Trouble with iwconfig and Wicd in Slackware 13.0
 

Hi people,

I'm trying to connect to a wireless networks but have problems:

1) I can't change the mode with iwconfig


bash-3.1# iwconfig wlan0 mode Ad-Hoc
Error for wireless request "Set Mode" (8B06) :
SET failed on device wlan0 ; Device or resource busy.
bash-3.1# iwconfig wlan0 mode Managed
Error for wireless request "Set Mode" (8B06) :
SET failed on device wlan0 ; Device or resource busy.

And when I try to connect

bash-3.1# iwconfig wlan0 essid Wifi-Uax
bash-3.1# iwconfig
lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

wmaster0 no wireless extensions.

wlan0 IEEE 802.11bgn ESSID:"Wifi-Uax"
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.457 GHz Access Point: Not-Associated
Tx-Power=27 dBm
Retry min limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr=2352 B
Encryption key:off
Power Management:off
Link Quality:0 Signal level:0 Noise level:0
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

This is the network I try to join:

iwlist wlan0 scanning

Cell 05 - Address: 06:06:FE:C9:75:C2
ESSID:"Wifi-Uax"
Mode:Master
Channel:6
Frequency:2.437 GHz (Channel 6)
Quality=53/100 Signal level:-71 dBm
Encryption key:off
IE: Unknown: 0008576966692D556178
IE: Unknown: 010802040B960C121824
IE: Unknown: 030106
IE: Unknown: 0706455320010D14
IE: Unknown: 2A0102
IE: Unknown: 32043048606C
IE: Unknown: 2D1A4C101BFFFF000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
IE: Unknown: 3D1606001B00000000000000000000000000000000000000
IE: Unknown: DD180050F2020101020003A4000027A4000042435E0062322F00
IE: Unknown: DD33000CE60004030000000106000CE607DEB40404010000000504004C0100090869F1290D880000000A04FE0000000B0401 000000
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:tsf=000000880d2a551a
Extra: Last beacon: 352ms ago

2) I installed wicd, but it sees the wlans without reading the name, and cannot connect.

Maybe there is a conflict, but I don't use other programs in the same time.
Somebody can help me?

Thank you

Tell us what your wireless card is. Find it's module here

http://www.linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/

Also tell us about what firmware you installed for it. Most modules need firmware these days.

Here the wireless card:

# Acer InviLink™ Nplify™ 802.11b/g/Draft-N Wi-Fi CERTIFIED® network connection, supporting Acer SignalUp™ wireless technology, or
# Acer InviLink™ 802.11b/g Wi-Fi CERTIFIED® network connection, supporting Acer SignalUp™ wireless technology

I can't find the module. And I didn't install the firmware yet...

OK, I hear you, but I'n not sure I believe it. I have a HP laptop(not on it now); The peripherals are called HP this & that, but HP only bought them and shoved their name in the firmware.

If your wifi is on pci, run 'lspci -n' and show us the wifi
If your wifi is on usb, run 'lsusb -n' and show us the wifi

You can also search for the numbers on linuxwireless.org

Result of lspci -nn:

09:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Atheros Communications Inc. AR928X Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) [168c:002a] (rev 01)

I looked on wirelesslinux.org and there's a driver (ath9k_htc) for Atheros AR9001 and AR9002 family hardware. That means it's the one I have to install?

Most systems have a script update-pciids & update-usbids.sh in /sbin or /usr/sbin.

168c is Atheros, and a grep for 002a gives me this wifi card

002a AR928X Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express)
105d 002a SR9 Pro 16Mb SDRAM

So your Acer thingummy appears to be an Atheros 928x. If therer's no linux driver, you can use windows drivers & ndiswrapper, but I never figured that one out for myself.