I followed the steps described here to get my Intel 4965 AGN card working with an 802.11G network.
First problem:
leela:/home/peter/Documents/wifi/compat-wireless-2008-11-17 # make
/home/peter/Documents/wifi/compat-wireless-2008-11-17/config.mk:31: *** "ERROR: You should use compat-wireless-2.6-old for older kernels, this one is for kenrels >= 2.6.27". Stop.
So I downloaded the old compat-wireless.
The first part of the logs can be found here. The second part can be found here. There might still be dmesg entries from the preinstalled driver that was partially working in the logs.
What I fear is going on is that the drivers are just currently broken. What I don’t get is why there are only daily snapshots downloadable, and no stable sources.
Currently my dell xps m1330 doesn’t see any wireless devices.
What version of openSUSE are you using? That chipset should be supported natively in 11.0, but it was very flaky with earlier versions using the iwlwifi driver.
I’m using suse 11.0 with all updates and patches. Do you mean that this
is sloved in the updates?
The problem I had “out of the box” was that it didn’t always connect. (I’ll give dmesg output for that as soon as my kernel is reinstalled.) I could see my networks in knetworkmanager only 50% of the time and I have only been able to connect 5% of the times. #iwlist scan wlan0 always said it couldn’t find networks. This is always done on the latest suse 11.0 kernel.
As promised. I tried to connect with one of my secured home networks with which I was able to connect twice. I did this with knetworkmanager, which has no problem connecting to a wired network. After a a while of the spinning cogwheel, knetworkmanager connected stopped trying.
Than I did:
leela:/home/peter # iwlist scan
lo Interface doesn't support scanning.
eth0 Interface doesn't support scanning.
wmaster0 Interface doesn't support scanning.
wlan0 No scan results
pan0 Interface doesn't support scanning.
leela:/home/peter # dmesg | grep 4965
iwl4965: Intel(R) Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN driver for Linux, 1.2.23ks
iwl4965: Copyright(c) 2003-2007 Intel Corporation
iwl4965: Detected Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN
iwl4965: Tunable channels: 13 802.11bg, 19 802.11a channels
phy0: Selected rate control algorithm 'iwl-4965-rs'
leela:/home/peter # dmesg | grep wlan0
ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready
wlan0: Initial auth_alg=0
wlan0: authenticate with AP 00:03:2f:20:25:bb
wlan0: RX authentication from 00:03:2f:20:25:bb (alg=0 transaction=2 status=0)
wlan0: authenticated
wlan0: associate with AP 00:03:2f:20:25:bb
wlan0: RX AssocResp from 00:03:2f:20:25:bb (capab=0x5 status=0 aid=2)
wlan0: associated
ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): wlan0: link becomes ready
wlan0: disassociate(reason=3)
wlan0: no IPv6 routers present
wlan0: Initial auth_alg=0
wlan0: authenticate with AP 00:03:2f:20:25:bb
wlan0: RX authentication from 00:03:2f:20:25:bb (alg=0 transaction=2 status=0)
wlan0: authenticated
wlan0: associate with AP 00:03:2f:20:25:bb
wlan0: RX AssocResp from 00:03:2f:20:25:bb (capab=0x5 status=0 aid=2)
wlan0: associated
wlan0: disassociate(reason=3)
leela:/home/peter #
Although iwlist doesn’t list any networks, knetworkmanager detects them. Note that “00:03:2f:20:25:bb” is the wlan mac adress of an old 802.11b router I now use as a wired switch only. The wireless and wired interface have the same mac. The wireless mode is switched of in the router configpanel. Also note that my notebool 4965 agn card doens’t support 802.11b. (that’s what I conclude from the name of the card.)
