wireless connection with Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8185 IEEE 802.11a/b/g Wireless LAN Controller

Asked by James

I can't connect to my access point wirelessly only eth0. I have a dynamic IP address all my drivers are working because I can connect to other access points with a static IP address. I have a different modem but the same wireless router Netgear kwgr614. If someone can help I really like ubuntu and a big fan but would love to connect via wireless. I am using WEP key 128bit both lights on my network card are lite and say I am connected but when it authenticates it times out not obtaining IP address? I tried to manually configure the IP address through network manager with no luck.

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Mark Rijckenberg (markrijckenberg) said :
#1

Hi,

Please first connect your network card to the wireless router using an ethernet cable (also known as a LAN cable).

In order to gather essential troubleshooting information about your wireless card, please follow this procedure:

Step 1: Open Terminal from "Applications->Accessories->Terminal"

Step 2: Please copy-paste the following command from the https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu website in Firefox into the Linux Terminal. Do NOT copy-paste from the Email message into the Terminal, as that will only copy PART of the command. The command STARTS with the word sudo and ENDS with the word restart. So please copy-paste the ENTIRE command below from Firefox into a Terminal, press <enter>, then enter password when sudo asks for password, then press enter again.

sudo lshw -C network; sudo iwlist scanning; cat /etc/network/interfaces; cat /etc/lsb-release; lspci -nn; lsusb; sudo lshw -C usb; uname -a; dmesg | grep ound; dmesg | grep b43; dmesg | grep iwl; iwconfig; sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart

Step 3: Please post results (copy/paste terminal output) on this thread

Step 4: Please also specify the exact model and make of your PC (if known) on this thread

Regards,

Mark

Revision history for this message
James (johio82-deactivatedaccount) said :
#2

IBM Thinkpad 570

PCI (sysfs)
  *-network
       description: ATT3700
       vendor: VTech
       physical id: 0
       slot: Socket 0
       resources: irq:11
  *-network:0
       description: Ethernet interface
       product: RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+
       vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
       physical id: 4
       bus info: pci@0000:02:00.0
       logical name: eth0
       version: 10
       serial: 00:1f:1f:18:30:19
       size: 100MB/s
       capacity: 100MB/s
       width: 32 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd autonegotiation
       configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=8139too driverversion=0.9.28 duplex=full ip=192.168.1.4 latency=64 link=yes maxlatency=64 mingnt=32 module=8139too multicast=yes port=MII speed=100MB/s
  *-network:1
       description: Wireless interface
       product: RTL-8185 IEEE 802.11a/b/g Wireless LAN Controller
       vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:06:00.0
       logical name: wmaster0
       version: 20
       serial: 00:14:d1:60:41:c7
       width: 32 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list logical ethernet physical wireless
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=rtl8180 latency=64 maxlatency=64 mingnt=32 module=rtl8180 multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11bg
  *-network DISABLED
       description: Ethernet interface
       physical id: 3
       logical name: pan0
       serial: 66:e7:f7:5b:d4:ea
       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.

wmaster0 Interface doesn't support scanning.

wlan0 Scan completed :
          Cell 01 - Address: 00:18:4D:38:BE:23
                    ESSID:"bigjames network1"
                    Mode:Master
                    Channel:9
                    Frequency:2.452 GHz (Channel 9)
                    Quality=17/100 Signal level:21/65
                    Encryption key:on
                    IE: Unknown: 00116269676A616D6573206E6574776F726B31
                    IE: Unknown: 010882848B960C121824
                    IE: Unknown: 030109
                    IE: Unknown: 2A0100
                    IE: Unknown: 32043048606C
                    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:tsf=0000011af617919b
                    Extra: Last beacon: 752ms ago

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 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX Host bridge [8086:7190] (rev 03)
00:01.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX AGP bridge [8086:7191] (rev 03)
00:02.0 CardBus bridge [0607]: Texas Instruments PCI1450 [104c:ac1b] (rev 03)
00:02.1 CardBus bridge [0607]: Texas Instruments PCI1450 [104c:ac1b] (rev 03)
00:05.0 Multimedia audio controller [0401]: Cirrus Logic CS 4614/22/24/30 [CrystalClear SoundFusion Audio Accelerator] [1013:6003] (rev 01)
00:06.0 Bridge [0680]: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ISA [8086:7110] (rev 02)
00:06.1 IDE interface [0101]: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 IDE [8086:7111] (rev 01)
00:06.2 USB Controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 USB [8086:7112] (rev 01)
00:06.3 Bridge [0680]: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ACPI [8086:7113] (rev 02)
00:07.0 Communication controller [0780]: Agere Systems WinModem 56k [11c1:0448] (rev 01)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Neomagic Corporation NM2200 [MagicGraph 256AV] [10c8:0005] (rev 20)
02:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ [10ec:8139] (rev 10)
06:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8185 IEEE 802.11a/b/g Wireless LAN Controller [10ec:8185] (rev 20)

Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

Linux ubuntu 2.6.28-15-generic #49-Ubuntu SMP Tue Aug 18 18:40:08 UTC 2009 i686 GNU/Linux

