[SOLVED] Atheros Wireless and WICD

tronayne · 12-20-2009, 09:33 AM

I have this new Dell Inspiron 17 with Slackware 13.0 (not 64-bit) installed and working. It's equipped with a Atheros AR928X Wireless Network Adapter (which worked in Vista before I blew Vista away and installed Slackware 13.0 as the only operating system). I fought the good fight in October (there's a thread) and got nowhere at the speed of light; sitting in the north woods with no local wireless points and dial-up only... well, bah, humbug).

This box is normally wired to a router and works just fine, thank you very much. Where it normally sits, there are roughly 30 wireless points that will show up (they do on an older laptop, also Slackware 13.0 but with different wireless hardware). I can't seem to get my head wrapped around what I need to do to get this thing working and would appreciate a nudge in the right direction. I suppose one essential question would be, will this adapter work with WICD at all (and whadda ya gotta do to make that happen)?

I have been through Alien Bob's wiki without success; I have updated WICD to wicd-1.6.2.2-i486-1 and I have just barely managed to no throw the blasted thing against the wall.

Code:

pita-root-/root: lspci | fgrep -i ather
0c:00.0 Network controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR928X Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) (rev 01)

And iwconfig

Code:

pita-root-/root: iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

wmaster0  no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11abgn  ESSID:""
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.412 GHz  Access Point: Not-Associated
          Tx-Power=17 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

vboxnet0  no wireless extensions.

and rc.inet1.conf

Code:

pita-root-/root: cat /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf
# Config information for eth0:
IPADDR[0]="192.168.1.30"      
NETMASK[0]="255.255.255.0"    
USE_DHCP[0]=""                
DHCP_HOSTNAME[0]=""           

# Config information for eth1:
IPADDR[1]=""                  
NETMASK[1]=""                 
USE_DHCP[1]=""                
DHCP_HOSTNAME[1]=""           

# Config information for eth2:
IPADDR[2]=""                  
NETMASK[2]=""                 
USE_DHCP[2]=""                
DHCP_HOSTNAME[2]=""           

# Config information for eth3:
IPADDR[3]=""                  
NETMASK[3]=""                 
USE_DHCP[3]=""                
DHCP_HOSTNAME[3]=""           

# Default gateway IP address:
GATEWAY="192.168.1.1"        

# Change this to "yes" for debugging output to stdout.  Unfortunately,
# /sbin/hotplug seems to disable stdout so you'll only see debugging output
# when rc.inet1 is called directly.                                        
DEBUG_ETH_UP="no"          

## Example config information for wlan0.  Uncomment the lines you need and fill
## in your info.  (You may not need all of these for your wireless network)    
#IFNAME[4]="wlan0"                                                             
#IPADDR[4]=""                                                                  
#NETMASK[4]=""                                                                 
#USE_DHCP[4]="yes"
#DHCP_HOSTNAME[4]="icculus-wireless"
#DHCP_KEEPRESOLV[4]="yes"
#DHCP_KEEPNTP[4]="yes"
#DHCP_KEEPGW[4]="yes"
#DHCP_IPADDR[4]=""
#WLAN_ESSID[4]=BARRIER05
#WLAN_MODE[4]=Managed
##WLAN_RATE[4]="54M auto"
##WLAN_CHANNEL[4]="auto"
##WLAN_KEY[4]="D5AD1F04ACF048EC2D0B1C80C7"
##WLAN_IWPRIV[4]="set AuthMode=WPAPSK | set EncrypType=TKIP | set WPAPSK=96389dc66eaf7e6efd5b5523ae43c7925ff4df2f8b7099495192d44a774fda16"
#WLAN_WPA[4]="wpa_supplicant"
#WLAN_WPADRIVER[4]="ndiswrapper"

I have to believe that I've missed something real basic but danged if I can see what it might be -- is there some configuration file I've missed? Some driver I need that I haven't installed (I did try madwifi and removed those)?

Thanks.

affinity · 12-20-2009, 04:51 PM

You have not set up the wlan0 interface in the rc.inet1.conf. To test if the wifi is working in general remove the comments from the IFNAME, USE_DHCP, WLAN_ESSID fields and enter in the appropriate values. If you are using WPA you will have to configure the /etc/wpa_supplicant file as well.

escaflown · 12-20-2009, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tronayne

I suppose one essential question would be, will this adapter work with WICD at all (and whadda ya gotta do to make that happen)?

