [1106:3065] (rev 78)
00:18.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] HyperTransport Technology Configuration [1022:1100]
00:18.1 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Address Map [1022:1101]
00:18.2 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] DRAM Controller [1022:1102]
00:18.3 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Miscellaneous Control [1022:1103]
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: nVidia Corporation NV34 [GeForce FX 5500] [10de:0326] (rev a1)

uname -m

Code:

x86_64

dmesg | grep -e ath -e wlan didn't return any result.(???)

**pytheas22** · October 1st, 2008

I think (according to this thread) that your card will work using madwifi (ath_pci), but needs a later version than the one that ships with Ubuntu 8.04 (support for your wireless card seems to have been added in August, but Ubuntu 8.04 was released in April, and uses the version of madwifi available then). So you need to compile the latest madwifi release from source.

In this thread there's a script and instructions that will allow you to compile the latest madwifi very easily. Please try following them and let us know the results.

If after running that script things still don't work, please post the output (in the following order) of:

Code:

modinfo ath_pci
sudo modprobe ath_pci
lshw -C Network

**jpete** · October 1st, 2008

Thanks! It seems to have advanced things along. Is there someplace I need to put in a security key, or something?

Here is the output you were looking for.
modinfo ath_pci

Code:

jeff@jeff-desktop:~/WiFi/madwifi-0.9.4$ modinfo ath_pci
filename:       /lib/modules/2.6.24-19-generic/net/ath_pci.ko
license:        Dual BSD/GPL
version:        svn r3867
description:    Support for Atheros 802.11 wireless LAN cards.
author:         Errno Consulting, Sam Leffler
srcversion:     616AE27CB2B255045A8CB61
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00009013sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00000024sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00000023sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd0000001Dsv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd0000001Csv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd0000001Bsv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd0000001Asv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00000019sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00000018sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00000017sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00000016sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00000015sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd0000101Asv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00001014sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v000010B7d00000013sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000A727d00000013sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00000013sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00000012sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias:          pci:v0000168Cd00000007sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
depends:        ath_hal,wlan
vermagic:       2.6.24-19-generic SMP mod_unload
parm:           beacon_cal:int
parm:           countrycode:Override default country code.  Default is 0. (int)
parm:           maxvaps:Maximum VAPs.  Default is 4. (int)
parm:           outdoor:Enable/disable outdoor use.  Default is 0. (int)
parm:           xchanmode:Enable/disable extended channel mode. (int)
parm:           rfkill:Enable/disable RFKILL capability.  Default is 0. (int)
parm:           hal_tpc:Disables manual per-packet transmit power control and lets this be managed by the HAL.  Default is OFF. (int)
parm:           autocreate:Create ath device in [sta|ap|wds|adhoc|ahdemo|monitor] mode. defaults to sta, use 'none' to disable (charp)
parm:           ratectl:Rate control algorithm [amrr|minstrel|onoe|sample], defaults to 'sample' (charp)
parm:           intmit:Enable interference mitigation by default.  Default is 0. (int)
parm:           ath_debug:Load-time driver debug output enable (int)
parm:           ieee80211_debug:Load-time 802.11 debug output enable (int)

sudo modprobe ath_pci doesn't return much except a bunch of stray entries I made while trying to unblacklist the ath_pci module.

One of these days, I'll ask you how to get them out of there!

lshw -C Network

Code:

jeff@jeff-desktop:~/WiFi/madwifi-0.9.4$ lshw -C Network
WARNING: you should run this program as super-user.
  *-network:0
       description: Wireless interface
       product: AR5416 802.11abgn Wireless PCI Adapter
       vendor: Atheros Communications Inc.
       physical id: e
       bus info: pci@0000:00:0e.0
       logical name: wifi0
       version: 01
       serial: 00:1e:e5:fb:5a:38
       width: 32 bits
       clock: 66MHz
       capabilities: bus_master cap_list logical ethernet physical wireless
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=ath_pci latency=96 module=ath_pci multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11g
  *-network:1
       description: Ethernet interface
       product: VT6102 [Rhine-II]
       vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
       physical id: 12
       bus info: pci@0000:00:12.0
       logical name: eth0
       version: 78
       serial: 00:13:d4:8e:9a:36
       width: 32 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: bus_master cap_list ethernet physical
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=via-rhine driverversion=1.4.3 ip=192.168.1.2 latency=64 maxlatency=8 mingnt=3 module=via_rhine multicast=yes

It looks like it picked up the wireless card. I am using KWiFiManager/KDE3 to try to pick up the wifi signal without any luck yet. Is there something else I need to use or do?

I seriously want to thank you again. I've been pulling my hair out all weekend trying to get this to go. I was just about ready to uninstall the OS and do a fresh install. Something I hated doing with Windows and was really disappointed that I was going to have to start doing it with Linux too.

