WLAN not seeing any network

[marche]

Hi, I installed wifi.tcz and initially I was able to get an IP address through the wifi manager. However, upon reboot, I am unable to see any wifi networks anymore. If i do iwconfig, I can see that it sees wlan0, but when I scan using wireless manager, it will attempt to scan, but there would be no APs in the list.

[maro]

I'd like to suggest to undertake some troubleshooting with the utilities that are getting installed as dependencies of 'wifi.tcz'. In preparation to this it is vital that any required firmware for the device is installed prior to it's activation (e.g. via sudo ifconfig wlan0 up). When these preconditions are fulfilled, what do you observe when running:
    sudo iwlist wlan0 scanning
(as I have observed sometimes different results when not running as 'root').

[marche]

if I run sudo ifconfig wlan0 up

Code: [Select]

ifconfig: SIOCSCIFFLAGS: No such file or directory
sudo iwlist wlan0 scanning

Code: [Select]

wlan0: Interface doesn't support scanning

[maro]

This is exactly the kind of error messages that I would get if I have not the appropriate firmware installed:

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tc@box:~$ tce-load -i wpa_supplicant > /dev/null
tc@box:~$ dmesg > dmesg-1.log
tc@box:~$ sudo ifconfig wlan0 up
ifconfig: SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory
tc@box:~$ sudo iwlist wlan0 scanning
wlan0     Interface doesn't support scanning : Network is down
tc@box:~$ dmesg | diff -U 0 dmesg-1.log -
--- dmesg-1.log
+++ -
@@ -630,0 +631,5 @@
+iwl3945 0000:03:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode
+iwl3945 0000:03:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode firmware file req failed: -2
+iwl3945 0000:03:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode
+iwl3945 0000:03:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode firmware file req failed: -2
+iwl3945 0000:03:00.0: Could not read microcode: -2
tc@box:~$
The 'dmesg' output makes it very clear that a firmware file is required. And due to my experience I made a deliberate point to stress this in my earlier reply. BTW, other device drivers might not "cry foul" in such an obvious way. One "sledgehammer method" might be to install all the firmware extensions and work out later (e.g. by analysing the 'dmesg' output) which one is the one that is required.

It really makes me wonder why people appear to only read half the advice that gets provided by those of us that have "been there, done it" ...

[gerald_clark]

You need to install firmware-iwlwifi.tcz.

[maro]

You need to install firmware-iwlwifi.tcz.

Haha, good joke. I am most certainly aware of this.

I just wanted to demonstrate to the OP what happens if one does not pay attention to what I wrote in my reply #1, and how one might be able to confirm it (via the 'dmesg' and 'diff' commands). Of course I don't know what device the OP has got, so I could only use one of my own as an example.

But thanks for making me laugh out loud ....

[marche]

sorry, I am still at a loss, I installed firmware-iwlwifi.tcz, but I still get the same error using all 3 WLAN USB sticks I have, even on the laptop.

I did dmesg based on the reply above, and I got this:

Code: [Select]

tc@box:~$ dmesg | diff -U 0 dmesg-1.log -
--- dmesg-1.log
+++ -
@@ -520,0 +521 @@
+phy0 -> rt2x00lib_request_firmware: Error - Failed to request Firmware.
tc@box:~$
I tried googling for the rt2x00lib_request_firmware error, and it seems I have to compile the firmware directly into tinycore? How does one do that? I went through the FAQ, but it says to see firmware-2.6.29.1-tinycore.tcz, but when I went to the Appbrowser, There is no extension by that name....

[marche]

by the way, I have installed tinycore frugal to an IDE disk on an old thin client ive been testing.

[Rich]

Hi marche
gerald_clark was just joking with maro.
Try installing the  compat-wireless  extension and see if that makes a difference.

[marche]

 

anyway, I tinkered more with it, and found that I needed a Ralink extension. I looked at all the firmwares on the appbrowser and saw that firmware.tcz has a few rtxxxx firmwares, so I downloaded that. And now it works! (not for the other wlan dongles yet, but I'll keep searching)

Thanks, I think. lol 

[grandma]

one more hint with wifi dongles.

my laptop has a built in wifi

I use an external - on a 30 ft antenna cable mounted outside

the internal MIGHT see 1 access point somewhere around here.

the external sees them all

the sudo iwconfig command (or ifconfig) gives me a list of wlan devices - I usually get TWO, each with a different MAC address

I always look for which one is the good one - the outside one - and ensure my

sudo iwlist wlanX scan command references the right wlan0, wlan1

so if an wifi antenna doesn't see any access points - but you are sure they exist - it may be that the wlan device you are using is the "weak one" (blind and deaf) and the dongle is the one you want to scan with.

also I usually do a

sudo ifconfig wlan0 down
sudo ifconfig wlan0 up

(repeat for wlan1 etc.)

to refresh the antenna's internal firmware before scanning

then

sudo iwconfig - to see a list of functioning antennas

then

sudo iwlist wlan0 scan to get the puppy to deliver a list of access points

then the old

sudo iwconfig wlan0 essid "MyFavoriteAccesspoint" rts 250 frag 400 txpower 100mW

I use the rts and frag commands to cut down on cross channel interference (a lot of signals around here)

then finally - if I am lucky

sudo udhcpc -i wlan0 -b

I have tried using the -n option - which says GET A LEASE NOW OR QUIT - but the -b (background) appears to work better...