But wait! There’s more weirdness going on:
leela:/home/peter # iwconfig wlan0
wlan0 IEEE 802.11g ESSID:"GeorgeAP22"
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.462 GHz Access Point: 00:03:2F:20:25:BB
Bit Rate=11 Mb/s Tx-Power=27 dBm
Retry min limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr=2352 B
Encryption key:off
Link Quality=97/100 Signal level=-57 dBm Noise level=-96 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0
leela:/home/peter # ifconfig wlan0
wlan0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:1F:3B:DA:2D:49
inet6 addr: fe80::21f:3bff:feda:2d49/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:3 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:0 (0.0 b) TX bytes:312 (312.0 b)
GeorgeAP22 isn’t a network owned by me. I think it’s from one of my neighbours. I checked the ether with another notebook with a working 802.11bg card and it turns out that GeorgeAP22 is an 802.11b network with the same MAC adress as my (currently disabled) wireless topcom router.
Just out of curiosity, I googled the mac adress and nothing came out of it.
Ok, now back on topic. Another error of my 4965 network card is to seemingly associate with an 802.11b network without me knowing about it. Also my 4965 reports it as an 802.11g network in iwconfig.
There’s definitely something wrong if your neighbour has the same MAC addy as your router. Either something is borked with your wireless subsystem in openSUSE, or somebody is trying to hijack your network. I’m also surprised that you get a 97/100 signal strength from your neighbour’s AP, I don’t even get that when I put my laptop beside my own AP…
You may want to check the NM logs (/var/log/NetworkManager) to see if there is anything bizarre that could indicate an issue. For what it’s worth, knetworkmanager doesn’t always show the available networks, you sometimes have to try a couple of times, apparently it’s an issue with the way it communicates with wireless-tools or some such thing.
If you’re unable to connect to your AP, then the reason should be logged. You could also try reconfiging your network to not use NM, and configure your wireless directly, if only to rule out whether it’s an issue with NM or not.
Barring all that, you may want to enter a bug report, AFAIK you shouldn’t be having these issues connecting with the native driver.
I checked the mac of GeorgeAP22 with a notebook with which I’m not experiencing problems. I had to hold it against the my window to see it in iwlist scan though. So the 97/100 reception on my 4965 is definately wrong.
I will definitely investigate the double MAC-affaire.
I rarely see networks being scanned. But I can always try to connect to a known AP.
Totay I’ve had no or only little problems connecting to my college’s network. I got kicked out 3 times but I could always reconnect (using NM). At home I’ve been able to connect only once.
here’s the log of one connection attempt.
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) starting connection 'PN'
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 3 -> 4
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled...
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started...
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled...
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete.
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting...
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 4 -> 5
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0/wireless): access point 'PN' has security, but secrets are required.
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 5 -> 6
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled...
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started...
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 6 -> 4
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled...
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete.
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting...
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 4 -> 5
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0/wireless): connection 'PN' has security, and secrets exist. No new secrets needed.
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Config: added 'ssid' value 'PN'
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Config: added 'scan_ssid' value '1'
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Config: added 'key_mgmt' value 'WPA-PSK'
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Config: added 'psk' value '<omitted>'
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Config: added 'pairwise' value 'TKIP CCMP'
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Config: added 'group' value 'TKIP CCMP'
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> Config: set interface ap_scan to 1
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): supplicant connection state change: 2 -> 0
Nov 21 16:42:19 leela NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): supplicant connection state change: 0 -> 2
Nov 21 16:42:44 leela NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0/wireless): association took too long.
Nov 21 16:42:44 leela NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 5 -> 6
Nov 21 16:42:44 leela NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0/wireless): asking for new secrets
Nov 21 16:42:44 leela NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): supplicant connection state change: 2 -> 0
Nov 21 16:42:44 leela NetworkManager: <WARN> get_secrets_cb(): Couldn't get connection secrets: Requested setting is empty.
Nov 21 16:42:44 leela NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 6 -> 9
Nov 21 16:42:44 leela NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) failed for access point (PN)
Nov 21 16:42:44 leela NetworkManager: <info> Marking connection 'PN' invalid.
Nov 21 16:42:44 leela NetworkManager: <info> Activation (wlan0) failed.