[ 0.734986] * Found PM-Timer Bug on the chipset. Due to workarounds for a bug,
[ 0.738371] PnPBIOS: Found PnP BIOS installation structure at 0xc00f6d90
[ 0.751014] pci 0000:00:02.0: found PCI INT A -> IRQ 11
[ 0.751134] pci 0000:00:02.1: found PCI INT B -> IRQ 11
[ 4.933390] isapnp: No Plug & Play device found
[ 5.230631] uhci_hcd 0000:00:06.2: found PCI INT D -> IRQ 11
[ 5.232034] hub 1-0:1.0: USB hub found
[ 5.251191] device-mapper: multipath round-robin: version 1.0.0 loaded
[ 5.263945] BIOS EDD facility v0.16 2004-Jun-25, 0 devices found
[ 33.181025] yenta_cardbus 0000:00:02.0: CardBus bridge found [1014:0130]
[ 33.433936] yenta_cardbus 0000:00:02.1: CardBus bridge found [1014:0130]
[ 35.872200] 8139too 0000:02:00.0: found PCI INT A -> IRQ 11
[ 36.546780] Sound Fusion CS46xx 0000:00:05.0: found PCI INT A -> IRQ 11
[ 36.546826] Sound Fusion CS46xx 0000:00:05.0: sharing IRQ 11 with 0000:00:02.0
[ 36.546887] Sound Fusion CS46xx 0000:00:05.0: sharing IRQ 11 with 0000:01:00.0
[ 37.712835] lp: driver loaded but no devices found
[ 84.173595] mtrr: no MTRR for f5000000,400000 found

lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

wmaster0 no wireless extensions.

wlan0 IEEE 802.11bg ESSID:""
          Mode:Managed Frequency:2.452 GHz Access Point: Not-Associated
          Tx-Power=20 dBm
          Retry min limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr=2352 B
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality:0 Signal level:0 Noise level:0
          Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

pan0 no wireless extensions.

 * Reconfiguring network interfaces... Ignoring unknown interface eth0=eth0.

Revision history for this message
Mark Rijckenberg (markrijckenberg) said :
#3

Your wireless card seems to work ok, as it can find your wireless router with ESSID:"bigjames network1"

But the signal quality of the wireless connection is very low: Quality=17/100 Signal level:21/65

Try disabling encryption (just for testing purposes) on the router and move the pc very close to the router. Then try connecting wirelessly again. See if that helps.

Revision history for this message
Mark Rijckenberg (markrijckenberg) said :
#4

And please make sure that DHCP is enabled on the wireless router.

Revision history for this message
James (johio82-deactivatedaccount) said :
#5

none of that worked router has dhcp enable just times out unable to establish connection. Does internet connection type from ISP have anything to do with my router? Dynamic (Dhcp client) ISP changes it from time to time. My moms is Fixed through her ISP never changes. That is the ony difference I see between here and there. Once again I can connect there but not here.

Revision history for this message
James (johio82-deactivatedaccount) said :
#6

I am trying Wicd and samething happens hangs up on obtaining IP address. Not my network card cause I can connect everywhere but my access point? can someone please help me. I tried to use static address and it will connect but disconnect after 20 seconds or so.

Revision history for this message
Ryan Dwyer (ryandwyer) said :
#7

The IP address your internet provider gives you has nothing to do with this. Your router will have a private, static IP address (usually in the 10.x.x.x or 192.168.x.x ranges). If your router is running a DHCP service, it can assign private IP addresses to new computers as they connect to the network. If the router is not running a DHCP service, the computers must have their IP addresses configured manually to be able to connect.

It looks like DHCP is running correctly according to the info above. When you plugged in with a cable it gave you 192.168.1.4. Maybe your wireless connection is configured for a static address?

Try going to System > Preferences > Network Connections > Wireless tab > Choose connection > Edit > IPv4 Settings > Make sure "Automatic (DHCP)" is chosen in the Method droplist.

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James (johio82-deactivatedaccount) said :
#8

Automatic (DHCP) is chosen still samething keeps asking for wep key over and over. I am using a Ibm thinkpad 570 so both NICS are Pcmcia cards. I don't understand why my link and activity lights are both lite up but can't connect through wireless? I have tried all options in the IPv4 connections and static will connect to access point but internet pages won't display

Revision history for this message
Randall Ross (randall) said :
#9

Based on the output from your earlier post, it appears that your computer is not associated with your access-point. This usually means that:
a) You have an incorrect WEP (or WPA) key (passcode)
b) You have the correct key, but are too far from the Access Point, or there is poor signal strength due to interference.
Either of these may create the effect you described, where your computer keeps asking for the key.

A few ways to work around this:
1) Turn off WEP on your access point
2) Move your computer closer to your access point
3) Change the channel of your access point (do this only if 1 and 2 don't work).

Hope this helps. Please let me know.

--- For reference only: Your output (from an earlier post) reproduced below:
wlan0 IEEE 802.11bg ESSID:""
          Mode:Managed Frequency:2.452 GHz Access Point: Not-Associated
          Tx-Power=20 dBm
          Retry min limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr=2352 B
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality:0 Signal level:0 Noise level:0
          Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

Revision history for this message
James (johio82-deactivatedaccount) said :
#10

Solved this problem by buying a Edimax usb card. Plugged it and connected right away signal strength is right around 72% long as I am connected I don't care. Thanks all of you that helped me.