Wlan Device suddenly can't be activated any more

Azarazul · September 30, 2009, 4:21pm

Hey,

it was yesterday, when i tried to update my flashplayer plugin for firefox, but as i suceeded, my wlan stopped to work.

What happened ?
It seems as if the device cannot be activated any more ?
Why the hell is that ? Anybody got a clue how to fix it again ?
I have not the faintest idea, what could have happened…

I updated the Networkmanager in the meantime - no success.

Im using OpenSuse 11.0 on a Dell Inspiron 6400 Laptop.

output of the last lines of my networkmanager log:


Sep 30 16:00:19 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): supplicant connection state change: 2 -> 0
Sep 30 16:00:19 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): supplicant connection state change: 0 -> 2
Sep 30 16:00:44 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0/wireless): association took too long.
Sep 30 16:00:44 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): device state change: 5 -> 6
Sep 30 16:00:44 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0/wireless): asking for new secrets
Sep 30 16:00:44 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): supplicant connection state change: 2 -> 0
Sep 30 16:00:44 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <WARN>  get_secrets_cb(): Couldn't get connection secrets: Requested setting is empty.
Sep 30 16:00:44 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): device state change: 6 -> 9
Sep 30 16:00:44 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0) failed for access point (physics.net)
Sep 30 16:00:44 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Marking connection 'physics.net' invalid.
Sep 30 16:00:44 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0) failed.
Sep 30 16:00:44 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): device state change: 9 -> 3
Sep 30 16:00:44 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): deactivating device.
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0) starting connection 'physics.net'
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): device state change: 3 -> 4
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled...
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started...
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled...
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete.
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting...
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): device state change: 4 -> 5
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0/wireless): access point 'physics.net' has security, but secrets are required.
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): device state change: 5 -> 6
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled...
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started...
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): device state change: 6 -> 4
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled...
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete.
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting...
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): device state change: 4 -> 5
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0/wireless): connection 'physics.net' has security, and secrets exist.  No new secrets needed.
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Config: added 'ssid' value 'physics.net'
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Config: added 'scan_ssid' value '1'
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Config: added 'key_mgmt' value 'WPA-PSK'
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Config: added 'psk' value '<omitted>'
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Config: added 'pairwise' value 'TKIP CCMP'
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Config: added 'group' value 'TKIP CCMP'
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): supplicant connection state change: 2 -> 0
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Config: set interface ap_scan to 1
Sep 30 16:04:06 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): supplicant connection state change: 0 -> 2
Sep 30 16:04:11 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <WARN>  scan_results_cb(): could not get scan results: An error ocurred getting scan results..
Sep 30 16:04:31 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0/wireless): association took too long.
Sep 30 16:04:31 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): device state change: 5 -> 6
Sep 30 16:04:31 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0/wireless): asking for new secrets
Sep 30 16:04:31 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): supplicant connection state change: 2 -> 0
Sep 30 16:04:31 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <WARN>  get_secrets_cb(): Couldn't get connection secrets: Requested setting is empty.
Sep 30 16:04:31 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): device state change: 6 -> 9
Sep 30 16:04:31 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0) failed for access point (physics.net)
Sep 30 16:04:31 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Marking connection 'physics.net' invalid.
Sep 30 16:04:31 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  Activation (wlan0) failed.
Sep 30 16:04:31 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): device state change: 9 -> 3
Sep 30 16:04:31 linux-vlco NetworkManager: <info>  (wlan0): deactivating device.

Thanks so far,
Jannes

davidgurvich · September 30, 2009, 5:42pm

Did the kernel get updated at the same time? You may need to rebuild/reinstall the wireless driver. What is the chipset?

Azarazul · September 30, 2009, 11:11pm

Possibly - how can i check this ?

I think i got that one here:

BCM94311MCG - Broadcom 802.11b/g Mini-PCI Express Card

lwfinger · October 1, 2009, 6:27pm

Azarazul wrote:
> davidgurvich;2045996 Wrote:
>> Did the kernel get updated at the same time?
> Possibly - how can i check this ?
>
> davidgurvich;2045996 Wrote:
>> You may need to rebuild/reinstall the wireless driver. What is the
>> chipset?
>
> I think i got that one here:
>
> BCM94311MCG - Broadcom 802.11b/g Mini-PCI Express Card

That card will work with standard drivers. You should not use anything
else such as ndiswrapper or the ZBroadcom-wl driver.

