Wireless not connecting on 11.4

kainaluboi · May 24, 2011, 1:36am

Hello all,

Please let me start by saying that I just converted over from Ubuntu, and so am quite new to this new system architecture. Please give me just a little patience :shame:

I just installed 11.4 on my EEEPC 901. All works great, except the RT2860 wireless, which will search and attempt to connect, but does not ever manage to connect. All updates were installed through Ethernet, and multiple access points have been tried. I also have tried open connection with no encryption.

Thanks for the help

–kainalu

jdmcdaniel3 · May 24, 2011, 2:10am

Give us the output from a few commands, but looking for networking outputs:

/sbin/lspci -nnk

See if you can use the scan command:

sudo /usr/sbin/iwlist scan

We are looking for something that has rt2860 in it:

dmesg | less

See if you get anything useful from this information to post.

Thank You,

kainaluboi · May 24, 2011, 3:21am

Here is the information. Thanks for looking at it.

lspci :

03:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Atheros Communications AR8121/AR8113/AR8114 Gigabit or Fast Ethernet [1969:1026] (rev b0)
01:00.0 Network controller [0280]: RaLink RT2860 [1814:0781]

iwlist scan :

lo Interface doesn’t support scanning.

eth0 Interface doesn’t support scanning.

wlan0 Scan completed :
Cell 01 - Address: C0:C1:C0:16:C8:96
Protocol:802.11b/g/n
ESSID:""
Mode:Managed
Channel:7
Quality:50/100 Signal level:-70 dBm Noise level:-97 dBm
Encryption key:off
Bit Rates:300 Mb/s

dmesg :

01:00.0 Network controller [0280]: RaLink RT2860 [1814:0781]
4.349916] rt2860sta: module is from the staging directory, the quality is unknown, you have been warned.
4.496928] rt2860 0000:01:00.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 19 (level, low) -> IRQ 19
4.497072] rt2860 0000:01:00.0: setting latency timer to 64

jdmcdaniel3 · May 24, 2011, 3:28am

wlan0     Scan completed :
          Cell 01 - Address: C0:C1:C0:16:C8:96
                    Protocol:802.11b/g/n
                    ESSID:""
                    Mode:Managed
                    Channel:7
                    Quality:50/100  Signal level:-70 dBm  Noise level:-97 dBm
                    Encryption key:off
                    Bit Rates:300 Mb/s

So based on this, it looks like the wireless is working, but not configured properly. What desktop are you using? I normally use KDE and in YaST / Network Devices / Network Settings / I enable User Controlled with Network Manager. Further, you need to start KWallet to maintain your network pass phrase. Added options can be installed if your switch to the Network Manager Plasmoid, though not required.

To switch to the plasmoid do the following:

YaST / Software / Software Managerement and search on Plasmoid. When you check the package plasmoid-networkmanagment you will get an option to uninstall NetworkManager-kde4 or to not install plasmoid-networkmanagment so elect to delete the package NetworkManager-kde4. If all goes well you need to restart openSUSE to start using the new one.

Thank You,

kainaluboi · May 24, 2011, 7:34am

I use the Gnome DE. In what way is it not configured properly? Can it be fixed under Gnome as easily?

bsilvereagle · May 25, 2011, 2:36am

Yes, gnome has a nm-applet that is supposed to be really easy to use. If that doesn’t work for you you can always use the command line tools iwconfig and dhcpcd.
nm-applet should be in the repos or might be pre-installed, I’m KDE so I’m not positive.

nrickert · May 25, 2011, 3:01am

I’m pretty sure that is automatically installed with gnome, and automatically started with a gnome login.

However, it is possible that the computer is set for “ifup” mode. That can be checked by running
Yast → Network Devices → Network Settings.

kainaluboi · May 29, 2011, 1:07am

It is set to use network manager. This is not meant to be offensive, so please don’t be offended, but I am going to just try Fedora. They came out with a new version, and I’d like to try it. Thanks for all the help!

martin_helm · May 29, 2011, 1:57am

kainaluboi wrote:

>
> It is set to use network manager. This is not meant to be offensive, so
> please don’t be offended, but I am going to just try Fedora. They came
> out with a new version, and I’d like to try it. Thanks for all the help!
>
Report back if it works in the new fedora.

Beside that (I can be wrong) I think to remeber that in 11.3 it was
necessary to install kernel-firmware for this adapter (I am really not
absolutely sure). Can it be that it is also the case for 11.4?

lwfinger · May 29, 2011, 2:22am

On 05/28/2011 06:57 PM, martin_helm wrote:
> kainaluboi wrote:
>
>>
>> It is set to use network manager. This is not meant to be offensive, so
>> please don’t be offended, but I am going to just try Fedora. They came
>> out with a new version, and I’d like to try it. Thanks for all the help!
>>
> Report back if it works in the new fedora.
>
> Beside that (I can be wrong) I think to remeber that in 11.3 it was
> necessary to install kernel-firmware for this adapter (I am really not
> absolutely sure). Can it be that it is also the case for 11.4?

Yes, firmware is needed.

martin_helm · May 29, 2011, 2:28am

martin_helm wrote:

> I think to remeber that in 11.3 it was
> necessary to install kernel-firmware for this adapter (I am really not
> absolutely sure). Can it be that it is also the case for 11.4?
>
I tested what is in kernel-firmware in 11.4, the file
/lib/firmware/rt2860.bin is included in that package.

kainaluboi · May 31, 2011, 2:14pm

The wireless works properly and at N speeds on Fedora 15. The gnome 3 desktop is horrible (looking), but otherwise I like it. When do I get an appearance control panel?!? lol!

Is there some way that I can get the firmware installed? I will have to use another computer for downloads. I haven’t made my mind up firm, so if I can get instructions, Ill surely try them if I format the drive again.

Thanks for the help, Community!

EDIT : I just saw martin_helm’s latest post.

So what could it be? I can see the hotpoints, but it won’t finish connecting.

martin_helm · May 31, 2011, 2:53pm

kainaluboi wrote:
> EDIT : I just saw martin_helm’s latest post.
>
> So what could it be? I can see the hotpoints, but it won’t finish
> connecting.
>
Do you have kernel-firmware installed: You can test with


rpm -q kernel-firmware

If not and you have no internet connection on the same machine download the
file http://tinyurl.com/3g5cn2h
save it on your laptop and you can install it by clicking on it in the file
browser (it should ask you to open it with a package manager).

captain1988 · June 4, 2011, 2:49am

This issue also happens to me sometimes with my wireless. For a temporary fix I just disabled and enabled the wireless. You could try assigning a static IP address to your wireless.