Wireless woes

[Xena]

I'm trying to install kubuntu on a desktop PC with a wireless network card.

Everything looks OK except the network card, it doesn't exactly work.

What it *does* do is in wireless manager I can detect the network I need to connect to, but it can't actually connect. The card in question is a d-link gwl 510 g.

If I can see the network, does that mean the card is working and it's a configuration issue? I've fiddled with quite a few things and installed kubuntu several times now. Or can there still be hardware issues?

I'm using kubuntu 6.06.

I'm also trying to do this on a lappy with a d link 630 card but I get pretty much the same problem, probably the same issues/solutions?

I did get kubuntu on a laptop with a working wireless network, I tried copying the network settings, but still, no go

Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

[6and9.42]

Re: Wireless woes

Ok, I'm pretty much a newb here, but here's a go at it. I think you have a card with a Broadcom chipset. If you type "lspci" in a terminal one of the items on the list should be a network controller, is it: Broadcom Corporation something?

You'll need to install ndiswrapper. I just recently went through this, here are some links to check out:

K/Ubuntu Dapper How-To: http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=31926
Official Installation: http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/m...p/Installation
Official Troubleshooting: http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/m...roubleshooting

Hope that helps! Post back if you have any more questions.

[6and9.42]

Re: Wireless woes

Sorry, I was wrong, from this list (http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/m...index.php/List) it looks like you don't have a broadcom chipset, but you'll need to install ndiswrapper anyway.

[Xena]

Re: Wireless woes

Thanks for the reply.

I *think* I have ndiswrapper installed.

I got two items, "windows wireless drivers" in both settings and the system menus. Clicking on them does nothing - at all.

This is what lcpci shows:

0000:00:0d.0 Network controller: RaLink: Unknown device 0302

I installed ndiswrapper. Now, I get this:

xena@pentium4:~$ sudo ndiswrapper
Usage: ndiswrapper OPTION

Manage ndis drivers for ndiswrapper.
-i inffile Install driver described by 'inffile'
-d devid driver Use installed 'driver' for 'devid'
-e driver Remove 'driver'
-l List installed drivers
-m Write configuration for modprobe

so far so good? Now, I install the driver from the CD. And I get this message:

Installed ndis drivers:
netrt61g driver present, hardware present

Still good, yes?

But in wireless assistant, no change. No change in KWiFi manager either, I still get to see the network, the signal strength, the fact there's an access point, and things happen when I click connect, but, no actual connection

What is wrong?

[6and9.42]

Re: Wireless woes

Ok, I think that's right so far. Run "lspci -n", look on that list until you find the line that starts with "0000:00:0d.0" (copied from your lspci result) after that you should see something formated like: 14e4:4320. Take that code and run this command:

sudo ndiswrapper -d (that code) netrt61g

Which should associate that device with that driver.

Do you get any errors at the end when you type "dmesg"? "depmod -a"?

Then try "sudo modprobe ndiswrapper"

[Xena]

Re: Wireless woes

Ran lspci -n and took the code, I didn't know how to associate the ndiswrapper thingy to the card. I got a successful message.

No errors are apparant in dmesg, except for some USB stuff (the card is PCI). depmod -a shows no errors.

Then typing sudo modprobe ndiswrapper - no message of any kind. Trying to connect in wireless manager: still no change of any kind. it tries for a few seconds then comes up "connection failed".

I'm using a WEP key (in ascii), does this need any special consideration? I don't want to have the access point unsecured.

Thanks for you help so far, and any other suggestions?

[6and9.42]

Re: Wireless woes

To associate:

sudo ndiswrapper -d code netrt61g

where "code" is the ####:#### code you got from "lspci -n"

WEP: I'm assuming you're using the standard KDE wireless manager (wlassistant)? And you have configured it with your key? I don't think you need to do anything special with that, it's the same setup I'm using (different wifi card) and it's working smoothly for me. You may know this, but WEP is not generally considered that secure.

What shows up when you run iwconfig and ifconfig?

Have you looked over the troubleshooting page?
http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/m...roubleshooting

If you don't have the latest version, and you didn't compile it yourself, you may want to consider completely removing ndiswrapper and then doing a clean install with the latest version of ndiswrapper following the instructions at the above links.

Sorry, I'm not sure what else to try, don't know enough about it yet we may need someone with a bit more experiance to post

[Xena]

Re: Wireless woes

Yes, the card is associated with ndiswrapper (got Driver netrt61g is used for 1814:0302).

Didn't know about WEP (I think that's what I'm using) but it ought to be secure enough (I think). And yes, I'm using wassistant, using the same settings as a laptop (which worked "out the box").

iwconfig: I get ra0 RT61 Wireless and a lot of stuff, seems more than less right.

ifconfig: ra0 shows up as Ethernet. Could this be the problem?

I'm using the latest version of ndiswrapper I think, I downloaded it from the repositories. And I'm just going to look at that troubleshooting guide now.

[Xena]

Re: Wireless woes

Lots of interesting stuff there.

I was right that maybe the WEP key was ruining the connection somehow; disabling the WEP security allowed connection almost immediately.

I think I can set the access point to accept only certain MAC addresses (unique to each card?) so technically there's no need for the WEP key in the first place.

Thanks a bundle, looks like I can enjoy wireless and be free of M$ clutches

[6and9.42]

Re: Wireless woes

Great, great! Enjoy!

[Jerry]

Re: Wireless woes

I have a similar problem. I can see the router but can't connect.

A new Edimax EW-7128g wireless card, which is a Ralink RT2561/RT61, which worked fine with Windows 98.

Running Kubuntu 6.06 on a livecd the w assist identifies my router and several others in the area and indicates WEP key protected on mine, which it is, and some without.

However no amount of fiddling with the configuration will make it connect to the internet on my router.

I've even tried piggybacking on some which didn't indicate WEP key without success, they may be using MAC to control access though.

I am trying Kubuntu having failed with another distro to get an internet connection.

Is there any form of consensus that this is a security key problem. I could try xena approach and just disable it.

Any thoughts anyone?

[Tynach]

Re: Wireless woes

Is your WEP key ASCII or HEX? I know that that can make a difference.