Ubuntu

Setting up wifi on Acer Aspire 5315 running Ubuntu 9.04

Asked by Jeff the novice

I have taken the advice in:-

"UNCLAIMED AR242x 802.11abg Wireless PCI Express Adapter [168c:001c] (rev 01) not working on Acer Aspire 5315 in Ubuntu 8.04"

and have made progress for the first time after days of work

I initially didn't see the enable wireless icon I set up the interfaces file and ran the madwifi file as suggested and although wifi is now enabled the wifi light doesn't light up and the wifi interface which has now come up says it's unknown

I enclose the code results of the advised command before and after my work

BEFORE

  *-network
       description: Ethernet interface
       product: NetLink BCM5906M Fast Ethernet PCI Express
       vendor: Broadcom Corporation
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:05:00.0
       logical name: eth0
       version: 02
       serial: 00:1b:38:65:2f:db
       size: 100MB/s
       capacity: 100MB/s
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm vpd msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet
physical tp 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd autonegotiation
       configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=tg3
driverversion=3.94 duplex=full ip=192.168.1.115 latency=0 link=yes
module=tg3 multicast=yes port=twisted pair speed=100MB/s
  *-network UNCLAIMED
       description: Ethernet controller
       product: AR242x 802.11abg Wireless PCI Express Adapter
       vendor: Atheros Communications Inc.
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:06:00.0
       version: 01
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix bus_master cap_list
       configuration: latency=0
  *-network DISABLED
       description: Ethernet interface
       physical id: 2
       logical name: pan0
       serial: aa:a2:3f:39:ac:71
       capabilities: ethernet physical
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=bridge driverversion=2.3
firmware=N/A link=yes multicast=yes
lo Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

pan0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=9.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=jaunty
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 9.04"
00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Mobile PM965/GM965/GL960
Memory Controller Hub [8086:2a00] (rev 03) 00:02.0 VGA compatible controller
[0300]: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller
[8086:2a02] (rev 03) 00:02.1 Display controller [0380]: Intel Corporation
Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:2a03] (rev 03)
00:1a.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB
UHCI Controller #4 [8086:2834] (rev 03) 00:1a.1 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel
Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 [8086:2835] (rev 03)
00:1a.7 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2
EHCI Controller #2 [8086:283a] (rev 03) 00:1b.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel
Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) HD Audio Controller [8086:284b] (rev 03)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI
Express Port 1 [8086:283f] (rev 03) 00:1c.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel
Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 2 [8086:2841] (rev 03)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI
Express Port 3 [8086:2843] (rev 03) 00:1c.3 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel
Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 4 [8086:2845] (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB
UHCI Controller #1 [8086:2830] (rev 03) 00:1d.1 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel
Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 [8086:2831] (rev 03)
00:1d.2 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB
UHCI Controller #3 [8086:2832] (rev 03) 00:1d.7 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel
Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 [8086:2836] (rev
03) 00:1e.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge
[8086:2448] (rev f3) 00:1f.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation 82801HEM
(ICH8M) LPC Interface Controller [8086:2815] (rev 03) 00:1f.1 IDE interface
[0101]: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM
(ICH8M/ICH8M-E) IDE Controller [8086:2850] (rev 03)
00:1f.2 IDE interface [0101]: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM
(ICH8M/ICH8M-E) SATA IDE Controller [8086:2828] (rev 03) 00:1f.3 SMBus
[0c05]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) SMBus Controller [8086:283e]
(rev 03) 05:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Broadcom Corporation NetLink
BCM5906M Fast Ethernet PCI Express [14e4:1713] (rev 02) 06:00.0 Ethernet
controller [0200]: Atheros Communications Inc. AR242x 802.11abg Wireless PCI
Express Adapter [168c:001c] (rev 01) Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux
Foundation 2.0 root hub Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation
1.1 root hub Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 001
Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub Bus 004 Device 001:
ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001
Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Linux kirsty-laptop 2.6.28-14-generic
#47-Ubuntu SMP Sat Jul 25 00:28:35 UTC 2009 i686 GNU/Linux
[ 0.000000] found SMP MP-table at [c00fe1b0] 000fe1b0
[ 0.596078] ACPI: No dock devices found.
[ 0.640350] pnp: PnP ACPI: found 9 devices
[ 1.406717] ACPI Warning (nseval-0168): Insufficient arguments -
method [_OSC] needs 5, found 4 [20080926]
[ 1.432361] ACPI Warning (nseval-0168): Insufficient arguments -
method [_OSC] needs 5, found 4 [20080926]
[ 1.456483] pcieport-driver 0000:00:1c.0: found MSI capability
[ 1.456704] pcieport-driver 0000:00:1c.1: found MSI capability
[ 1.456914] pcieport-driver 0000:00:1c.2: found MSI capability
[ 1.457130] pcieport-driver 0000:00:1c.3: found MSI capability
[ 1.457305] ACPI Warning (nseval-0168): Insufficient arguments -
method [_OSC] needs 5, found 4 [20080926]
[ 1.457460] ACPI Warning (nseval-0168): Insufficient arguments -
method [_OSC] needs 5, found 4 [20080926]
[ 1.457605] ACPI Warning (nseval-0168): Insufficient arguments -
method [_OSC] needs 5, found 4 [20080926]
[ 1.457749] ACPI Warning (nseval-0168): Insufficient arguments -
method [_OSC] needs 5, found 4 [20080926]
[ 2.191203] isapnp: No Plug & Play device found
[ 4.796100] hub 1-0:1.0: USB hub found
[ 4.816087] hub 2-0:1.0: USB hub found
[ 4.816420] hub 3-0:1.0: USB hub found
[ 4.816694] hub 4-0:1.0: USB hub found
[ 4.816966] hub 5-0:1.0: USB hub found
[ 4.817217] hub 6-0:1.0: USB hub found
[ 4.817472] hub 7-0:1.0: USB hub found
[ 4.853954] device-mapper: multipath round-robin: version 1.0.0
loaded
[ 4.855704] BIOS EDD facility v0.16 2004-Jun-25, 0 devices found
[ 11.051770] iTCO_wdt: Found a ICH8M TCO device (Version=2,
TCOBASE=0x0460)
[ 11.832028] lp: driver loaded but no devices found
lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

