Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 38

Thread: Enable Wireless - unchecked and greyed out

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Beans
    5

    Enable Wireless - unchecked and greyed out

    Hi everyone,

    I'm hoping you can help with a query. I'm running Ubuntu Linux 9.10 and have been connected to my wireless modem/router (linksys) without any trouble.

    Until today, when I foolishly decided to change my system password. I was prompted for my network password which I thought I had correct, but apparently didn't. Now, when I click on my icon for internet connections the 'enable wireless' button is unchecked, and greyed out, so I can't click it back on.

    I logged into my modem/router and re-set the password, and that's all okay.

    In the meantime I'm connected via the cable to the router.

    I checked the settings and my network is disabled as per below. I've unplugged and restarted the linksys, and also my laptop several times.

    I know this set up works, I just need to find the 'switch' to turn the wireless networking back on.

    Thanks for your help!
    Lisa

    lisa@lisa-laptop:~$ sudo lshw -C network
    [sudo] password for lisa:
    *-network DISABLED
    description: Wireless interface
    product: AR5001 Wireless Network Adapter
    vendor: Atheros Communications Inc.
    physical id: 0
    bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
    logical name: wmaster0
    version: 01
    serial: 00:15:af:1e:a5:bf
    width: 64 bits
    clock: 33MHz
    capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix bus_master cap_list logical ethernet physical wireless
    configuration: broadcast=yes driver=ath5k latency=0 multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11bg
    resources: irq:19 memory:dc7f0000-dc7fffff
    lisa@lisa-laptop:~$ ^C
    lisa@lisa-laptop:~$ ^C
    lisa@lisa-laptop:~$

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    South Carolina, USA
    Beans
    26,047
    Distro
    Ubuntu Development Release

    Re: Enable Wireless - unchecked and greyed out

    *-network DISABLED
    description: Wireless interface
    product: AR5001 Wireless Network Adapter
    I just need to find the 'switch' to turn the wireless networking back on.
    That's exactly what it looks like. Please post:
    Code:
    rfkill list
    Thanks.
    "Oh, Ubuntu, you are my favorite Linux-based operating system" --Dr. Sheldon Cooper, B.Sc., M.Sc., M.A., Ph.D., Sc.D.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Beans
    5

    Re: Enable Wireless - unchecked and greyed out

    thanks for your help

    is this what you are after?

    lisa@lisa-laptop:~$ rfkill list
    0: phy0: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: yes
    lisa@lisa-laptop:~$

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    South Carolina, USA
    Beans
    26,047
    Distro
    Ubuntu Development Release

    Re: Enable Wireless - unchecked and greyed out

    Yes! This means there is a hardware switch or slider somewhere on your laptop that switches the wireless on and off. It is switched off.
    lisa@lisa-laptop:~$ rfkill list
    0: phy0: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: yes
    Find it, switch it and be back in business.
    I just need to find the 'switch' to turn the wireless networking back on.
    Totally.
    "Oh, Ubuntu, you are my favorite Linux-based operating system" --Dr. Sheldon Cooper, B.Sc., M.Sc., M.A., Ph.D., Sc.D.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Beans
    18

    Re: Enable Wireless - unchecked and greyed out

    I have the exact same problem!

    The command
    Code:
    rfkill list
    gives the following for me:

    Wireless Hardware Switch On
    0: dell-wifi: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: no
    1: phy0: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: no


    Wireless Hardware Switch Off
    0: dell-wifi: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: yes
    Hard blocked: yes
    1: phy0: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: yes
    Hard blocked: yes


    Wireless Hardware Switch On Again
    0: dell-wifi: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: yes
    1: phy0: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: no


    Wireless Hardware Switch Off Again
    0: dell-wifi: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: yes
    Hard blocked: yes
    1: phy0: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: yes
    Hard blocked: yes
    and so on....

    Any idea why this is happening? I have another Gateway Laptop where I have no problems at all connecting to wireless networks. So is this some driver problem or a bug?

    Any quick fixes?

