Can't change my essid with iwconfig

MindGypsy · 08-20-2013, 12:23 AM

I've used Slackware for quite awhile and only recently needed wireless and I'm having a huge mess. I can get my wireless to work in Ubuntu, Mint, Debian, even Arch Linux, so it shouldn't be a hardware issue.

Iwconfig puts out

lo no wireless extensions.

ra0 Ralink STA ESSID:"" Nickname:""
Mode:Auto Frequency=2.412 GHz Bit Rate:1 Mb/s
RTS thr

ff Fragment thr

ff
Encryption key

ff
Link Quality=10/100 Signal level:0 dBm Noise level:0 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

eth0 no wireless extensions.

I try to change my essid with iwconfig ra0 essid "myessid" after of course I do ra0 up. When I try to change it, it stays exactly the same. Am I missing something or is there some other way I should try to get my wireless working?

Also when I do iwlist ra0 scan it comes up with all the wireless networks there should be and yes it shows mine as well.

I would really appreciate any help.

Didier Spaier · 08-20-2013, 02:40 AM

What puzzles me is that your output shows no access point. Hers is mine:

Code:

lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11abgn  ESSID:"Didier"  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.412 GHz  Access Point: A2:8D:36:18:D2:50   
          Bit Rate=1 Mb/s   Tx-Power=15 dBm   
          Retry  long limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality=61/70  Signal level=-49 dBm  
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

Other than that, IMO simplest way to get wireless working on Slackware-14.0 is to run as root 'netconfig' and when asked choose NetworkManager to auto-configure your network. Then, as a regular user, type 'nm-applet' to put a handy widget on your desktop.

jostber · 08-20-2013, 04:58 AM

You can also install wicd, then run wicd-curses in a terminal and connect to your access point from there.

MindGypsy · 08-20-2013, 06:11 AM

Thanks Didier I will try that.
Wicd for some reason does not jive with my wireless setup.

jostber · 08-20-2013, 06:25 AM

Some troubleshooting tips for Wicd here:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Wicd

philanc · 08-20-2013, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MindGypsy

Iwconfig puts out

Code:

lo        no wireless extensions.

ra0       Ralink STA  ESSID:""  Nickname:""
          Mode:Auto  Frequency=2.412 GHz  Bit Rate:1 Mb/s   
          RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Link Quality=10/100  Signal level:0 dBm  Noise level:0 dBm
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

eth0      no wireless extensions.

(...)

I assume your access point is configured with WPA2 authentication. It looks like you didn't run wpa_supplicant.

As Didier suggested before, if your objective is just to have WiFi access working, your best bet is to use NetworkManager.

HTH

Phil

the3dfxdude · 08-20-2013, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MindGypsy

ra0 Ralink STA ESSID:"" Nickname:""

Ah, the ralink driver. It even went into kernel 'staging'. I had similar things happen with that driver, not playing well with userspace for setting things like ESSID, barely supported wpa_supplicant (they may have had their own hack for it), and it even had its own built in config file. Have you tried a maintained kernel driver, like rt2800pci? Maybe you need to update your kernel? Probably anything in Slack 13.37 or later will do, which is fine for me here, but I don't know which device you have.

Have you looked under this page for Ralink?
http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers