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- - acer 5315 (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-laptop-and-netbook-25/acer-5315-a-763185/)

I jumped in at the deep end and installed ubuntu from the download/cd on my acer 5315. Purchased the acer secondhand but it seems fine except for tons of vista stuff and old files and running very slowly.

Ubuntu also seems happy with the acer except of course for the wireless connection. I am hoping someone can point me in the right direction to fix the problem but it will have to be simple instructions. I tried researching first before posting but the answers were confusing to me.
Thanks very much

You can start by running lspvi in a terminal and posting the output here so we know what wifi device is in the acer; below the ouput of my Aspire One and the bold line gives the wifi adapter.

Code:

wim@aao:~$ lspci

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GME Express Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GME Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)

00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)

00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 02)

00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)

00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 02)

00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 3 (rev 02)

00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 4 (rev 02)

00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)

00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)

00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)

00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)

00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)

00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e2)

00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02)

00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7 Family) SATA IDE Controller (rev 02)

00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 02)

02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8101E/RTL8102E PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller (rev 02)

03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR242x 802.11abg Wireless PCI Express Adapter (rev 01)

wim@aao:~$

It will also help which Ubuntu you are using. Ubuntu 9.04, Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.04 or something else?

Thanks for trying to assist but please could you explain about lspvi output and how to get it. Is it similiar to lspci....

Ubuntu version 9.04 and if it helps the label underneath the acer mentions atheros arsbxb63.

After some googling -is this the info

rev 03)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 4 (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 03)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev f3)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801HEM (ICH8M) LPC Interface Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) IDE Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) SATA IDE Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 03)
05:00.0 Ethernet controller: Broadcom Corporation NetLink BCM5906M Fast Ethernet PCI Express (rev 02)
06:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR242x 802.11abg Wireless PCI Express Adapter (rev 01)

Sorry for making your life difficult, typo from my side and should indeed be lspci as in the codeblock that I posted.

Same wifi adapter as mine (see the bold line in my previous post) and I'm running UNR9.04, so should work out-of-the-box. I'm no wifi expert so can not really advice when it fails. Are you trying wifi and cable at the same time? If so, disconnect the cable and try again. Any error messages somewhere. Is your wireless network detected? Is it a hidden network? Did you configure correctly?

Unplugged cable and still no wireless - also if you have similiar keys to mine - I have a wireless key at the top and a little to the left of the power button - usually flashes on/off and if pressed usually connects wireless but in this case no signs of life.
Also tried sysyem/hardware drivers/alternate atheros madwifi driver
and still no luck.
Hope there is a plan B....

I may have my wires crossed but after more googling it seems the wireless worked okay on acer's on older versions of ubuntu - for instance the beta version..not certain if this is accurate of course.

I'm not sure what you mean by 'keys'. Physical buttons? I have one somewhere at the right and the light on it does not work /has no function in UNR9.04. So do not rely on that.
Somewhere should be a network manager (right top of screen?). Did you try that?

Ah..I did not realise the wireless key may not do anything under 9.04.
I'll have to look into network manager - it mentions configure vpn !
Where do I go from here...

About your 'key': is it a toggle switch that goes back to it's initial position (one shift/push is on, second one is off etc)? Or one that stays in the last position? Mine is the first one.

If I right click on the network icon, I get a small context menu with checkboxes to 'enable networking' and 'enable wireless' (both are checked in my UNR9.04), 'connection information', 'edit connections' and 'about'. Click edit connections, tab wireless and configure your wireless.