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Can't start wireless from rc.inet1 on Slackware 12.0

Hi,

I am running Slackware 12.0 (NOT upgraded to -current). Last night I upgraded my kernel to 2.6.25, and finally the b43 driver supports my wireless chip BCM4312 rev 02. I am now able to connect to the internet with wireless, but I have to do it manually; I can't make the rc.inet1 script work.

First of all, the setup:
I installed firmware version4.150.10.5 using b43-fwcutter-011. This is the version recommended for "bleeding edge" b43 drivers at http://linuxwireless.org, and it should correspond to the 2.6.25 driver (their web page has not been updated for 2.6.25 yet). I'm using rc.inet1.conf to store my wireless settings, and wpa_supplicant.conf to store the WPA key. I read Alien's wiki, and I also followed the discussion in this thread:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ectory-611577/

This is what iconfig gives:

Code:

lo        no wireless extensions.



eth0      no wireless extensions.



wmaster0  no wireless extensions.



wlan0    IEEE 802.11g  ESSID:"AIRTIES_RT-205"  

          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.462 GHz  Access Point: Not-Associated  

          Tx-Power=27 dBm  

          Retry min limit:7  RTS thr:off  Fragment thr=2352 B  

          Encryption key: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

Here is my rc.inet1.conf:

Code:

IFNAME[4]="wlan0"

IPADDR[4]=""

NETMASK[4]=""

USE_DHCP[4]="yes"

WLAN_ESSID[4]="AIRTIES_RT-205"

WLAN_WPA[4]="wpa_supplicant"

WLAN_WPADRIVER[4]="wext"

WLAN_WPACONF[4]="/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf"

WPAOPTS[4]="-Dwext -iwlan0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf"

I added the last two options after reading the thread mentioned above, but it didn't seem to make any difference.

And here's the wpa_supplicant.conf (the relevant part only)

Code:

network={

        ssid="AIRTIES_RT-205"

      #psk="edited"



psk=edited

}

This is what I get from wlan0_start (I killed the wpa_supplicant instances before running this):

Code:

root@kutu:~# /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1 wlan0_start

/etc/rc.d/rc.inet1:  wlan0 information: 'Fill with your own settings...'

Error for wireless request "Set Nickname" (8B1C) :

    SET failed on device wlan0 ; Operation not supported.

Failed to connect to wpa_supplicant - wpa_ctrl_open: No such file or directory

Polling for DHCP server on interface wlan0:

dhcpcd: MAC address = 00:1a:73:66:6b:b9

root@kutu:~#

That error about nickname goes away when I comment out the line

Code:

$IWCOMMAND nick $NICKNAME

in rc.wireless. But doing this does not seem to make any difference in the other symptoms. As you see, I can't get an address from DHCP.

The dmesg output of the action above is as follows:

Code:

b43-phy0: Loading firmware version 410.2160 (2007-05-26 15:32:10)

b43-phy0 debug: Chip initialized

b43-phy0 debug: 64-bit DMA initialized

b43-phy0 debug: Wireless interface started

b43-phy0 debug: Adding Interface type 2

b43-phy0 debug: Removing Interface type 2

b43-phy0 debug: Wireless interface stopped

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x0200 (RX) max used slots: 1/64

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x0340 (TX) max used slots: 0/128

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x0300 (TX) max used slots: 0/128

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x02C0 (TX) max used slots: 0/128

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x0280 (TX) max used slots: 0/128

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x0240 (TX) max used slots: 2/128

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x0200 (TX) max used slots: 0/128

b43-phy0: Loading firmware version 410.2160 (2007-05-26 15:32:10)

b43-phy0 debug: Chip initialized

b43-phy0 debug: 64-bit DMA initialized

b43-phy0 debug: Wireless interface started

b43-phy0 debug: Adding Interface type 2

wlan0: Initial auth_alg=0

wlan0: authenticate with AP 00:1a:2a:a6:b3:31

wlan0: RX authentication from 00:1a:2a:a6:b3:31 (alg=0 transaction=2 status=0)

wlan0: authenticated

wlan0: associate with AP 00:1a:2a:a6:b3:31

wlan0: RX AssocResp from 00:1a:2a:a6:b3:31 (capab=0x71 status=0 aid=2)

wlan0: associated

wlan0: switched to short barker preamble (BSSID=00:1a:2a:a6:b3:31)

b43-phy0 debug: Removing Interface type 2

b43-phy0 debug: Wireless interface stopped

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x0200 (RX) max used slots: 1/64

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x0340 (TX) max used slots: 0/128

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x0300 (TX) max used slots: 0/128

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x02C0 (TX) max used slots: 0/128

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x0280 (TX) max used slots: 0/128

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x0240 (TX) max used slots: 2/128

