Available wireless networks shown but cannot connect

pls do in a terminal

ifconfig

iwconfig

and

nm-tool

these cmds will tell/identify the interface - the first for wired like eth0, eth1 .... the second is for wifi like wlan0 or ath0 ; it may be also ethx where x may be 0, 1 ....

if the drivers are installed, - quite a high probability that they are in 8.10 -, then look up the output of iwconfig cmd and identify the <interface name> then pls do

sudo iwlist <interface name> scan

you can do also

sudo dhclient

if there are any ap within range they'll be detected and displayed then pls do

sudo ifdown <interface name>
sudo ifup <interface name>

the last cmd will bring up the interface; you should have also by default an applet on the right side of upper panel; if you right click on it there should be an Edit connection tab that enables you to enter the connection particulars; if everything above is satisfied you should be able to get/see the applet trying to connect to an ap; I recommend the last - Edit conn'n aproach - it allows also the entry of encryption strings if all ap seen are locked, otherwise it will connect to an unlocked ap.

best of luck.

peter b

Well, that provided a lot of information, but did not solve the problem. The wireless networks I am trying to connect to are auto-connecting, unsecured networks. There are no "connection particulars" for me to enter in the Edit Connection tab. My computer "sees" all of the available wireless networks in range, both secured and unsecured, ad-hoc and infrastructure. I'm trying to connect to the unsecured, infrastructure networks. When I click on that particular network, both green lights illuminate, but it sticks on "requesting a network address from <ap name>". It eventually times out - every time. The only thing I found interesting from the commands recommended above was from "sudo ifdown wlan0". It returned "interface wlan0 not configured". It was the same with wifi0.

pls post output of

sudo iwlist <interface name> scan

command - replace <interface name> with proper name. are there any mac filters enabled on the router/ap ?

peter b

Since I don't have an Internet connection, I can't copy and past the info you requested. However, I can give the details.

iwlist gave, for each cell (among some other stuff):
a MAC address
the ESSID
all cells were labeled as Master
all were about 2.4 GHz
The signal and noise levels seemed very low. They were -68 dBm and -100 dBm, respectively, for the access point I was trying to connect to. All available APs had approximately the same signal/noise levels

running iwconfig for wlan0 returned:
link quality: 17/70
signal -81 dBm
noise -99 dBm

If the signal/noise levels are the problem, then something in 8.10 is blocking the signal. I was able to connect to this particular AP very easily and reliably with 8.04. Also, people sitting next to me are able to connect to the AP without any problem. If signal/noise levels are NOT the problem, then something is preventing the AP from returning a network address. Again, this is an unsecured infrastructure network. There is no network information that I have to enter to be able to connect.

couldn't you use a wired connection to post info requested ?

as said on my first reply, Edit connection tab on the connections applet is recommended in situations like yours. this info and, maybe, some other is required to continue this thread.

somebody else may be able to offer better help under these circumstances.

peter b

I don't have a wired connection available, and my not for another couple of weeks. I'm not clear how the Edit connection tab can do anything to improve the signal strength or lessen the noise. Each AP is set on the correct settings for a basic unsecured, auto-connecting, infrastructure network. I will post the return from iwlist as soon as I can, but it'll probably be a while. In the meantime, if anybody else wants to offer a suggestion, I'm open. Thanks.

Below is the information requested. Also, if it was the driver for the wireless card, how would I go about deleting/reloading it. When I go to Hardware Drivers under System>Administration, it says there are no proprietary drivers.

travis@travis-laptop:~$ ifconfig
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:0b:cd:34:aa:4c
          UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)
          Interrupt:11

lo Link encap:Local Loopback
          inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

wifi0 Link encap:UNSPEC HWaddr 00-02-8A-92-48-36-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
          RX packets:532 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:6 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
          RX bytes:372400 (372.4 KB) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)
          Interrupt:10

wlan0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:02:8a:92:48:36
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
          RX packets:114 errors:0 dropped:418 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:4 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
          RX bytes:78660 (78.6 KB) TX bytes:1440 (1.4 KB)
          Interrupt:10

travis@travis-laptop:~$ iwconfig
lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

wifi0 IEEE 802.11b ESSID:"Homer" Nickname:""
          Mode:Managed Frequency:2.437 GHz Access Point: 00:1B:2F:0F:21:80
          Bit Rate:2 Mb/s Sensitivity=1/3
          Retry short limit:8 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:off

wlan0 IEEE 802.11b ESSID:"Homer" Nickname:""
          Mode:Managed Frequency:2.437 GHz Access Point: 00:1B:2F:0F:21:80
          Bit Rate:2 Mb/s Sensitivity=1/3
          Retry short limit:8 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality=16/70 Signal level=-83 dBm Noise level=-100 dBm
          Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:496 Missed beacon:0

pan0 no wireless extensions.

