NetworkManager only shows VPN tab but no wireless or wired connections

Hello,

I remember that I did configure my desktop PC for wired and wireless connections since openSUSE 11.2, 11.3 and 11.4. Currently I have openSUSE11.4 x86_64 KDE. Today I happen to notice that the icon for NetworkManager in the taskbar has been replaced with a red X. I discovered that Network Manager only shows VPN tab, whereas Wired and Wireless tabs are greyed out. The strange thing is I still have Internet connection with the CAT5 cable being plugged in. I can still configure wired and wireless connections via YAST but I cannot fix Network Manager settings.

Can you help me fix this problem? Thanks a lot!

>:(

Hi again,

Additional info:

kernel 2.6.37.6-0.5-default

NetworkManager version 0.8.2-15.22.1

plasmoid-network-management 0.9.svn.1192577-7.2

That normally indicates that you have switched to “ifup” mode in Yast network device settings. I guess it could also happen if the main NetworkManager process (the one started at bootup) has crashed.

Hello nrickert,

I switched to NM via YAST and got the wired and wireless tabs back. Phew! I had thought someone had tampered with my system!

Anyway, now another problem arises: I got wired connection but no wireless. OK with Kwallet.

NetworkManager keeps asking for password! I currently have NM 0.8.2-15.22.1 and plasmoid-networkmanagement 0.9.svn.1192577-7.2.

KDE4.6.0

openSUSE 11.4 kde x86_64 (for my desktop PC)

kernel 2.6.37.6-0.5-default

Is it asking for the KWallet password or the network key?
Do you have a wireless network configured and set to auto-connect?

I’m not sure if you are wanting to connect but something is failing, or you don’t want to connect but are being asked for the key anyway.

Hi,
It’s asking for the network key (passphrase). Anyway, this problem is resolved after I switched to NetworkManager Gnome and un-instaling plasmoid-networkmanagement based on a thread in this sub-forum. Now I got wired connection, but I still can’t make wireless connection work. Somehow the wireless driver rt2860 and the module rt2860sta are not loaded properly or are corrupted.

Is there anyway to debug or to cleanup the driver files before starting over?

Yes, I do find that the gnome network manager applet seems more reliable.

Hopefully, somebody more familiar with WiFi drivers can step in and help with your rt2860 problems.

Hi everyone,

Here we go:


uname -r
2.6.37.6-0.5-default


#/sbin/lspci -nnk

02:05.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8169 Gigabit Ethernet [10ec:8169] (rev 10)
        Subsystem: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8169/8110 Family PCI Gigabit Ethernet NIC [10ec:8169]
        Kernel driver in use: r8169
02:06.0 Network controller [0280]: RaLink RT2800 802.11n PCI [1814:0601]
        Subsystem: RaLink Device [1814:2860]
        Kernel driver in use: rt2860


# sudo /usr/sbin/iwlist scan
lo        Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0      Interface doesn't support scanning.

wlan0     Scan completed :
          Cell 01 - Address: 00:1F:33:B4:E1:D8
                    Protocol:802.11b/g/n
                    ESSID:"myssid"
                    Mode:Managed
                    Channel:1
                    Quality:100/100  Signal level:-45 dBm  Noise level:-87 dBm
                    Encryption key:on
                    Bit Rates:270 Mb/s
                    IE: IEEE 802.11i/WPA2 Version 1
                        Group Cipher : TKIP
                        Pairwise Ciphers (2) : CCMP TKIP
                        Authentication Suites (1) : PSK


# /usr/sbin/iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

wlan0     Ralink STA  ESSID:""  Nickname:"RT2860STA"
          Mode:Auto  Frequency=2.412 GHz  Access Point: 00:1F:33:B4:E1:D8   
          Bit Rate=1 Mb/s   
          RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Link Quality=10/100  Signal level:-19 dBm  Noise level:-87 dBm
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0


# dmesg | grep rt28
    6.980329] rt2860sta: module is from the staging directory, the quality is unknown, you have been warned.
    6.985342] rt2860 0000:02:06.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 21 (level, low) -> IRQ 21
   28.783397] <==== rt28xx_init, Status=0
   28.925352] <==== rt28xx_init, Status=0
  166.072831] <==== rt28xx_init, Status=0

Even though I installed rfkill via Software Manager,


# /sbin/rfkill list all
-bash: /sbin/rfkill: No such file or directory

I would very much appreciate your suggestions.

Try that last one, but using “/usr/sbin/rfkill”
as in:
/usr/sbin/rfkill list

Hello everyone,

I decided to download and compile the driver from Ralinktech’s home page (the latest is still dated 2010/07/16), so I was able to establish wireless connection:


# /usr/sbin/iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

ra0       Ralink STA  ESSID:"myssid"  Nickname:"RT2860STA"
          Mode:Managed  Frequency=2.412 GHz  Access Point: 00:1F:33:B4:E1:D8   
          Bit Rate=270 Mb/s   
          RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
          Link Quality=100/100  Signal level:-20 dBm  Noise level:-20 dBm
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0


# /usr/sbin/iwlist scan
lo        Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0      Interface doesn't support scanning.

ra0       Scan completed :
          Cell 01 - Address: 00:1F:33:B4:E1:D8
                    Protocol:802.11b/g/n
                    ESSID:"myssid"
                    Mode:Managed
                    Frequency:2.412 GHz (Channel 1)
                    Quality:100/100  Signal level:-23 dBm  Noise level:-92 dBm
                    Encryption key:on
                    Bit Rates:270 Mb/s
                    IE: IEEE 802.11i/WPA2 Version 1
                        Group Cipher : TKIP
                        Pairwise Ciphers (2) : CCMP TKIP
                        Authentication Suites (1) : PSK

Voila! PROBLEM SOLVED!

Excellent.

I’m inclined to think that you should file a bug report about this. That’s how information gets back to the people who can fix things.