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x0200 (TX) max used slots: 0/128

b43-phy0: Loading firmware version 410.2160 (2007-05-26 15:32:10)

b43-phy0 debug: Chip initialized

b43-phy0 debug: 64-bit DMA initialized

b43-phy0 debug: Wireless interface started

b43-phy0 debug: Adding Interface type 2

wlan0: switched to short barker preamble (BSSID=00:1a:2a:a6:b3:31)

b43-phy0 debug: Removing Interface type 2

b43-phy0 debug: Wireless interface stopped

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x0200 (RX) max used slots: 1/64

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x0340 (TX) max used slots: 0/128

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x0300 (TX) max used slots: 0/128

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x02C0 (TX) max used slots: 0/128

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x0280 (TX) max used slots: 0/128

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x0240 (TX) max used slots: 0/128

b43-phy0 debug: DMA-64 0x0200 (TX) max used slots: 0/128

However, if I first do

Code:

root@kutu:~# wpa_supplicant  -Dwext -iwlan0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf

ioctl[SIOCSIWAUTH]: Operation not supported

WEXT auth param 4 value 0x0 - ioctl[SIOCGIWSCAN]: Resource temporarily unavailable

Trying to associate with 00:1a:2a:a6:b3:31 (SSID='AIRTIES_RT-205' freq=2462 MHz)

Associated with 00:1a:2a:a6:b3:31

WPA: Key negotiation completed with 00:1a:2a:a6:b3:31 [PTK=TKIP GTK=TKIP]

CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to 00:1a:2a:a6:b3:31 completed (auth) [id=0 id_str=]

in one terminal (as you see, all looks fine), then I can get an address in another by:

Code:

root@kutu:~# dhcpcd -d wlan0

dhcpcd: MAC address = 00:1a:73:66:6b:b9

dhcpcd: your IP address = 192.168.2.6

and I have a working connection. The dmesg output for this operation is:

Code:



b43-phy0: Loading firmware version 410.2160 (2007-05-26 15:32:10)

b43-phy0 debug: Chip initialized

b43-phy0 debug: 64-bit DMA initialized

b43-phy0 debug: Wireless interface started

b43-phy0 debug: Adding Interface type 2

wlan0: Initial auth_alg=0

wlan0: authenticate with AP 00:1a:2a:a6:b3:31

wlan0: RX authentication from 00:1a:2a:a6:b3:31 (alg=0 transaction=2 status=0)

wlan0: authenticated

wlan0: associate with AP 00:1a:2a:a6:b3:31

wlan0: RX AssocResp from 00:1a:2a:a6:b3:31 (capab=0x71 status=0 aid=2)

wlan0: associated

wlan0: switched to short barker preamble (BSSID=00:1a:2a:a6:b3:31)

So, the question is: Why doesn't the rc.inet1 work and how can I fix it?

I've never put these lines:

Code:

WLAN_WPACONF[4]="/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf"

WPAOPTS[4]="-Dwext -iwlan0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf"

into /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf for our Ralink or Atheros chips.

Here's a working config just for giggles:

Code:

# Config information for ath0:

IFNAME[1]="ath0"

IPADDR[1]="192.168.1.22"

NETMASK[1]="255.255.255.0"

#USE_DHCP[1]="yes"

#DHCP_HOSTNAME[1]=""

WLAN_ESSID[1]="philemon"

WLAN_MODE[1]=Managed

WLAN_RATE[1]="54M auto"

WLAN_CHANNEL[1]="10"

WLAN_WPA[1]="wpa_supplicant"

WLAN_WPADRIVER[1]="wext"



# 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="yes"

For DHCP you'd just comment the IPADDRESS and NETMASK and uncomment USE_DHCP and GATEWAY.

However, if you need it, so be it. Some potential errors I see:

Code:

WPAOPTS[4]="-Dwext -iwlan0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf"

No space between the -c and /etc ...

And check out a working /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf:

Code:

# See /usr/doc/wpa_supplicant-0.5.8/wpa_supplicant.conf.sample

# for many more options that you can use in this file.



# This line enables the use of wpa_cli which is used by rc.wireless

# if possible (to check for successful association)

ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant

# By default, only root (group 0) may use wpa_cli

ctrl_interface_group=0

eapol_version=1

ap_scan=1

fast_reauth=1



# WPA protected network, supply your own ESSID and WPAPSK here:

network={

  scan_ssid=0

  ssid="philemon"

  proto=WPA

  key_mgmt=WPA-PSK

  pairwise=CCMP TKIP

  group=CCMP TKIP WEP104 WEP40

  psk=<munged>

}



# Plaintext connection (no WPA, no IEEE 802.1X),

# nice for hotel/airport types of WiFi network.

# You'll need a recent version of wireless-tools for this!

network={

  ssid="any"

  key_mgmt=NONE

  priority=2

}

And I never, ever, touch /etc/rc.d/rc.wireless.conf

I would definitely stick all ssid configuration in /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf. That's where wpa_cli and wpa_gui are going to save them anyway. Here's a working DHCP version rc.inet1.conf section for wpa_supplicant:

Code:

IFNAME[4]="wlan0"

IPADDR[4]=""

NETMASK[4]=""

USE_DHCP[4]="yes"

DHCP_HOSTNAME[4]=""

WLAN_WPA[4]="wpa_supplicant"

You don't need the WPACONF and WPAOPTS lines as Bruce Hill said (but note that you don't need a space between -c and the file name on the supplicant line).