I have a Dell inspiron with the same network card and it works fine with wicd. In fact this is the output of lspci on the laptop:

Quote:

0c:00.0 Network controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR928X Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) (rev 01)

tronayne · 12-21-2009, 07:48 AM

I had installed WICD from the extras directory and after fiddling around and reading other folks' problems I upgraded that to wicd-1.6.2.2-i486-1, built from source with the version numbers changed. So I completely removed WICD from the system (with removepkg then manually deleting every directory leftover; everything gone but the /var/log/packages entries). Then, this morning, I got the "current" WICD package and installed that. Per affinity's note, I edited /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf to

Code:

## Example config information for wlan0.  Uncomment the lines you need and fill
## in your info.  (You may not need all of these for your wireless network)    
IFNAME[4]="wlan0"                                                              
#IPADDR[4]=""                                                                  
#NETMASK[4]=""                                                                 
USE_DHCP[4]="yes"
#DHCP_HOSTNAME[4]="icculus-wireless"
#DHCP_KEEPRESOLV[4]="yes"
#DHCP_KEEPNTP[4]="yes"
#DHCP_KEEPGW[4]="yes"
#DHCP_IPADDR[4]=""
WLAN_ESSID[4]=BARRIER05
#WLAN_MODE[4]=Managed
##WLAN_RATE[4]="54M auto"
##WLAN_CHANNEL[4]="auto"
##WLAN_KEY[4]="D5AD1F04ACF048EC2D0B1C80C7"
##WLAN_IWPRIV[4]="set AuthMode=WPAPSK | set EncrypType=TKIP | set WPAPSK=96389dc66eaf7e6efd5b5523ae43c7925ff4df2f8b7099495192d44a774fda16"
#WLAN_WPA[4]="wpa_supplicant"
#WLAN_WPADRIVER[4]="ndiswrapper"

The reset of it is as shown above; i.e., the eth0 settings.

I reboot, click the WICD icon, up she comes... No wireless network found, dammit. Finds the wired network just fine.

I have another laptop, a Dell Inspiron 6000, with Slackware 13.0 installed and eth0 configured fixed IP just like this guy. WICD out-of-the-box. Blasted thing sees all the local access points (mostly my neighbor's wireless routers).

I'm pretty sure I've just missed something simple, but damned if I can see what.

onebuck · 12-21-2009, 07:58 AM

Hi,

Quote:

Originally Posted by tronayne

I have this new Dell Inspiron 17 with Slackware 13.0 (not 64-bit) installed and working. It's equipped with a Atheros AR928X Wireless Network Adapter (which worked in Vista before I blew Vista away and installed Slackware 13.0 as the only operating system). I fought the good fight in October (there's a thread) and got nowhere at the speed of light; sitting in the north woods with no local wireless points and dial-up only... well, bah, humbug).

This box is normally wired to a router and works just fine, thank you very much. Where it normally sits, there are roughly 30 wireless points that will show up (they do on an older laptop, also Slackware 13.0 but with different wireless hardware). I can't seem to get my head wrapped around what I need to do to get this thing working and would appreciate a nudge in the right direction. I suppose one essential question would be, will this adapter work with WICD at all (and whadda ya gotta do to make that happen)?

I have been through Alien Bob's wiki without success; I have updated WICD to wicd-1.6.2.2-i486-1 and I have just barely managed to no throw the blasted thing against the wall.
<snip>

I have to believe that I've missed something real basic but danged if I can see what it might be -- is there some configuration file I've missed? Some driver I need that I haven't installed (I did try madwifi and removed those)?

Thanks.

I believe you are wanting instructions on how to 'STEAL' wireless signal. Is that correct? You state that 'sitting in the north woods with no local wireless points and dial-up only... well, bah, humbug)'. Any of the 30 in the following paragraph yours?

Alien Bob · 12-21-2009, 08:00 AM

If you use wicd, you should add back the comment characters in rc.inet1.conf in order to avoid conflicts between Slackware's own network initialization scripts and wicd:

Code:

#IFNAME[4]="wlan0"
#IPADDR[4]=""
#NETMASK[4]=""
#USE_DHCP[4]="yes"

Also, you should verify in wicd's preferences that you have actually told it to use "wlan0" as the wireless interface.

Eric

tronayne · 12-21-2009, 08:13 AM

No, I'm not trying to steal anybody's services (I'm perfectly happy paying for my own DSL and I'm seriously considering HughesNet in the north woods because there is no DSL, cable or wifi available). I'm back and forth between Detroit (where there IS DSL, wifi and whatever) and Black River, Michigan where there isn't -- my cell phone won't even work there. When I am there I can haul the laptop 15 miles one way or the other and have open access at the public library and a couple of other access points and I have used WICD on the old laptop without difficulty. The old laptop's display won't light up anymore and I did not want to spend more to fix the motherboard than the new laptop cost.

