iwconfig ath0 mode monitor - not working

Neil2008 · 10-25-2008, 06:48 PM

Hi folks,

I have recently purchased a netgear WPN511 rangeMax pcmcia card for my ibm t42 thinkpad. I am having issues trying to enable the monitor mode, any tips?

Code:

root@neil-t42-laptop:~# iwconfig ath0 mode monitor
Error for wireless request "Set Mode" (8B06) :
    SET failed on device ath0 ; Invalid argument.

It's running Ubuntu 7.04.

Code:

root@neil-t42-laptop:~# uname -a
Linux neil-t42-laptop 2.6.20-16-generic #2 SMP Tue Dec 18 05:45:12 UTC 2007 i686 GNU/Linux

root@neil-t42-laptop:~# dmesg |grep -i ath
[   22.576000] ath_hal: module license 'Proprietary' taints kernel.
[   22.576000] ath_hal: 0.9.18.0 (AR5210, AR5211, AR5212, RF5111, RF5112, RF2413, RF5413)
[   23.060000] ath_pci: 0.9.4.5 (0.9.3.1)
[   24.340000] ath_rate_sample: 1.2 (0.9.3.1)
[   24.520000] wifi0: Atheros 5212: mem=0xc8000000, irq=11
root@neil-t42-laptop:~# lsmod | grep -i ath
ath_rate_sample        14080  1 
ath_pci                97312  0 
wlan                  204868  4 wlan_scan_sta,ath_rate_sample,ath_pci
ath_hal               192592  3 ath_rate_sample,ath_pci
root@neil-t42-laptop:~# lspci | grep -i ath
07:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications, Inc. AR5212 802.11abg NIC (rev 01)

Your help is much appreciated, Neil

AndrzejL · 10-26-2008, 04:53 AM

Hi Bud!

This will not work

.

The only way I could put my ath0 into monitor mode was to install madwifi drivers (http://madwifi.org/ - beautiful www with download and newbies howto) and aircrack-ng suite (http://www.aircrack-ng.org).

then if everything goes well for you type those two commands into the konsole window.

airmon-ng stop ath0

this will destroy ath0 vap

airmon-ng start wifi0

this will create new ath0 vap and put it into monitor mode

I have to write here that using aircrack suite is allowed only for testing your own wireless network connections. ¨Testing¨ your neighbours wifi without his permision is a crime.

You have been warned.

Good luck

Andy