pan0 no wireless extensions.

AFTER

 *-network
       description: Ethernet interface
       product: NetLink BCM5906M Fast Ethernet PCI Express
       vendor: Broadcom Corporation
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:05:00.0
       logical name: eth0
       version: 02
       serial: 00:1b:38:65:2f:db
       size: 100MB/s
       capacity: 100MB/s
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm vpd msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet
physical tp 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd autonegotiation
       configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=tg3
driverversion=3.94 duplex=full ip=192.168.1.115 latency=0 link=yes
module=tg3 multicast=yes port=twisted pair speed=100MB/s
  *-network
       description: Wireless interface
       product: AR242x 802.11abg Wireless PCI Express Adapter
       vendor: Atheros Communications Inc.
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:06:00.0
       logical name: wifi0
       version: 01
       serial: 00:1d:d9:4e:55:f2
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix bus_master cap_list logical
ethernet physical wireless
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=ath_pci latency=0 module=ath_pci
multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11g
  *-network
       description: Ethernet interface
       physical id: 2
       logical name: pan0
       serial: ce:b6:d4:c5:ee:a1
       capabilities: ethernet physical
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=bridge driverversion=2.3
firmware=N/A link=yes multicast=yes
lo Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

wifi0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

ath0 Scan completed :
          Cell 01 - Address: 00:22:B0:EF:34:3B
                    ESSID:"TalkTalk3fe45"
                    Mode:Master
                    Frequency:2.412 GHz (Channel 1)
                    Quality=22/70 Signal level=-73 dBm Noise level=-95 dBm
                    Encryption key:on
                    Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s
                              9 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s
                              48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
                    Extra:bcn_int=100
                    IE: WPA Version 1
                        Group Cipher : TKIP
                        Pairwise Ciphers (1) : TKIP
                        Authentication Suites (1) : PSK

