[SOLVED] Trouble with Qualcom Atheros

mfoley · 12-18-2023, 02:10 PM

I've just installed a Qualcom Atheros wifi adapter in my Slackware 15.0 system. I cannot get it to connect to the router. Another LQ member posted this same question https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...-a-4175649144/ and got it to work by upgrading his Slackware. That was in 2006, so that solution isn't going to work for me as I've certainly got whatever upgrade that was incorporated into my 15.0.

My rc.inet1.conf:

Code:

DEBUG_ETH_UP="no"
IFNAME[4]="wlan0"
USE_DHCP[4]="yes"
WLAN_WPA[4]="wpa_supplicant"

Results in /var/log/messages:

Code:

Dec 18 14:31:51 DC1 rc.inet1[1196]: wlan0: configuring interface
Dec 18 14:31:54 DC1 root: /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1:  /sbin/iwconfig wlan0 nick DC1.hprs.locl
Dec 18 14:31:54 DC1 root: /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1:  /sbin/iwconfig wlan0 essid "any"
Dec 18 14:31:54 DC1 root: /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1:  wpa_supplicant -B -c/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -Dwext -iwlan0
Dec 18 14:32:55 DC1 root: /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1:  WPA authentication did not complete, try running '/etc/rc.d/rc.inet1 wlan0_start' in a few seconds.
Dec 18 14:32:58 DC1 rc.inet1[1196]: wlan0: starting dhcpcd
Dec 18 14:32:58 DC1 dhcpcd[1568]: dhcpcd-9.4.1 starting
Dec 18 14:32:58 DC1 dhcpcd[1571]: DUID 00:04:47:ec:53:a5:f0:b8:f6:d8:ed:b0:58:11:22:c7:38:1c
Dec 18 14:32:58 DC1 kernel: 8021q: 802.1Q VLAN Support v1.8
Dec 18 14:32:59 DC1 dhcpcd[1571]: wlan0: waiting for carrier
Dec 18 14:33:13 DC1 rc.inet1[1196]: wlan0: failed to obtain DHCP lease
Dec 18 14:33:14 DC1 rc.inet1[1196]: eth5: configuring interface
Dec 18 14:33:14 DC1 rc.inet1[1196]: Configuring gateways

more info:

Code:

# lsmod | grep ath
ath10k_pci             32568  0
ath10k_core           251156  1 ath10k_pci
ath                    21042  1 ath10k_core
mac80211              609190  1 ath10k_core
cfg80211              524168  3 ath,mac80211,ath10k_core

# iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth1      no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11  ESSID:off/any
          Mode:Managed  Access Point: Not-Associated   Tx-Power=2147483648 dBm
          Retry short limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:on

It looks like the driver is there, and there's no way the signal is too weak as the wireless router (Nighthawk(R) X4S R7800) reaches all over the office and this computer with the Atheros network card is less than 5 feet away.

Ideas? I'm stuck and need to get this up ASAP. No, wired is not a option.

Timothy Miller · 12-18-2023, 02:13 PM

Don't use Slackware, so I'll ask the obvious question, does Slackware include the Atheros firmware?

mfoley · 12-18-2023, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timothy Miller

Don't use Slackware, so I'll ask the obvious question, does Slackware include the Atheros firmware?

I assume the firmware is there since the other Slackware user with this problem got his running, but how would I verify if I have the Atheros firmware?

Later:

I have the following for firmware:

Code:

# ls -l /lib/firmware/ath10k
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 2923-07-25 15:00 QCA4019/
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 2923-07-25 15:00 QCA6174/
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 2923-07-25 15:00 QCA9377/
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 2923-07-25 15:00 QCA9887/
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 2923-07-25 15:00 QCA9888/
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 2923-07-25 15:00 QCA988X/
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 2923-07-25 15:00 QCA9984/
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 2923-07-25 15:00 QCA99X0/
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 2923-07-25 15:00 QCA3990/

Timothy Miller · 12-18-2023, 02:27 PM

Not a suggestion to not use slackware, a statement that I don't use slackware. Ergo have no idea if they include the firmware in a default installation or not.

Timothy Miller · 12-18-2023, 05:21 PM

Which card do you actually have? I'm guessing most likely you do indeed have the firmware from that list, but knowing exactly which chipset would let us know for sure (lspci -nnk | grep -iA2 network). Once upon a time I REALLY knew this Atheros stuff like the back of my hand, but most of it's gone the way of the dodo bird.

mfoley · 12-18-2023, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timothy Miller

Not a suggestion to not use slackware, a statement that I don't use slackware. Ergo have no idea if they include the firmware in a default installation or not.

Yes - I figured that out after I posted my response, and I deleted that particular comment later.

Well, I think the mere act of posting the question fixed the problem! LOL, After 3 hours of messing with wpa_supplicant, rebooting, powering off/on, on the last power of/on cycle it just started working. I swear I didn't change anything in the Slackware config (rc.inet1.conf), or wpa_supplicant.

For the moment it's working. Dunno why.

Thanks for playing.