I keep getting the following error when I run the following:
No matter what method I try for setting an encryption key for my card, it doesn't work. I am only able to connect to wireless access points that don't use encryption.

details:
I have an Atheros AR9285 wireless card, I have the mac80211,ath9k modules loaded. Also when I run lspci, my Atheros AR9285 card shows up on the list.
I am using the 2.6.30.9 kernel.

Please help me.

For some reason I always get the impression that people prefer a panic request at LQ over a decent search of the internet using Yahoo and (if Yahoo fail) Google.

You would have found http://alien.slackbook.org/dokuwiki/...ckware:network and http://fruttenboel.verhoeven272.nl/linux/gallium4.html, among others.

For the record: if it works in Slackware, it will work in lesser disto's as well, albeit slightly different.

I am trying to do this in Arch Linux now, and those links did not help me. The following files don't exist:
/etc/rc.d/rc.inet1
/etc/rc.d/rc.wireless.conf

I did search google:
http://www.google.com/search?q=ar928...encode%22+8b2a

I've also tried using compat-wireless, and I still get the same error when setting the encryption key.
http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Download

The only thing that I've not tried is using ndiswrapper with my windows drivers, which I'd rather not use. I will use that if I absolutely HAVE to.

I am not a Linux newbie. I've spent many hours trying to get this to work.

Those are standard files in standard Linux. Candy cane Linux is nice, as long as you have candy cane computer and candy cane equipment.

Of course! And now I also suddenly realize what the underlying problem is: Newbies don't know how to search Google...

The best way to search Google is by using http://search.yahoo.com Yaho have no blacklist
The second best way is to go to www.google.com and do a search.

If you are looking for the Longshine IR2114 router you must enter "Longshine IR2114" WITH the quotes.
If you now get a lot of girly pictures, you add '- nude' (without the quotes).
If you get other bad results, add other '-' options.
Look further than just pages 1 and 2.
Open multiple TAB's in your browser (Ctrl-LeftMouse or MiddleMouse) so your search results page stays loaded.

If you hit upon something interesting: open a new TAB and start a new search based on the new keywords. Use quotes and minusses where appropriate.

Of course. It's oldfashioned to state you become an experienced user after some years. You, after two hours, have left the stage of newbyness. Wellcome to the club of hackers.

I know how to use Google. I did use quotes in my search, and I know about using the minus symbol. I have used some of Google's advance search options in the past.
Yes, Google's blocklist is used when sites violates the SEO rules, to mislead people to their site.
No, I've been using Linux for around 3 years now. I've used Ubuntu, Debian, Slackware, Back|Track, and Arch Linux. I've also had some exposure to others distros.

I was saying that I am not a linux newbie, meaning that I am not new to linux, and that I've been working on this problem for several hours now and I keep hitting dead ends.

I did figure out the problem by the way. Instead of entering the key as a string with the s: option, I am able to enter it in with hexadecimal characters as long as 'key' is the ONLY paramter with the iwconfig command. I thought this was kind of strange, but that's the only way I can get this to work.