Thing is, I can sit in Detroit, start up WICD and should be able to see a bunch of access points; that does not mean that I'm going to break in to any of them, it just means that the damned thing is working and I will be able to use a public access point when I need to. The problem is that I don't see any access points at all and WICD is telling me that there are no wireless networks available and I can't figure out what to do with the bloody thing to fix that.

In my humble opinion people that attempt to break in to other folks' systems are on a par with drug dealers and child pornographers and should be hung, drawn and quartered in the public square -- I get hit enough by the bastards on my DSL line and I absolutely refuse to lower myself to that level.

So, no, I'm not trying to be a bad person and rip off my neighbors. I just want my own equipment to actually work.

tronayne · 12-21-2009, 09:24 AM

Alien, this is the content of the conf files from /etc/wicd; I think they're right (and I haven't fiddled with any of the settings -- I rely on the DNS servers in /etc/resolv.conf).

Code:

pita-root-/etc/wicd: cat manager-settings.conf
[Settings]
wireless_interface = wlan0
pref_width = -1
window_width = 530
prefer_wired = False
flush_tool = 0
use_global_dns = False
global_dns_dom = None
always_show_wired_interface = False
window_height = 529
global_dns_1 = None
global_dns_2 = None
global_dns_3 = None
backend = external
link_detect_tool = 0
dhcp_client = 2
sudo_app = 2
wired_connect_mode = 1
debug_mode = False
pref_height = -1
wired_interface = eth0
signal_display_type = 0
global_search_dom = None
auto_reconnect = True
wpa_driver = wext

Code:

pita-root-/etc/wicd: cat wired-settings.conf
[wired-default]
afterscript = None
broadcast = None
dns3 = None
postdisconnectscript = None
search_domain = None
dns_domain = None
gateway = None
use_static_dns = False
default = 1
netmask = None
dns2 = None
beforescript = None
predisconnectscript = None
ip = None
dns1 = None
use_global_dns = False

and wireless-settings.conf is empty.

I don't know if this matters, but

Code:

pita-root-/var/log/wicd: cat wicd.log
(stuff from the initial startup then this repeats)                            
2009/12/21 09:18:49 :: wicd initializing...
2009/12/21 09:18:49 :: ---------------------------
2009/12/21 09:18:49 :: wicd is version 1.6.2.2 463
2009/12/21 09:18:49 :: setting backend to external
2009/12/21 09:18:49 :: trying to load backend external
2009/12/21 09:18:49 :: successfully loaded backend external
2009/12/21 09:18:49 :: trying to load backend external
2009/12/21 09:18:49 :: successfully loaded backend external
2009/12/21 09:18:49 :: Automatically detected wireless interface wlan0
2009/12/21 09:18:49 :: setting wireless interface wlan0
2009/12/21 09:18:49 :: automatically detected wired interface eth0
2009/12/21 09:18:49 :: setting wired interface eth0
2009/12/21 09:18:50 :: setting wpa driver wext
2009/12/21 09:18:50 :: setting use global dns to False
2009/12/21 09:18:51 :: setting global dns
2009/12/21 09:18:51 :: global dns servers are None None None
2009/12/21 09:18:51 :: domain is None
2009/12/21 09:18:51 :: search domain is None
2009/12/21 09:18:51 :: setting automatically reconnect when connection drops True
2009/12/21 09:18:51 :: Setting dhcp client to 2
2009/12/21 09:18:51 :: Wireless configuration file found...
2009/12/21 09:18:51 :: Wired configuration file found...
2009/12/21 09:18:51 :: chmoding configuration files 0600...
2009/12/21 09:18:51 :: chowning configuration files root:root...
2009/12/21 09:18:51 :: Using wireless interface...wlan0
2009/12/21 09:18:51 :: Using wired interface...eth0
2009/12/21 09:56:19 :: trying to load backend ioctl
2009/12/21 09:56:19 :: WARNING: python-iwscan not found, falling back to using iwlist scan.
2009/12/21 09:56:19 :: WARNING: python-wpactrl not found, falling back to using wpa_cli.
2009/12/21 09:56:19 :: trying to load backend external

tronayne · 12-24-2009, 09:01 AM

How stupid can you be? Turns out, pretty darned dumb. I've been fighting with this wifi thing since installing the operating system -- and have bothered a whole lot of good people looking for a solution to why it would not work -- and the solution? Turn the dang transceiver on; press f2 and turn it on, press it again and turn it off.

I've been so accustomed to function keys not doing anything that I could not see the forest for the trees and, after much configuring, upgrading software, mumbling and grumbling (and swearing a blue streak) it turns out that the transceiver is off by default and all one has to do is... switch it on, kinda like a light switch when the room is dark.

Duh.

My profound thanks to all who tried to help and my best wishes to all for a merry Christmas and a happy and hopefully prosperous New Year.