travis@travis-laptop:~$ nm-tool

NetworkManager Tool

State: disconnected

- Device: eth0 ----------------------------------------------------------------
  Type: Wired
  Driver: natsemi
  State: unavailable
  Default: no
  HW Address: 00:0B:CD:34:AA:4C

  Capabilities:
    Supported: yes
    Carrier Detect: yes
    Speed: 10 Mb/s

  Wired Settings

- Device: wlan0 ----------------------------------------------------------------
  Type: 802.11 WiFi
  Driver: hostap_pci
  State: disconnected
  Default: no
  HW Address: 00:02:8A:92:48:36

  Capabilities:
    Supported: yes

  Wireless Settings
    WEP Encryption: yes
    WPA Encryption: yes
    WPA2 Encryption: yes

  Wireless Access Points
    Home: Infra, 00:1B:2F:0F:21:80, Freq 2437 MHz, Rate 36 Mb/s, Strength 40
    TSchroader: Infra, 00:1E:E5:44:39:51, Freq 2412 MHz, Rate 54 Mb/s, Strength 30 WEP

travis@travis-laptop:~$ sudo iwlist wlan0 scan
[sudo] password for travis:
wlan0 Scan completed :
          Cell 01 - Address: 00:1B:2F:0F:21:80
                    ESSID:"Home"
                    Mode:Master
                    Frequency:2.437 GHz (Channel 6)
                    Signal level=-80 dBm Noise level=-100 dBm
                    Encryption key:off
                    Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s
                              12 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s
                    Extra:bcn_int=100
                    Extra:resp_rate=10

SSID entry in the connection file wireless tab (Edit connection) MUST BE THE SAME with ap --> Home

Mode --> Infrastructure

BSSID --> leave blank

MAC adress --> leave blank

Connect automatically --> checked (enable)

MTU --> automatic

Wireless security tab

Security --> none FOR THIS AP (NOT SO FOR TSchroader AP)

IPV4 Settings

Method --> Automatic (DHCP)

save file --> OK

reboot pc; after reboot the applet should be live and conn'n established.

peter b

iwconfig

command output is ....'wlan0 IEEE 802.11b ESSID:"Homer" Nickname:"" '....

Homer ???

 this is a b type wifi interface; pls check the ap settings whether it has b mode enabled.

also check ap settings whether MAC filter option is enabled; if it is then interface mac entry MUST MATCH pc interface mac.

peter b

I noticed this discreptency as well. Normally, my problem is at hotels, but to continue this thread, I used my neighbors wireless signal. I have no idea why it showed the ESSID as Homer. The hotel aps do not have this discrepency. Apart from this, did you see anything that looked abnormal. Remember, I am trying to connect to aps that are all set up to be connected to automatically without entering any connection specifics. Also, people around me are connecting just fine. Can you tell me how to delete and reload the wireless driver? Maybe that's my problem.

in 810 release all ap within range should be displayed automatically when the applet is clicked; the user should choose/pick the ap by enabling (radio button) the one that he wishes to use or, edit the connection files by enabling connect automatically button that will take effect at the next reboot

if the ap has a key on then the user will be prompted to enter the key
if it does not have a key the applet will become active and connect without any other user input

now, in 810 the drivers are part of kernel and configured by it; before 810 some were in the kernel and others had to be installed manually and configured. I'm not v familiar as to how to remove/reinstall wifi drivers in 810 - as far as 810 wifi drivers issues I did not see any -they simply work with no problems that I'm aware of. personally never had a problem connecting to ANY ap in airports, hotels, public places, cafes, you name it.

if you feel that you have shaky wifi drivers maybe somebody that is v familiar with this issue may help you better than I. the easiest way out of it is to save all your data in /home and do a new intrepid install then restore data.

see how this spanky NEW install works for you - if it does not deliver what you want then there is the bug avenue open where you can express yourself or the forum avenue where you may find answers to your problems.

I can not help you any further if the system is not in good working order.

peter b

This apparently required a reload of 8.10. This solved my problem.