[Solved] ath9k connection problem

The Doctor · Moderator Joined: 27 Jul 2010 Posts: 2678

This is rather awkward, but my wifi isn't working. My computer has been on Ethernet for six months or so, so this has gone unnoticed. Now my computer has moved and cannot be connected via Ethernet.

ath9k has been built into the kernel, and as a module. Wicd has completely failed to find a wireless network that my laptop sees quite clearly. Windows 7 on the desktop also sees this network. The only test I can think of is to use ifconfig. here is the result:

DONAHUE · Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:00 am Post subject:

things to look at:
dmesg | grep -i ath9k
dmesg | grep -i wlan0
rc-update show does not have wpa_supplicant, dhcpcd, or dhcp-client or net.eth0 in any run level, has wicd in default,
/etc/init.d/net.wlan0 and /etc/init.d/net.eth0 removed
/var/log/wicd/wicd.log
rc_hotplug="!net.eth0" in /etc/rc.conf
does iwlist wlan0 scan or iw wlan0 scan work
iwconfig
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The Doctor · Moderator Joined: 27 Jul 2010 Posts: 2678

There is no output for the first commands and the run levels are correct.

The wicd log is more interesting. It says that wlan0 does not support scanning. It also says wlan0 no wireless extensions. I'll pastebin the log as soon as I can get it near an internet connection.
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DONAHUE · Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 3:48 pm Post subject:

wicd gui allows you to choose the wpa_supplicant driver, it defaults to wext but can be told to use nl80211 . i've been enabling wext support as a module in the kernel (as a just in case) but selecting nl80211 in wicd..
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666threesixes666 · Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 4:35 pm Post subject:

i used a live cd to track down my ath9k problems. try to emerge linux-firmware and give exact model numbers of the board. if its usb you require linux-firmware as its ath9k_htc on top of ath9k.

The Doctor · Moderator Joined: 27 Jul 2010 Posts: 2678

I currently have wicd set to use nl80211, and I apparently did not set wext

666threesixes666 · Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 10:43 pm Post subject:

id go with setting wext for now.

http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/Atheros

&

http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/ath9k

may be helpful.

CONFIG_WEXT_CORE=y
CONFIG_WEXT_PROC=y
CONFIG_CFG80211_WEXT=y

mkultra@mksrv ~ $ sudo iwlist scan
wlp0s2f1u1 Scan completed :

should be your new naming scheme not wlan0 too.....

The Doctor · Moderator Joined: 27 Jul 2010 Posts: 2678

Thanks, the first two options you listed are set in my kernel, the last one was not. I am currently rebuilding my kernel (and libreoffice, unfortunately) I'll report back if that was the issue.

DONAHUE · Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 11:35 pm Post subject:

are you assigning a fixed ip in wicd gui? If not is dhcpcd or equivalent emerged?
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The Doctor · Moderator Joined: 27 Jul 2010 Posts: 2678

dhcpcd is emerged. I'm not using a static ip. If I can't scan the network I don't know how to set one.
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First things first, but not necessarily in that order.

Apologies if I take a while to respond. I'm currently working on the dematerialization circuit for my blue box.

DONAHUE · Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 11:41 pm Post subject:

just asking; the wicd.log begs the question
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The Doctor · Moderator Joined: 27 Jul 2010 Posts: 2678

The problem was the missing kernel option CONFIG_CFG80211_WEXT. I just had the opportunity to reboot into a new kernel. Apparently, this is required even for the nl80211 driver.

Thanks to both of you for the help.
_________________
First things first, but not necessarily in that order.

Apologies if I take a while to respond. I'm currently working on the dematerialization circuit for my blue box.

DONAHUE · Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 11:56 pm Post subject:

Bravo.
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