Connections with a USB wireless adapter

NathanZachary · Moderator Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 2611

Hello all,

I recently purchased an Alfa AWUS036NHA, which utilises the Atheros AR9271 chipset. I have the ath9k_htc module available in my kernel, and have modprobed it. I have also placed the newest version (1.3, as of writing) of the firmware in /lib/firmware. My machine recognises the adapter, and many APs are shown in both wicd and in the output of iwlist wlan1 scan. However, when attempting to connect to any AP, it fails to obtain an IP address (even when testing it with my own network). It seems like dhcpcd is not able to associate with the APs. Does anyone have suggestions as to troubleshooting tactics?

Thank you preemptively.

Cheers,
Nathan Zachary
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“Truth, like infinity, is to be forever approached but never reached.” --Jean Ayres (1972)
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chithanh · Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:04 am Post subject:

What output do you get if you stop wicd and run wpa_supplicant from the shell?

NathanZachary · Moderator Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 2611

Here is some information from the wicd log, under various scenarios:

1. Trying to connect to an open network:

krinn · Watchman Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 7471

NathanZachary · Moderator Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 2611

You may be entirely correct. I have not had any luck with long-range USB wireless adapters in Linux. I purchased this particular model because it has an Atheros chipset. A friend of mine fought with getting another Alfa USB wireless adapter to work, but it was an RTL chipset. Any suggestions as to how I might get this adapter to work, or even better, a long-range adapter that WILL work?

Cheers,
Nathan Zachary
_________________
“Truth, like infinity, is to be forever approached but never reached.” --Jean Ayres (1972)
---avatar cropped from =AimanStudio---

krinn · Watchman Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 7471

sadly not, as i don't have any wireless, i'm not aware of anything related to them, if i was i would have suggest a correct one to try. But i was thinking my comment might put you at least to the right direction for a solve.

But i'm sure some others users could tell you an adapter that would works flawlessly.
hihi, i will then answer : the one from your friend (i'm captain obivious)

NathanZachary · Moderator Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 2611

Actually, the one my friend purchased doesn't work either. He finally gave up after months of toying with it. It goes into monitor mode just fine, and will even inject packets without problem, but it refuses to connect to a network.
_________________
“Truth, like infinity, is to be forever approached but never reached.” --Jean Ayres (1972)
---avatar cropped from =AimanStudio---

krinn · Watchman Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 7471

if in doubt for case like that (new material and new driver, need new handling from you), easiest is still fire up a livecd with plenty (for your case wireless) devices support and see if the device can work as-is.
This will gave you a real clue of what is going on: it's your fault and you need to tickle the drivers/gentoo/anything a bit more, or the device simply doesn't work as expect so problem is more coming from device/drivers... anything but not something that would be easy to track & easy to fix.

If i understood your real problem is that you need a wireless, but not the "standard" one, but one with a more strengh signal to get farer right ?

I'm not aware such device exist, if it's a bit specific (professional usage) this might explain why no user has come yet to gave you a name.
Or maybe the device doesn't exist, i've read some tests times ago about a common french router from a provider here, from version 4 to version 5 (or something like that), the router itself doesn't change or add new speed to its wireless, but its new version have a weaker signal than the previous one.

I think you should be looking for a more well know wireless builder that aim at quality or google for tests case about wireless strengh to get a more accurate clue about what device would fit your specific need.

Sometimes simpler solve exist we don't also think about at first, if the device doesn't have enough strengh to drive the signal at Xm maybe you can just plug it to a cpl to let the device goes closer to its target (lmao except if you're trying to cross a river)

Gusar · Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 11:05 am Post subject:

All I can give you is something not very helpful - a success story. I have a TP-LINK usb wireless adapter with the same Atheros chip, so same driver - ath9k_htc. And well, it works.