FN + f9 not working on ubuntu jaunty 9.04

You should be able to switch off wireless by right-clicking on the network icon in the top right panel on your screen and unchecking "Enable Wireless".

To get Fn+F9 to work, check this post: http://www.voria.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7
Start at "Now we have to enable the FN-F9 key to toggle the wireless card."

hi, thanks for the response. in terms of right clicking and unchecking wireless, this is possible but I think the wireless is still activated as the blue light stays on indicating wireless is active. not unless it stays on and it really is inactive which would then be a small glitch. one thing I'm not clear on as I'm new to ubuntu is the instruction in your link that says I have to make a file executeable and copy it to /usr/local/bin. i'm not sure on how to do this? or is this all included when I copy and paste the commands?

I think I read somewhere on the same forum (voria.org) that the blue light turns off when you deactivate wireless. If your blue light stays on, I indeed assume wireless is still active (and using battery power).

The script might be interesting, as it uses another method of disabling wireless: it unloads the Atheros kernel module. To see if it would work, I'd like you to try this:

Open a terminal (Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal)
Type (or paste) 'sudo modprobe -rv ath5k' and press enter. You will be asked for your password (as this action needs administrative privileges). Please paste the results here and check if the blue light is now off.

To turn it back on type 'sudo modprobe -v ath5k'

hi there, here's the output of the first command. my wireless was disconnected as the small cross appeared on the network manager icon but the blue light to indicate my wireless was still active stayed on.

1st command

rmmod /lib/modules/2.6.28-15-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/ath5k/ath5k.ko
rmmod /lib/modules/2.6.28-15-generic/kernel/net/mac80211/mac80211.ko
rmmod /lib/modules/2.6.28-15-generic/kernel/drivers/leds/led-class.ko
rmmod /lib/modules/2.6.28-15-generic/kernel/net/wireless/cfg80211.ko

2nd command (to switch back on)

insmod /lib/modules/2.6.28-15-generic/kernel/net/wireless/cfg80211.ko
insmod /lib/modules/2.6.28-15-generic/kernel/drivers/leds/led-class.ko
insmod /lib/modules/2.6.28-15-generic/kernel/net/mac80211/mac80211.ko
insmod /lib/modules/2.6.28-15-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/ath5k/ath5k.ko

the FN+F9 key does not seem to do anything still :(

hope this helps. maybe this is a case where the wireless really is inactive it's just the blue light stays on which is a bit confusing but really as wireless is no longer on??

Ok, so removing and reloading the kernel module works, but the LED stays on. It's hard to tell if wireless is still using battery power when turned off.

If you'd like to fiddle some more, try adding Voria's NC10 repository to Ubuntu: http://www.voria.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=41

Also, it seems that most issues will be fixed in the next release: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/NC10#Karmic%209.10%20(in%20development)

If you want to try the script mentioned earlier, you can just follow the instructions on the forum. Where it says "Now get the script, copy it to /usr/local/bin and make it executable." do this:
* Download this file and save it in your home folder: http://www.voria.org/files/nc10/wlonoff.sh
* Open a terminal and do:
   sudo cp wlonoff /usr/local/bin
   sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/wlonoff.sh

Then follow the rest of the howto. Good luck!

Oops, messed up the instructions on the bottom:

* Download this file and save it in your home folder: http://www.voria.org/files/nc10/wlonoff.sh
* Open a terminal and do:
   sudo cp wlonoff.sh /usr/local/bin
   sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/wlonoff.sh

So there. :-)

hi there, i think i managed to install the nc10 repositories OK

see out put below

deanhall@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get install voria-ppa-keyring && sudo apt-get update[sudo] password for deanhall:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  libraptor1 liblrdf0 raptor-utils
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
The following NEW packages will be installed
  voria-ppa-keyring
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 43 not upgraded.
Need to get 2272B of archives.
After this operation, 49.2kB of additional disk space will be used.
WARNING: The following packages cannot be authenticated!
  voria-ppa-keyring
Install these packages without verification [y/N]? y
Get: 1 http://ppa.launchpad.net jaunty/main voria-ppa-keyring 2009.10.22 [2272B]
Fetched 2272B in 0s (13.8kB/s)
Selecting previously deselected package voria-ppa-keyring.
(Reading database ... 167602 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking voria-ppa-keyring (from .../voria-ppa-keyring_2009.10.22_all.deb) ...
Setting up voria-ppa-keyring (2009.10.22) ...
OK