Please post the output of ‘dmesg | grep b43’

davidgurvich · October 1, 2009, 6:53pm

What modules are loaded? You may have to unload and blacklist some modules. The pertinent ones are ndiswrapper, b43, b44, ssb, and wl. Unload them all then load only the one that you want to use if more than one is loaded. If that fails get into YAST hardware and configure the device explicitly to see if you can get a connection without networkmanager.

I’ve had many issues with networkmanager where disabling then manual configuration works.

Azarazul · October 2, 2009, 6:06pm

Well, i’ve been using just the Broadcomdriver - i didn’t change anything - thats what puzzles me most !

The information you asked for:
sdb:<6>b43-phy0: Broadcom 4311 WLAN found
input: b43-phy0 as /devices/virtual/input/input10
b43-phy0: Loading firmware version 410.2160 (2007-05-26 15:32:10)
Registered led device: b43-phy0::tx
Registered led device: b43-phy0::rx
Registered led device: b43-phy0::radio
b43-phy0: Radio hardware status changed to DISABLED

lwfinger · October 2, 2009, 7:03pm

Azarazul wrote:
> lwfinger;2046399 Wrote:
>> Azarazul wrote:
>>> davidgurvich;2045996 Wrote:
>>>> Did the kernel get updated at the same time?
>>> Possibly - how can i check this ?
>>>
>>> davidgurvich;2045996 Wrote:
>>>> You may need to rebuild/reinstall the wireless driver. What is the
>>>> chipset?
>>> I think i got that one here:
>>>
>>> BCM94311MCG - Broadcom 802.11b/g Mini-PCI Express Card
>> That card will work with standard drivers. You should not use anything
>> else such as ndiswrapper or the ZBroadcom-wl driver.
>>
>> Please post the output of ‘dmesg | grep b43’
>
> Well, i’ve been using just the Broadcomdriver - i didn’t change
> anything - thats what puzzles me most !
>
> The information you asked for:
> sdb:<6>b43-phy0: Broadcom 4311 WLAN found
> input: b43-phy0 as /devices/virtual/input/input10
> b43-phy0: Loading firmware version 410.2160 (2007-05-26 15:32:10)
> Registered led device: b43-phy0::tx
> Registered led device: b43-phy0::rx
> Registered led device: b43-phy0::radio
> b43-phy0: Radio hardware status changed to DISABLED

Turn the radio enable switch ON. That last line only gets printed when
it is off.

Azarazul · October 3, 2009, 10:57pm

Yeah, my networkmanager says, that the card is activated - i turned the radio off and on again - that seems not to be the problem…

Edit: I reinstalled the BCM firmware using yast but the problem persists…

Edit 2:
now dmesg | grep b43 shows this:
b43-phy0: The hardware RF-kill button still turns the radio physically off. Press the button to turn it on.

What the heck is going on here ? Hardware RF-Button ?!

lwfinger · October 3, 2009, 11:16pm

Azarazul wrote:
> Yeah, my networkmanager says, that the card is activated - i turned the
> radio off and on again - that seems not to be the problem…
>
> Edit: I reinstalled the BCM firmware using yast but the problem
> persists…
>
> Edit 2:
> now dmesg | grep b43 shows this:
> b43-phy0: The hardware RF-kill button still turns the radio physically
> off. Press the button to turn it on.
>
> What the heck is going on here ? Hardware RF-Button ?!

The driver thinks you have one and that it is OFF. In my experience,
that driver is not wrong here.

You cannot install the firmware with YaST! It can only install the
script /usr/sbin/install_bcm43xx_firmware and the program b43-fwcutter.

Azarazul · October 4, 2009, 2:55pm

Ok - it worked - stupid me. I didn’t know, that there’s such a switch …

lwfinger · October 4, 2009, 5:24pm

Azarazul wrote:
> Ok - it worked - stupid me. I didn’t know, that there’s such a switch

There is probably a light as well.

That switch is there so that you can kill the radio output whenever
you are in an environment where RF must be stopped, or when you
absolutely do not want to connect to a network.