    I'm on Ubuntu 10.04 and my Wireless Card is:
    Intel Wireless 6200 AGN

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Ciudad Juarez
    Beans
    47
    Distro
    Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope

    Re: Enable Wireless - unchecked and greyed out

    I have a Dell Inspiron 1720 where, if I reboot my computer with the wifi switch turned ON, I cannot connect to any wifi networks, the "enable wireless" is unchecked and grayed out. However, if I make sure to have my switch in the OFF position when it's rebooting, once I log in, I turn ON my wifi and I am able to connect. It really sucks having to remember to turn off my wifi, or even worse, having to reboot my computer just because I forgot to turn it off. This happens to me with both Broadcom drivers. Here are some outputs:
    Code:
    lspci | grep Broadcom
    03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4401-B0 100Base-TX (rev 02)
    0c:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4311 802.11b/g WLAN (rev 01)
    Code:
    rfkill list
    0: hci0: Bluetooth
    	Soft blocked: yes
    	Hard blocked: no
    1: dell-wifi: Wireless LAN
    	Soft blocked: no
    	Hard blocked: yes
    2: dell-bluetooth: Bluetooth
    	Soft blocked: yes
    	Hard blocked: yes
    Any help is really appreciated.

    EDIT: After reading a few more posts, I found that by running "sudo rmmod -f dell-laptop" I am able to turn on the wifi.
    Last edited by arqbrulo; July 5th, 2010 at 12:01 AM. Reason: Solved
    "Yo no soy cobarde, Padre, yo soy pacifista, que no es lo mismo. Odio el derramamiento de sangre inutil, y tambien el util. Por eso yo odio la guerra. La guerra fria, la guerra caliente y la guerra fria." -- Tin Tan

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Singapore
    Beans
    31
    Distro
    Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx

    Re: Enable Wireless - unchecked and greyed out

    I have a similar problem, following a re-installation of 10.04.
    Wireless Network in Network Manager is greyed out and not enabled:

    lshw -C network

    *-network DISABLED
    description: Wireless interface
    product: PRO/Wireless 4965 AG or AGN [Kedron] Network Connection
    vendor: Intel Corporation
    physical id: 0
    bus info: pci@0000:10:00.0
    logical name: wlan0
    version: 61
    serial: 00:1d:e0:67:7b:03
    width: 64 bits
    clock: 33MHz
    capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
    configuration: broadcast=yes driver=iwlagn latency=0 multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11abgn
    resources: irq:30 memory:d8000000-d8001fff


    My WiFi switch (keyboard/LED switch) does not light up when I turn it on and off:

    rfkill list
    0: phy0: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: yes
    andy@ubuntu-laptop:~$ rfkill list
    0: phy0: Wireless LAN
    Soft blocked: no
    Hard blocked: yes

    The wireless hardware is enabled at power on and not disabled in the BIOS.
    It works perfectly when I boot Windows, and also worked perfectly with my previous Ubuntu 10.04 installation.

    I have even reinstalled 10.04 while the wireless was toggled 'On' and it made no difference.
    Windows Poweruser since 1996 but now a Vista refugee to Ubuntu 10.04

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    London, England
    Beans
    Hidden!
    Distro
    Ubuntu Development Release

    Re: Enable Wireless - unchecked and greyed out

    When visiting my sister recently, I checked out her laptop (make not noticed). Her daughter had put a stickly label on the top of the screen saying "switch off wireless." I guess there was a reason for this. By the way, the OS is Vista. So, this problem of needing to switch off wireless in hardware before re-booting might not be a Ubuntu problem.

    regards

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    South Carolina, USA
    Beans
    26,047
    Distro
    Ubuntu Development Release

    Re: Enable Wireless - unchecked and greyed out

    My WiFi switch (keyboard/LED switch) does not light up when I turn it on and off
    What kind of laptop is it? Please tell us the brand and model.
    "Oh, Ubuntu, you are my favorite Linux-based operating system" --Dr. Sheldon Cooper, B.Sc., M.Sc., M.A., Ph.D., Sc.D.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Singapore
    Beans
    31
    Distro
    Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx

    Re: Enable Wireless - unchecked and greyed out

    Quote Originally Posted by chili555 View Post
    What kind of laptop is it? Please tell us the brand and model.
    HP 6910p
    Windows Poweruser since 1996 but now a Vista refugee to Ubuntu 10.04

Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •