intel proset/wireless 3945ABG not working, HELP

[shift_00]

i hate the fact that i still have to use windows to get into the internet .. i'm a noob as worst noobs can come .. so please to whoever reply my call for rescue .. assume the typical windows user, who had JUST installed ubuntu .. thanks in advance ..

it's not working .. i'm on DELL INSPIRON 6400 .. and i have proset/wireless 3945ABG network card and has a wirless network environment, no no other way to get connected but that ..

symptoms:

the light isn't lit : the light of the wifi which is on the actual laptop is turned off

iwconfig returns no wireless extention

network manager used to have a wireless network section in it, not anymore

tried to install the ieee80211 but i keep getting this STUPID ERROR which has something to do a function first use "error: ‘proc_net’ undeclared (first use in this function)"

when i try to skip this and just install the ipw3945 package it and force IEEE80211_IGNORE_DUPLICATE=y or something like that .. it states that it couldn't find ieee80211

when i try: find /lib/farmeware "or something" i can notice some ipw's and ieee's but when i modprobe nothing is there and i keep getting error ..

as of which distribution it is .. i went into the ubuntu site and downladed the latest .. hardy i guess .. 8.*.24 ..

when i tried the windows wirless driver, the gui for ndiget or something :'( i loaded the inf file from the windows driver, and then it goes crazy, it freezez and every light there is starts flashing, the bluetooth and the wifi is lit, the capslock and the scroll lk are on and off and i have to switch it off physically ..

i know that i'm a noob .. but i'm starting and i don't want to quite i really want to become a linux respected user .. i spent the last 6 hours just following this problem, i'm frustrated out of my mind, and i can't get to learn anything else without getting connected ..


please do help .. PLEASE

ps: can someone throw me some good links of where i can start my way with ubuntu .. thank you all

[pytheas22]

Sorry that you're having so much frustration. The iwl3945 driver is actually already installed in Ubuntu by default, however. For some reason it must not be working for you (it does tend to be buggy). First, make sure that you've applied all Ubuntu updates. If after doing that and rebooting your wireless still doesn't work, please open up a terminal, run the following commands, and post their output here:

dmesg | grep -e iwl -e wlan -e eth1
lshw -C Network
lspci -nn
iwlist scan

Also, if there's a physical button on your laptop or a key combination that you have to press to enable the wireless (that is, something like [function+F2]), you tried turning that on, right?

[shift_00]

hehe well of course sir, i know how to turn my wireless on

i installed the updates available at the synaptic manager ( ?? ) and i made the ubuntu cd as a source too :s

now to what you have requested to run

1- dmesg | grep -e iwl -e wlan -e eth1
i ran it and nothing happenned, it just gave me the $ sign again

2- lshw -C Network

WARNING: you should run this program as super-user.
*-network UNCLAIMED     
description: Network controller
product: PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:0b:00.0
version: 02
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz      
capabilities: bus_master cap_list     
configuration: latency=0
*-network      
description: Ethernet interface       
product: BCM4401-B0 100Base-TX       
vendor: Broadcom Corporation       
physical id: 0      
bus info: pci@0000:03:00.0       
logical name: eth0       
version: 02      
serial: 00:15:c5:0d:91:f6       
width: 32 bits      
clock: 33MHz      
capabilities: bus_master cap_list ethernet physical       
configuration: 
broadcast=yes driver=b44 driverversion=2.0 latency=64 module=ssb multicast=yes

3- lspci -nn

00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub [8086:27a0] (rev 03)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:27a2] (rev 03)
00:02.1 Display controller [0380]: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:27a6] (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) High Definition Audio Controller [8086:27d8] (rev 01)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 1 [8086:27d0] (rev 01)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 4 
[8086:27d6] (rev 01)
00:1d.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 
[8086:27c8] (rev 01)
00:1d.1 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 
[8086:27c9] (rev 01)
00:1d.2 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 
[8086:27ca] (rev 01)
00:1d.3 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 
[8086:27cb] (rev 01)
00:1d.7 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller 
[8086:27cc] (rev 01)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge [8086:2448] (rev e1)

00:1f.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge [8086:27b9] (rev 01)

00:1f.2 IDE interface [0101]: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7 Family) SATA IDE Controller 
[8086:27c4] (rev 01)
00:1f.3 SMBus [0c05]: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) SMBus Controller 
[8086:27da] (rev 01)
03:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Broadcom Corporation BCM4401-B0 100Base-TX 
[14e4:170c] (rev 02)
03:01.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394) [0c00]: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C832 IEEE 1394 Controller 
[1180:0832]
03:01.1 SD Host controller [0805]: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C822 SD/SDIO/MMC/MS/MSPro Host Adapter
 [1180:0822] (rev 19)
03:01.2 System peripheral [0880]: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C843 MMC Host Controller 
[1180:0843] (rev 0a)
03:01.3 System peripheral [0880]: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C592 Memory Stick Bus Host Adapter 
[1180:0592] (rev 05)
03:01.4 System peripheral [0880]: Ricoh Co Ltd xD-Picture Card Controller 
[1180:0852] (rev ff)
0b:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection 
[8086:4222] (rev 02)

4- iwlist scan

lo        Interface doesn't support scanning.
eth0      Interface doesn't support scanning.

:S now what to do sir ?

[shift_00]

do you suggest more radical solution like downloading another ubuntu distribution and re-install the whole thing, coz I read from threads that what I downloaded is the buggiest version .. Something about it being 'generic' or something ... I'm really lost

[Crafty Kisses]

Try installing this package:

sudo apt-get install linux-image-2.6.17-10-generic linux-restricted-modules-2.6.17-10-generic

[shift_00]

sudo apt-get install linux-image-2.6.17-10-generic linux-restricted-modules-2.6.17-10-generic

[sudo] password for user: 

Reading package lists... Done

Building dependency tree       

Reading state information... Done

E: Couldn't find package linux-image-2.6.17-10-generic

and please do not assume that i know how to install updates, re-compile headers or drivers or install subsystems on the fly for that matter, i want to get there, at the moment i don't know how .. and no matter how i try my case is always different than those solved threads, i will be bothering you with something basic like this, but please do help

btw the OS version is : Ubuntu 8.04.1, Kernel 2.6.24-19-generic

[manadi]

Can you post the o/p of lsmod here....

[pytheas22]

1- dmesg | grep -e iwl -e wlan -e eth1
i ran it and nothing happenned, it just gave me the $ sign again

It looks like the driver for your card is not loaded for some reason...it should be automatically loaded if you're using Hardy, unless you deleted it at some point. If you type:

sudo modprobe iwl3945

it would load the driver, or give you an error message about why it can't load the driver. What does it say?

do you suggest more radical solution like downloading another ubuntu distribution and re-install

If the 'modprobe' command above fails, you may want to reinstall Hardy, because I'm not sure what's going on...probably in your previous attempts to get the card working, you accidentally removed something very important.

You could also try installing Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy). It uses an older driver for your card that tends to work more reliably than the one in Hardy.

[shift_00]