Extra:wme_ie=dd180050f2020101000003a4000027a4000042435e0062322f00
          Cell 02 - Address: 00:18:39:A7:1F:4B
                    ESSID:"linksys"
                    Mode:Master
                    Frequency:2.452 GHz (Channel 9)
                    Quality=64/70 Signal level=-31 dBm Noise level=-95 dBm
                    Encryption key:on
                    Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s
                              9 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s
                              48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
                    Extra:bcn_int=100
                    IE: IEEE 802.11i/WPA2 Version 1
                        Group Cipher : TKIP
                        Pairwise Ciphers (2) : CCMP TKIP
                        Authentication Suites (1) : PSK
                    IE: WPA Version 1
                        Group Cipher : TKIP
                        Pairwise Ciphers (2) : CCMP TKIP
                        Authentication Suites (1) : PSK

Extra:wme_ie=dd180050f2020101040003a4000027a4000042435e0062322f00
                    Extra:ath_ie=dd0900037f01010000ff7f
          Cell 03 - Address: 00:1D:68:51:94:23
                    ESSID:"BTHomeHub-1573"
                    Mode:Master
                    Frequency:2.462 GHz (Channel 11)
                    Quality=21/70 Signal level=-74 dBm Noise level=-95 dBm
                    Encryption key:on
                    Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s
                              24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s; 9 Mb/s
                              12 Mb/s; 48 Mb/s
                    Extra:bcn_int=100

Extra:wme_ie=dd180050f2020101880003a4000027a4000042435e0062322f00

pan0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback
auto pan0
iface pan0 inet dhcp

DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=9.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=jaunty
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 9.04"
00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Mobile PM965/GM965/GL960
Memory Controller Hub [8086:2a00] (rev 03) 00:02.0 VGA compatible controller
[0300]: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller
[8086:2a02] (rev 03) 00:02.1 Display controller [0380]: Intel Corporation
Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:2a03] (rev 03)
00:1a.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB
UHCI Controller #4 [8086:2834] (rev 03) 00:1a.1 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel
Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 [8086:2835] (rev 03)
00:1a.7 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2
EHCI Controller #2 [8086:283a] (rev 03) 00:1b.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel
Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) HD Audio Controller [8086:284b] (rev 03)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI
Express Port 1 [8086:283f] (rev 03) 00:1c.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel
Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 2 [8086:2841] (rev 03)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI
Express Port 3 [8086:2843] (rev 03) 00:1c.3 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel
Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 4 [8086:2845] (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB
UHCI Controller #1 [8086:2830] (rev 03) 00:1d.1 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel
Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 [8086:2831] (rev 03)
00:1d.2 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB
UHCI Controller #3 [8086:2832] (rev 03) 00:1d.7 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel
Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 [8086:2836] (rev
03) 00:1e.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge
[8086:2448] (rev f3) 00:1f.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation 82801HEM
(ICH8M) LPC Interface Controller [8086:2815] (rev 03) 00:1f.1 IDE interface
[0101]: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM
(ICH8M/ICH8M-E) IDE Controller [8086:2850] (rev 03)
00:1f.2 IDE interface [0101]: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM
(ICH8M/ICH8M-E) SATA IDE Controller [8086:2828] (rev 03) 00:1f.3 SMBus
[0c05]: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) SMBus Controller [8086:283e]
(rev 03) 05:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Broadcom Corporation NetLink
BCM5906M Fast Ethernet PCI Express [14e4:1713] (rev 02) 06:00.0 Ethernet
controller [0200]: Atheros Communications Inc. AR242x 802.11abg Wireless PCI
Express Adapter [168c:001c] (rev 01) Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux
Foundation 2.0 root hub Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation
1.1 root hub Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 001
Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub Bus 004 Device 001:
ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001
Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Linux kirsty-laptop 2.6.28-14-generic
#47-Ubuntu SMP Sat Jul 25 00:28:35 UTC 2009 i686 GNU/Linux
[ 0.000000] found SMP MP-table at [c00fe1b0] 000fe1b0
[ 0.592081] ACPI: No dock devices found.
[ 0.632351] pnp: PnP ACPI: found 9 devices
[ 1.403652] ACPI Warning (nseval-0168): Insufficient arguments -
method [_OSC] needs 5, found 4 [20080926]
[ 1.428361] ACPI Warning (nseval-0168): Insufficient arguments -
method [_OSC] needs 5, found 4 [20080926]
[ 1.452482] pcieport-driver 0000:00:1c.0: found MSI capability
[ 1.452702] pcieport-driver 0000:00:1c.1: found MSI capability
[ 1.452912] pcieport-driver 0000:00:1c.2: found MSI capability
[ 1.453129] pcieport-driver 0000:00:1c.3: found MSI capability
[ 1.453306] ACPI Warning (nseval-0168): Insufficient arguments -
method [_OSC] needs 5, found 4 [20080926]
[ 1.453460] ACPI Warning (nseval-0168): Insufficient arguments -
method [_OSC] needs 5, found 4 [20080926]
[ 1.453605] ACPI Warning (nseval-0168): Insufficient arguments -
method [_OSC] needs 5, found 4 [20080926]
[ 1.453748] ACPI Warning (nseval-0168): Insufficient arguments -
method [_OSC] needs 5, found 4 [20080926]
[ 2.181779] isapnp: No Plug & Play device found
[ 4.804100] hub 1-0:1.0: USB hub found
[ 4.824086] hub 2-0:1.0: USB hub found
[ 4.824420] hub 3-0:1.0: USB hub found
[ 4.824692] hub 4-0:1.0: USB hub found
[ 4.824965] hub 5-0:1.0: USB hub found
[ 4.825216] hub 6-0:1.0: USB hub found
[ 4.825471] hub 7-0:1.0: USB hub found
[ 4.860557] device-mapper: multipath round-robin: version 1.0.0
loaded
[ 4.862310] BIOS EDD facility v0.16 2004-Jun-25, 0 devices found
[ 11.298829] iTCO_wdt: Found a ICH8M TCO device (Version=2,
TCOBASE=0x0460)
[ 11.926951] lp: driver loaded but no devices found
[ 12.506396] wifi0: Atheros AR2425 chip found (MAC 14.2, PHY SChip
7.0, Radio 10.2)
lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