Nov 21 16:42:44 leela NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 9 -> 3
Nov 21 16:42:44 leela NetworkManager: <info> (wlan0): deactivating device.
I tried with yast, but it didnt work either.
leela:/home/peter # /etc/init.d/network restart
Shutting down network interfaces:
eth0 device: Broadcom Corporation NetLink BCM5906M Fast Ethernet PCI Ex press (rev 02) done
pan0
No configuration found for pan0
Nevertheless the interface will be shut down.
bridge-utils not installed done
wlan0 device: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 4965 AG or AGN Network Conn ection (rev 61) done
Shutting down service network . . . . . . . . . . . . . done
Hint: you may set mandatory devices in /etc/sysconfig/network/config
Setting up network interfaces:
lo
lo IP address: 127.0.0.1/8
IP address: 127.0.0.2/8 done
eth0 device: Broadcom Corporation NetLink BCM5906M Fast Ethernet PCI Express (rev 02)
eth0 (DHCP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . no IP address yet..waitingrounding.
pan0
No configuration found for pan0 unused
wlan0 device: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 4965 AG or AGN Network Connection (rev 61)
wlan0 warning: WPA configured but may be unsupported
wlan0 warning: by this device
wlan0 starting wpa_supplicant
WEXT auth param 4 value 0x0 - ioctl[SIOCSIWAUTH]: Operation not supported
wlan0 (DHCP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . no IP address yet..waitingrounding.
Setting up service network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . done
Also now my dmesg is full of
wlan0: Initial auth_alg=0
wlan0: authenticate with AP 00:0e:2e:ba:1e:51
wlan0: Initial auth_alg=0
wlan0: authenticate with AP 00:0e:2e:ba:1e:51
wlan0: RX authentication from 00:0e:2e:ba:1e:51 (alg=0 transaction=2 status=0)
wlan0: authenticated
wlan0: associate with AP 00:0e:2e:ba:1e:51
wlan0: RX ReassocResp from 00:0e:2e:ba:1e:51 (capab=0x431 status=0 aid=1)
wlan0: associated
wlan0: disassociate(reason=3)
GeorgeAP22 turned out to be MY router!! Apparently if you switch off the wireless of a Topcom(r) router it just disables WEP and mac filtering, it changes the ssid to “GeorgeAP22” and enables the wireless. Some D-LINK(r) routers also suffer from this “feature”.
I’ve configured my airport express to allow my computer and it works. Connecting with my edimax router still rarely work. So the problem is less annoying, but now some places in my house aren’t available for my laptop. (The windows of my laptop doesn’t have any problem with it.)
Thanks for all the help. Otherwise I would still be compiling modules I think.
What seems to be the problem is windows. When want to reboot from windows I have to completely shut down my computer and leave it of for 15 seconds before I start suse. When I do that I have no connecting issues.
The reason I didn’t find this earlier is because I rarely shut my computer down. I always use standby.
I guess this might have something to do with the way the firmware is loaded. Does anybody know where I might file a bugreport?
Based on depeje’s last comment, I’d send it to Intel.
This is a known issue with some network adapters, where the system needs to be powered down after using Windows, before the adapter will work with linux (or any other alternate OS), though I’m a little surprised it happens with an Intel adapter.
I’ve had similar problems with my own 4965AGN Intel card, I tried statically setting everything up without any network manager I tried it with both the KDE and Gnome network managers as well.
At best I got a working connection ~20% of the time. Also tried the windows XP 64 bits drivers under NDiswrapper which worked for a while… but then stopped working. (And I had to visit “network settings” every time I booted up…just needed to load the screen, not change or do anything in there)
At least for my own home wpa-psk situation, never got it to work at college with WPA enterprise / PEAP.
However… now for the good news. Currently under beta 11.1 beta 5 my network card seems to be performing absolutely flawless! Working connection every time I boot up, no working network manager yet (it doesn’t save the wpa-psk :P), but the “Tradional setup” way does work.