And a working /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf (I set up a "wireless" user group so I wouldn't have to be root to use wpa_gui):

Code:

ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant

ctrl_interface_group=wireless

update_config=1



network={

        ssid="Apple Network ae4057"

        scan_ssid=1

        psk="whatever"

        proto=WPA

        key_mgmt=WPA-PSK

}



network={

        ssid="any"

        key_mgmt=NONE

}

Hi Bruce,

Thanks for your post. I corrected the missing space in the line

Code:

WPAOPTS[4]="-Dwext -iwlan0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf"

but it made no difference. Indeed, as I said earlier, it makes no difference whether I comment out the WPAOPTS and WPACONF lines or not. My wpa_supplicant.conf should be fine as I can use it to connect manually from the command line.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ilgar (Post 3126977)

My wpa_supplicant.conf should be fine as I can use it to connect manually from the command line.

Since you can connect fine manually, here's something else to try assuming "manually" means you use the wpa_supplicant command (meaning all the connection info is in /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf). I suggest this because this is the only way I could get mine to work. Search in /etc/rc.d/rc.wireless for the line that reads configuration info from rc.wireless.conf and comment out that one line. This will eliminate rc.wireless.conf as the source of any confusion. The line I commented out is:

Code:

[[ -r /etc/rc.d/rc.wireless.conf ]] && . /etc/rc.d/rc.wireless.conf

Thank you for your reply DonnieP (I was typing my second post while you sent your first, I've just noticed your post).

I tried commenting out the line you gave, but the result is the same. Suspecting subtle typos I may have created in the scripts, I downloaded fresh versions of these scripts (inet1* and wireless*), adjusted the parameters and tried again, but it still doesn't work...

(And yes, by "manually" I mean running wpa_supplicant in the command line).

Well I second this situation here too. I've done the mentioned changes also and they don't work for me either.

One little update: I never could bring the wireless up using rc.inet1 with parameters wlan0_start or wlan0_restart. Today, once I did "restart" (i.e. restart for all interfaces) and to my surprise I both eth0 and wlan0 successfully received an IP. This happened only once. Since then I'm trying to reproduce this result but I can't.

I was having the same problem that you described in post #8. Have you tried putting a start-up script in /etc/rc.d/rc.local, along with an entry for dhcpd?

I put /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1 wlan0_restart and the internet is available every time now at boot - well, at least 4 times in a row since I did that earlier!

maybe worth a go?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bazzaah (Post 3127296)

I put /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1 wlan0_restart and the internet is available every time now at boot - well, at least 4 times in a row since I did that earlier!

I put that line in rc.local, but (as expected :)), it didn't work. What I'm saying is, doing /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1 wlan0_start or /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1 wlan0_restart never worked. But in one, and only one case

/etc/rc.d/rc.inet1 restart

was able to bring the wireless up, and I can't reproduce this.

It sounds as if the hardware/driver has unstable behaviour but running wpa_supplicant from the command line always works, so I think that's not the problem.

Worth a go - shame it was nothing so easy - sorted out a similar problem I was having. hey ho.

You could read through this

http://www.linuxquestions.org/linux/...r_Slackware_11

OK it's for Slackware 11 but might have something you could use there.

Hope you get it sorted.

Hi Bazzaah,

Thanks for the link, I read it. It explains how to use rc.local to automate the process, but that's not my problem, I'm sure I can do the necessary scriptwork for that if needed. I'm trying to find out what prevents rc.inet1 from working properly. Maybe there is a bug, if not, I'd like to learn where my mistake is.

I've never managed to satisfactorily get wireless working using rc.wireless, probably more a limitation of me than rc.wireless. Anyway I just chmod -x rc.wireless and use other tools such as wlassistant for my wireless.

I'm a bit surprised that I'm not alone in this; there are others who also can't succeed with rc.inet1 (or rc.wireless). Maybe there is a bug somewhere. Is there anyone who had this problem in 12.0 and then got it fixed in -current?

If it works for you with manual start, it must work with the Slackware scripts as well.
The first step in troubleshooting would be to change this line in rc.inet1.conf:

Code:

DEBUG_ETH_UP="no"

Code:

DEBUG_ETH_UP="yes"

(re-)start your wireless interface and then paste the output of

Code:

tail -500 /var/log/messages | grep logger

here (mask out the WPA key that will be there in plaintext before you paste your results here).

It may be likely that you need to give wpa_supplicant more time to associate. There is an option for that:

Code:

WLAN_WPAWAIT[4]=30

to give it a 30 second association time.

You should not use WPAOPTS[4]=... in your *.conf files.

Eric