fedora 12 on T60 laptop - wireless issues
 

I previously asked about this on fedoraforum.org without much response, so also posting here -

I have installed Fedora 12/32-bit on a Lenovo T60 laptop. The intel wireless driver seems to be recognized as part of the install, but the radio killswitch is set to disable the wireless. The following is written in /var/log/messages upon startup -

First it loads the driver -

Nov 25 09:18:25 feynman kernel: iwl3945: Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG/BG Network Connection driver for Linux, 1.2.26kds
Nov 25 09:18:25 feynman kernel: iwl3945: Copyright(c) 2003-2009 Intel Corporation
Nov 25 09:18:25 feynman kernel: iwl3945 0000:03:00.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 17 (level, low) -> IRQ 17
Nov 25 09:18:25 feynman kernel: iwl3945 0000:03:00.0: Tunable channels: 11 802.11bg, 13 802.11a channels
Nov 25 09:18:25 feynman kernel: iwl3945 0000:03:00.0: Detected Intel Wireless WiFi Link 3945ABG
Nov 25 09:18:25 feynman kernel: HDA Intel 0000:00:1b.0: PCI INT B -> GSI 17 (level, low) -> IRQ 17
Nov 25 09:18:25 feynman kernel: hda_intel: probe_mask set to 0x1 for device 17aa:2010
Nov 25 09:18:25 feynman kernel: cfg80211: Calling CRDA for country: US
Nov 25 09:18:25 feynman kernel: input: HDA Digital PCBeep as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/input/input10
Nov 25 09:18:25 feynman kernel: cfg80211: Regulatory domain changed to country: US
Nov 25 09:18:25 feynman kernel: (start_freq - end_freq @ bandwidth), (max_antenna_gain, max_eirp)
Nov 25 09:18:25 feynman kernel: (2402000 KHz - 2472000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2700 mBm)
Nov 25 09:18:25 feynman kernel: (5170000 KHz - 5250000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 1700 mBm)
Nov 25 09:18:25 feynman kernel: (5250000 KHz - 5330000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
Nov 25 09:18:25 feynman kernel: (5490000 KHz - 5710000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 2000 mBm)
Nov 25 09:18:25 feynman kernel: (5735000 KHz - 5835000 KHz @ 40000 KHz), (300 mBi, 3000 mBm)


But then when Network Manager starts it disables wireless due to the configuration/setting of the radio killswitch -

Nov 25 09:18:32 feynman NetworkManager: <info> starting...
Nov 25 09:18:32 feynman NetworkManager: <info> Trying to start the modem-manager...
Nov 25 09:18:32 feynman NetworkManager: Loaded plugin ifcfg-rh: (c) 2007 - 2008
Red Hat, Inc. To report bugs please use the NetworkManager mailing list.
Nov 25 09:18:32 feynman NetworkManager: <info> Found radio killswitch rfkill1 (at /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.1/0000:03:00.0/ieee80211/phy0/rfkill1) (driver <unknown>)
Nov 25 09:18:32 feynman NetworkManager: <info> Wireless now disabled by radio killswitch


Based upon what I have been able to gather from various online sources and bug reports the radio killswitch needs to be set to "0" for wireless to be enabled. Looking at the "state" file in the directory path in the next to last entry above, the state is set to "2", which evidently sets the wireless to disabled. I have attempted to modify this state to "0" and reload the driver after resetting the state, but the state remains at "2".

Does anyone have any info on how to reconfigure the radio killswitch in Fedora 12 to prevent wireless from being disabled on the T60? Based upon what I have seen in the online sources and bug reports the configuration files for the radio killswitch changed in Fedora 12 from previous versions.

I'm also confused why Fedora 12 reports "driver <unknown>" for the iwl3945 driver in /var/log/messages. Does anyone know why this would be occurring?

Thanks in advance.

RE: fedora 12 on T60 laptop - wireless issues (firmware)
 

I know this may sound silly, but do you have the firmware loaded for that particular card. I don't know what Fedora's policy on "non-free" software is, but I know many distros won't ship it in the base ISO files that can be downloaded. Intel's firmware for their devices is considered non-free (free as in freedom) and therefore violates some people's sensibilities regarding a "free" OS. I won't get into politics here, so do a quick search for Intel 3945 on rpmfind or somewhere similar (maybe on livna if that's still active) and you will probably find what you're looking for.

Mac

I have F10 talking happily to a 3945 - I don't recall having to do anything special. The kernel devs specifically allow for proprietary ucode so I don't imagine Redhat/Fedora will have a problem shipping it. I may have a go at F12 over the weekend and will post back.

Posting from F12 - standard install from DVD. All I changed from the standard install was to tick the box to include the "Developers" stuff in the software selection.
3945 worked "out of the box" - took me a while to remember my key, but other than that no problem. Can't help with your problem I'm afraid.

Running F12 on a T60p here.

03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection (rev 02)

Installed from the LiveCD and everything is working fine. Kill switch is working as you would expect it to. I have the iwl3945-firmware-15.32.2.9-2.noarch package installed. Let me know if you need any more info.

Cheers,
Finn.

Hi, I have a Dell D430 laptop, and just upgraded to F12 from F11.

I have the wireless/bluetooth killswitch set in the BIOS to only toggle bluetooth.

However NM in F12 has decided that the switch will toggle everything, and disables wireless if I have the switch off (because I want bluetooth off!)

Help!

thanks,
Bob