**jpete** · October 1st, 2008

Well, it was working after I did what you said but after a reboot, it seems like it's off again. Is this script something that has to be done every time?

lshw -C Network returns "unclaimed" again for network 0.

**jpete** · October 1st, 2008

Well, I got it back. I followed that thread you posted to the end and there was another script which loads the original script every time.

But I'm back to my original problem. It shows the wifi connection, but I still can't connect.

Any suggestions?

**pytheas22** · October 1st, 2008

Were you ever able to connect and load web pages? Can you connect if you turn encryption off on your router?

Also, what do you mean when you say, "It shows the wifi connection, but I still can't connect?" Can you see wireless networks but just not manage to connect to them? Or do you just mean that a wireless interface is detected, but you can't even see networks with it?

Please also do a fresh reboot, then (before doing anything else) post the output of:

Code:

lsmod | grep ath
sudo modprobe ath_pci
lshw -C Network
sudo iwlist scan

In any case, I think you are a lot closer now than you were before...at least the interface is definitely being recognized.

**jpete** · October 1st, 2008

Originally Posted by pytheas22

Were you ever able to connect and load web pages? Can you connect if you turn encryption off on your router?

Also, what do you mean when you say, "It shows the wifi connection, but I still can't connect?" Can you see wireless networks but just not manage to connect to them? Or do you just mean that a wireless interface is detected, but you can't even see networks with it?

Please also do a fresh reboot, then (before doing anything else) post the output of:

Code:

lsmod | grep ath
sudo modprobe ath_pci
lshw -C Network
sudo iwlist scan

In any case, I think you are a lot closer now than you were before...at least the interface is definitely being recognized.

What I mean is that KWiFiManager used to show a big red "X" and say "Disabled". Now the icon is of a computer and says "Out of range" even though the router is sitting on top of the computer. I have Verizon FiOS so I don't know how to turn encryption off.

Here is the output you requested.

Code:

jeff@jeff-desktop:~$ lsmod | grep ath
ath_rate_sample        17024  1
ath_pci               251072  0
wlan                  253472  4 wlan_scan_sta,ath_rate_sample,ath_pci
ath_hal               280320  3 ath_rate_sample,ath_pci

sudo modprobe ath_pci doesn't return anything except some bad entries I got in there while trying to unblacklist the ath_pci module. I don't know how to get the bad entries out.

Code:

jeff@jeff-desktop:~$ lshw -C Network
WARNING: you should run this program as super-user.
  *-network:0
       description: Wireless interface
       product: AR5416 802.11abgn Wireless PCI Adapter
       vendor: Atheros Communications Inc.
       physical id: e
       bus info: pci@0000:00:0e.0
       logical name: wifi0
       version: 01
       serial: 00:1e:e5:fb:5a:38
       width: 32 bits
       clock: 66MHz
       capabilities: bus_master cap_list logical ethernet physical wireless
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=ath_pci latency=96 module=ath_pci multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11g
  *-network:1
       description: Ethernet interface
       product: VT6102 [Rhine-II]
       vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
       physical id: 12
       bus info: pci@0000:00:12.0
       logical name: eth0
       version: 78
       serial: 00:13:d4:8e:9a:36
       width: 32 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: bus_master cap_list ethernet physical
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=via-rhine driverversion=1.4.3 ip=192.168.1.2 latency=64 maxlatency=8 mingnt=3 module=via_rhine multicast=yes

Code:

jeff@jeff-desktop:~$ sudo iwlist scan
lo        Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0      Interface doesn't support scanning.

wifi0     Interface doesn't support scanning.

ath0      Scan completed :
          Cell 01 - Address: 00:18:01:EF:D2:70
                    ESSID:"VLLZ2"
                    Mode:Master
                    Frequency:2.412 GHz (Channel 1)
                    Quality=54/70  Signal level=-41 dBm  Noise level=-95 dBm
                    Encryption key:on
                    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:bcn_int=100
                    Extra:wme_ie=dd180050f2020101020003a4000027a4000042435e0062322f00
                    Extra:ath_ie=dd0900037f010100200000

Thanks again for all the help.

**pytheas22** · October 2nd, 2008

It looks like things should work, so I'm not positive why you can't get online. Let's try connecting manually from the command-line to see if that helps. If you run:

Code:

sudo iwconfig ath0 mode managed channel 1 essid "VLLZ2" key "your WEP key in quotes without colons"
sudo dhclient ath0

what happens?

Also, I assume that your network uses WEP encryption (and from the information you posted, it seems like it does). If it uses WPA, please let me know, as the commands need to connect are very different in that case. If you use WEP, your encryption key should look something like 'A4F6G7E2D1' If you use WPA, your key would more likely be a dictionary word.

You may also want to try installing wicd and using it to connect; many people have better luck with it.