Get: 1 http://ppa.launchpad.net jaunty Release.gpg [307B]
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net jaunty/main Translation-en_GB
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security Release.gpg
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/main Translation-en_GB
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty Release.gpg
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/main Translation-en_GB
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net jaunty Release.gpg
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net jaunty/main Translation-en_GB
Get: 2 http://ppa.launchpad.net jaunty Release [74.6kB]
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/restricted Translation-en_GB
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/universe Translation-en_GB
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/multiverse Translation-en_GB
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-updates Release.gpg
Ign http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-updates/main Translation-en_GB
Ign http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-updates/restricted Translation-en_GB
Ign http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-updates/universe Translation-en_GB
Ign http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-updates/multiverse Translation-en_GB
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/restricted Translation-en_GB
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/universe Translation-en_GB
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/multiverse Translation-en_GB
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security Release
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-proposed Release.gpg
Ign http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-proposed/restricted Translation-en_GB
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net jaunty Release
Ign http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-proposed/main Translation-en_GB
Ign http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-proposed/multiverse Translation-en_GB
Ign http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-proposed/universe Translation-en_GB
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty Release
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-updates Release
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/main Packages
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net jaunty/main Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-proposed Release
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/restricted Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/main Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/restricted Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/universe Packages
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net jaunty/main Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/main Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/restricted Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/universe Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/multiverse Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com jaunty-security/multiverse Sources
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/main Sources
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/restricted Sources
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/universe Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/universe Sources
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/multiverse Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty/multiverse Sources
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-updates/main Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-updates/restricted Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-updates/main Sources
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-updates/restricted Sources
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-updates/universe Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-updates/universe Sources
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-updates/multiverse Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-updates/multiverse Sources
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-proposed/restricted Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-proposed/main Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-proposed/multiverse Packages
Hit http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com jaunty-proposed/universe Packages
Fetched 308B in 0s (406B/s)

but now I'm not clear on the next stage re: downloading the file and saving it to home directory. i have done this but get the following message when it type your commands

deanhall@ubuntu:~$ sudo cp wlonoff.sh /usr/local/bin
deanhall@ubuntu:~$ sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/wlonoff.sh
chmod: cannot access `/usr/local/bin/wlonoff.sh': Not a directory

i think it is saved in the wrong place?

/home/deanhall?

If the Voria packages do what they promise, you won't need to mess about with the script. From this post: http://www.voria.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=41 :
"Enable the wireless card (with RFKILL support) and the FN-F9 key
Just install the linux-backports-modules-jaunty package if you are on Jaunty, or the linux-backports-modules-intrepid package if you are on Intrepid.
To enable the FN-F9 key you have to install the nc10-scripts package, containing the needed script, that will be automatically mapped to the key. Also, a new rule is added to sudo configuration file in order to run the script with no password needed. Like the FN-F5 key, you have to delete the user local configuration (if it exists and it was created before the new package was installed) to use the global one."

So you should just (in a terminal):
sudo apt-get install linux-backports-modules-jaunty nc10-scripts
... and reboot. See the forum for more packages that you can install.

hi, many thanks for your continued support here. it is much appreciated. i typed the command in terminal and installed the backports. everything seemed to go well with the install however it does not seem to have made any difference to the FN+F9 command. this is still not activating/de-activating the wireless. indeed FN+f5 does not work. do you think there is something else that I need to do here. the forum mentions advanced compiz editor

***NOTE:
If you are on Jaunty, you have to enable the 'commands' plugin in advanced compiz configuration in order to use keybindings.
Install the compizconfig-settings-manager package to get the advanced compiz configuration manager.***

is this necessary to get everything working do you think or should I now try your previous suggestion of saving a file into my user directory and executing the following

deanhall@ubuntu:~$ sudo cp wlonoff.sh /usr/local/bin
deanhall@ubuntu:~$ sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/wlonoff.sh

this seems a lot of effort to get this working but I'm keen to solve it as it becomes an issue when I'm travelling hence limiting the use of my laptop.

GOOD NEWS. THIS HAS WORKED. I CAN NOW TOGGLE BETWEEN WIRELESS ON AND OFF USING FN+F9. THE BLUE LED GOES OFF ON THE MACHINE AND i DISCONNECT FROM THE NETWORK. I GUESS IN SUMMARY I HAD TO INSTALL THE BACKPORTS FOR JAUNTY AND THEN ENABLE COMMANDS THROUGH COMPIZ. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. I HAVE LOTS TO LEARN I THINK WITH UBUNTU AND LINUX.

Ok ok stop yelling! :-) Glad it worked. To be fair, Ubuntu has a lot to learn too. In the next release the support for the NC10 is much better, but still not 'working out of the box'.