556.642557] iwlagn: Intel(R) Wireless WiFi Link AGN driver for Linux, in-tree:d
556.642560] iwlagn: Copyright(c) 2003-2010 Intel Corporation
556.642647] iwlagn 0000:0c:00.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 17 (level, low) -> IRQ 17
556.642679] iwlagn 0000:0c:00.0: setting latency timer to 64
556.642735] iwlagn 0000:0c:00.0: Detected Intel Wireless WiFi Link 5100AGN REV=0x54
556.666128] iwlagn 0000:0c:00.0: Tunable channels: 13 802.11bg, 24 802.11a channels
556.666248] iwlagn 0000:0c:00.0: irq 31 for MSI/MSI-X
556.666619] iwlagn 0000:0c:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-5000-2.ucode
556.668592] iwlagn 0000:0c:00.0: loaded firmware version 8.24.2.12
However the indicator light on the laptop that sits just above the keyboard doesn’t come on when I turn the physical WiFi switch to on:
rfkill seems to think that it’s on:
rfkill list 0
0: dell-wifi: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
From dmesg:
5914.532573] iwlagn 0000:0c:00.0: RF_KILL bit toggled to disable radio.
5919.294043] iwlagn 0000:0c:00.0: RF_KILL bit toggled to enable radio.
However the device doesn’t appear to be usable:
iwlist scann
lo Interface doesn't support scanning.
eth0 Interface doesn't support scanning.
pan0 Interface doesn't support scanning.
vboxnet0 Interface doesn't support scanning.
wlan0 Failed to read scan data : Network is down
The funny thing is that it works fine in a Fedora installation, which has an older kernel and older drivers, on the same laptop. The fact that the indicator light doesn’t come in when the physical switch is turned on suggests it’s something to do with that switch.
Perhaps it is the same issue I had with my Dell Latitude E6400 where I had to install a new Broadcom WiFi driver. Here is a link you can try. Download the 32 or 64 bit version and then the readme file with its full instructions. Once I took all of the steps my WiFi with no security started working at once using ifup. Putting in security seems more complicated, but you got to get the right driver working first. Here is the link:
I had searched on the Dell Wireless hardware number which crossed over to a BCM4312 which once I started searching for a Linux driver sent me to the above link. It really works, but security settings is the next hurtle once you get that WiFi light turning on and the scan picks up your wireless transmitter. Basically if the security is not right, you never get an IP address and so you know you are not there just yet.
This is now solved. After going through all these troubleshooting steps believing I had a driver problem it turns out a simple ‘ifconfig wlan0 up’ activated the card.
I didn’t do this at first because I’d already used YAST to configure this interface, and rebooted several times. I would assume YAST would set it up to activate at least on boot time. It turns out there’s a UI bug in YAST that sets wireless connections to activate ‘On Cable Connection’ by default!