wifi0 no wireless extensions.

ath0 IEEE 802.11g ESSID:"" Nickname:""
          Mode:Managed Frequency:2.422 GHz Access Point:
Not-Associated
          Bit Rate:0 kb/s Tx-Power:16 dBm Sensitivity=1/1
          Retry:off RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality=0/70 Signal level=-96 dBm Noise level=-96 dBm
          Rx invalid nwid:2325 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

pan0 no wireless extensions.

The wifi light still won't light up and I can't use wifi

I wonder if you can give me further assistance

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
Ubuntu Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Solved by:
Mark Rijckenberg
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
Best Mark Rijckenberg (markrijckenberg) said : 		#1

Hi,

Your wireless Atheros driver is already installed now and working. It has detected 3 wireless access points, according to the output you sent us.

I think you just need to connect using the NetworkManager icon, which is in the top right
corner of the Ubuntu panel.

See the link below for a screenshot of the NetworkManager icon:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetworkManager

Right-click on the Networkmanager icon and then choose the wireless
network you want to connect to. You might need to create a new
connection on eth1 or wlan0 first, or click on "edit network connection"
to see the list of available networks.

Regards,

Mark

Revision history for this message
Jeff the novice (j-m-fletcher) said : 		#2

Incidentally if found a file in modprobe.d called blacklist-ath_pci the contents of which are

# For some Atheros 5K RF MACs, the madwifi driver loads buts fails to
# correctly initialize the hardware, leaving it in a state from
# which ath5k cannot recover. To prevent this condition, stop
# madwifi from loading by default. Use Jockey to select one driver
# or the other. (Ubuntu: #315056, #323830)
blacklist ath_pci

does this need editing with a # in front of blacklist ath_pci or is the problem a recognition of firmware

I don't know whether there is any body out there who can assist

Revision history for this message
Jeff the novice (j-m-fletcher) said : 		#3

I went to the network icon and nothing but eventually the system is on wifi only there is no led for the wifi but so what
maybe the driver doesn't cater for that

Thank you this is clearly an excellent site

I've been battling for day's with ndiswrapper and the various madwifi programs to no avail but thanks again

Revision history for this message
Jeff the novice (j-m-fletcher) said : 		#4

Thanks Mark Rijckenberg, that solved my question.