Unable to connect wireless (WEP) on Slack 12.1 with Intel 3495ABG and DI-624 Router

dewert · 05-20-2008, 01:11 PM

NOTE: Sorry, I posted this in 'Slackware' and realised I'd probably be better off posting it here. Please disregard the other one.

Ok, so, I'm a little confused now. I installed Slack 12.1 on my HP dv2317ca. It has an Intel 3495ABG, as evidenced by lspci -v:

Code:

05:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection (rev 02)
	Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Unknown device 135b
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 18
	Memory at d4000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
	Capabilities: [c8] Power Management version 2
	Capabilities: [d0] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit+ Queue=0/0 Enable-
	Capabilities: [e0] Express Legacy Endpoint, MSI 00
	Capabilities: [100] Advanced Error Reporting <?>
	Capabilities: [140] Device Serial Number cf-f5-50-ff-ff-d2-19-00
	Kernel driver in use: iwl3945
	Kernel modules: iwl3945

This is why I got slack 12.1 - the intel 3495abg runs out-of-the-box on the 2.6.24 kernel.

It does appear to be working from a hardware/driver point of view, as I get iwconfig wlan0:

Code:

wlan0     IEEE 802.11g  ESSID:"narwhal"  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.412 GHz  Access Point: Not-Associated   
          Tx-Power=27 dBm   
          Retry min limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr=2346 B   
          Encryption key:XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XX
          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

as well as iwlist scan:

Code:

lo        Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0      Interface doesn't support scanning.

wmaster0  Interface doesn't support scanning.

wlan0     Scan completed :
          Cell 01 - <removed - neighbour's wifi :P>
          Cell 02 - Address: 00:11:95:0A:87:78
                    ESSID:"narwhal"
                    Mode:Master
                    Channel:1
                    Frequency:2.412 GHz (Channel 1)
                    Quality=87/100  Signal level=-46 dBm  Noise level=-127 dBm
                    Encryption key:on
                    Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s
                              12 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s; 9 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s
                              48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
                    Extra:tsf=00000000f10a12b5

So I try to set iwconfig wlan0 ap auto, and then i get (from iwconfig wlan0):

Code:

wlan0     IEEE 802.11g  ESSID:"narwhal"  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.462 GHz  Access Point: 00:11:95:0A:87:78   
          Bit Rate=54 Mb/s   Tx-Power=27 dBm   
          Retry min limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr=2346 B   
          Encryption key:<removed>
          Link Quality=92/100  Signal level=-38 dBm  Noise level=-127 dBm
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

which looks promising. However, I now try dhclient wlan0 and it does two DHCPREQUESTs and then some DHCPDISCOVERs and then fails. dhcpcd also unsuccessful.

I also, in desperation, SlackBuild'ed wicd, in hopes that it'd be smarter than me, but it just gets stuck at "Obtaining IP address".

I know my router isn't buggered, because other computers can connect to it wirelessly and wired. This computer, however, only works wired, currently. Sigh. WEP, as you can see, is enabled, but it does the same thing without it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated by this noob.

Hangdog42 · 05-20-2008, 03:18 PM

Quote:

wlan0 IEEE 802.11g ESSID:"narwhal"
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.412 GHz Access Point: Not-Associated

Something must be goofed up with your configuration. If you have a correctly configured card, that Access Point field should have a MAC address in it. Unfortunately, until you can get your card to associate with the AP, anything else beyond this is a waste of time since the card and the AP aren't communicating. How are you trying to set your WEP key and ssid?

The other thing to try, just to rule out a card issue, it to temporarily turn off WEP at the AP and see if you can get a connection. If you can, then there is something about the WEP encryption that is off.

Oh, and don't use dhclient, it isn't that good. Slackware really prefers dhcpcd.

hellasyoda · 05-20-2008, 04:08 PM

Try to set manual the ip adress and wep key.

Quote:

iwconfig essid "[ESSID]"
iwconfig wlan0 mode managed key [WEP key]

syg00 · 05-20-2008, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dewert

the intel 3495abg runs out-of-the-box on the 2.6.24 kernel.

Really ???.
The iwlwifi driver was merged - what about the firmware ???.

Hangdog42 · 05-20-2008, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syg00

Really ???.
The iwlwifi driver was merged - what about the firmware ???.

Included as a package in Slackware. Both the 3945 and 4965 have firmware packages now.

Bruce Hill · 05-20-2008, 06:47 PM

Post your /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf file. Did you edit it? Did you edit any other file?

dewert · 05-21-2008, 12:05 PM

Ok... I am confused out of my poor little mind - it works! I hate it when things like this happen - even though it's something good, I want to know why. Gah. Currently, my /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf is commented out, because I installed wicd, which takes over that component, but before that, I had not edited it.

I am going away for a while now, but I'll defs have some more issues with this machine when I get back. Thanks for your efforts - great forum.

d_d · 04-11-2009, 09:58 AM

i m happy its worked for you
can u tell us which line was commented because i have the same problem
thank you

dewert · 04-11-2009, 06:22 PM

You do realise this thread is about a year old, right? :P

The *whole file* was commented out, because wicd takes over and does all that stuff. I've since switched the machine to Kubuntu, because it is my main computer, and I use it for school. ie. I don't want it to take me 10 hours to work out how to do something simple like print or connect to wifi. I know some will say this is a cop out, but I don't care, because it just works much better for me in this case, seeing as I'm not that experienced with linux. I do still like playing around with slackware though!

I don't know if I have much more to say about this problem. All I can tell you is that wicd is, well, wicked! Much better than either gnome or kde's built in managers (though I hear kde is revamping theirs...)

Good luck!

d_d · 04-13-2009, 08:03 AM

ok
thank u
but i think i will stay in Slack