i'm sorry for the late reply i was at work

as for the lsmod

lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
ipv6                  267780  10 
rfcomm                 41744  2 
l2cap                  25728  13 rfcomm
nbd                    24864  0 
ppdev                  10372  0 
capifs                  6920  1 
snd_atiixp_modem       17544  0 
snd_via82xx_modem      16264  0 
snd_intel8x0m          18956  0 
snd_ac97_codec        101028  3 snd_atiixp_modem,snd_via82xx_modem,snd_intel8x0m
ac97_bus                3072  1 snd_ac97_codec
acpi_cpufreq           10796  1 
cpufreq_userspace       5284  0 
cpufreq_conservative     8712  0 
cpufreq_powersave       2688  0 
cpufreq_stats           7104  0 
cpufreq_ondemand        9740  1 
freq_table              5536  3 acpi_cpufreq,cpufreq_stats,cpufreq_ondemand
sbs                    15112  0 
container               5632  0 
dock                   11280  0 
sbshc                   7680  1 sbs
af_packet              23812  0 
prism2_usb             75908  0 
p80211                 33160  1 prism2_usb
iptable_filter          3840  0 
ip_tables              14820  1 iptable_filter
x_tables               16132  1 ip_tables
nls_iso8859_1           4992  1 
nls_cp437               6656  1 
vfat                   14464  1 
fat                    54556  1 vfat
aes_i586               33536  0 
dm_crypt               15364  0 
dm_mod                 62660  1 dm_crypt
sbp2                   24072  0 
parport_pc             36260  0 
lp                     12324  0 
parport                37832  3 ppdev,parport_pc,lp
loop                   18948  0 
joydev                 13120  0 
snd_hda_intel         344728  3 
snd_pcm_oss            42144  0 
snd_mixer_oss          17920  1 snd_pcm_oss
hci_usb                16540  2 
snd_pcm                78596  6 snd_atiixp_modem,snd_via82xx_modem,snd_intel8x0m,snd_ac97_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss
snd_page_alloc         11400  5 snd_atiixp_modem,snd_via82xx_modem,snd_intel8x0m,snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
snd_hwdep              10500  1 snd_hda_intel
bluetooth              61156  7 rfcomm,l2cap,hci_usb
snd_seq_dummy           4868  0 
usbhid                 31872  0 
hid                    38784  1 usbhid
snd_seq_oss            35584  0 
snd_seq_midi            9376  0 
snd_rawmidi            25760  1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event      8320  2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq                54224  6 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
ndiswrapper           192920  0 
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
sdhci                  19076  0 
ricoh_mmc               4352  0 
video                  19856  0 
output                  4736  1 video
serio_raw               7940  0 
mmc_core               51460  1 sdhci
snd                    56996  21 snd_atiixp_modem,snd_via82xx_modem,snd_intel8x0m,snd_ac97_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_hwdep,snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
wmi_acer                9644  0 
ac                      6916  0 
battery                14212  0 
button                  9232  0 
iTCO_wdt               13092  0 
intel_agp              25492  1 
dcdbas                  9504  0 
soundcore               8800  1 snd
iTCO_vendor_support     4868  1 iTCO_wdt
agpgart                34760  2 intel_agp
shpchp                 34452  0 
pci_hotplug            30880  1 shpchp
evdev                  13056  8 
psmouse                40336  0 
pcspkr                  4224  0 
usb_storage            73664  4 
ext3                  136712  1 
jbd                    48404  1 ext3
mbcache                 9600  1 ext3
libusual               19108  1 usb_storage
sg                     36880  0 
sd_mod                 30720  10 
sr_mod                 17956  0 
cdrom                  37408  1 sr_mod
ata_generic             8324  0 
b44                    28432  0 
ata_piix               19588  4 
ohci1394               33584  0 
pata_acpi               8320  0 
ssb                    34308  1 b44
mii                     6400  1 b44
ieee1394               93752  2 sbp2,ohci1394
libata                159344  3 ata_generic,ata_piix,pata_acpi
scsi_mod              151436  6 sbp2,usb_storage,sg,sd_mod,sr_mod,libata
ehci_hcd               37900  0 
uhci_hcd               27024  0 
usbcore               146028  9 prism2_usb,hci_usb,usbhid,ndiswrapper,usb_storage,libusual,ehci_hcd,uhci_hcd
thermal                16796  0 
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  13

and as for the modprobe it just flashed the $ sign again ... i pressed enter and nothing happenned ..

shall i reinstall ? is it hopeless ? or if the gutsy older distribution is more reliable and will save me this frustration please send me a download link .. i don't want to do anything on my own .. i always get the wrong things ..

[odin1965]

Does your wireless work if you boot with the live CD?