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Author Topic: Wireless B43 - can't connect to open networks  (Read 3072 times)

Offline reidi

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Wireless B43 - can't connect to open networks
« on: December 05, 2010, 03:13:07 PM »
This seems backwards, but I cannot connect to open wireless networks, only WPA secure ones.  I know this has worked in earlier TC versions (I am at 3.3 now).  Doesn't matter if I try the wicd solution or just manually loading modules/firmware and iwconfig commands.  I can connect to my WPA network, but not to "open" networks that require no authentication or security keys.

TinyCoreLinux 3.3
Broadcom b43 firmware loaded and works fine for WPA networks.
wireless_tools.tcz  and wireless-2.6.33.3-tinycore.tgz

Offline reidi

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Re: Wireless B43 - can't connect to open networks
« Reply #1 on: December 05, 2010, 11:17:18 PM »
Actually the problem is that I cannot stay connected.  The wicd gui indicates that I successfully connect, but then indicates I am disconnected again after just a couple of seconds.  The wicd.log file simply shows a successful connection (I think - see below).

This isn't just a wicd problem.  I used to connect to both open and WPA networks using manual commands and scripts (TCL 3.xalpha).  Now I can still connect to WPA networks using those methods, but not to open networks.

2010/12/05 20:03:49 :: Putting interface up...
2010/12/05 20:03:51 :: Running DHCP with hostname box
2010/12/05 20:03:51 :: udhcpc (v1.17.2) started
2010/12/05 20:03:51 ::
2010/12/05 20:03:51 :: Sending discover...
2010/12/05 20:03:51 ::
2010/12/05 20:03:51 :: Sending select for 192.168.1.15...
2010/12/05 20:03:51 ::
2010/12/05 20:03:51 :: Lease of 192.168.1.15 obtained, lease time 86400
2010/12/05 20:03:51 ::
2010/12/05 20:03:51 :: deleting routers
2010/12/05 20:03:51 ::
2010/12/05 20:03:51 :: route: SIOCDELRT: No such process
2010/12/05 20:03:51 ::
2010/12/05 20:03:51 :: adding dns 192.168.1.1
2010/12/05 20:03:51 ::
2010/12/05 20:03:51 ::
2010/12/05 20:03:51 :: DHCP connection successful
2010/12/05 20:03:51 :: not verifying
2010/12/05 20:03:51 :: Connecting thread exiting.
2010/12/05 20:03:51 :: Sending connection attempt result Success

Offline tinypoodle

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Re: Wireless B43 - can't connect to open networks
« Reply #2 on: December 06, 2010, 02:21:37 AM »
you could try to run
Code: [Select]
iweventto possibly get more specific output.
"Software gets slower faster than hardware gets faster." Niklaus Wirth - A Plea for Lean Software (1995)

Offline curaga

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Re: Wireless B43 - can't connect to open networks
« Reply #3 on: December 06, 2010, 04:46:19 AM »
I was about to post this yesterday, but I guess I will post it now.

Is the open network yours? If it's not, there may be MAC filtering to only allow selected clients to connect to an otherwise "open" network.
The only barriers that can stop you are the ones you create yourself.

Offline reidi

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[SOLVED] Re: Wireless B43 - can't connect to open networks
« Reply #4 on: December 06, 2010, 11:03:47 PM »
Ummm... embarrassing... For whatever reason the broadcast signals are weaker or my receiver is weaker.  At any rate, moving more into line-of-site with the known open network routers got me connected.  I probably should have known that when I saw I was connecting briefly and then dropping almost immediately.

I didn't retry wicd or wpa_gui but I assume they will work.  I prefer to run lean, and script the few lines required for either an open or WPA connection.

Offline tinypoodle

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Re: Wireless B43 - can't connect to open networks
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2010, 02:04:39 AM »
Try

Code: [Select]
sudo iwconfig <if> rate 1M fixed
HTH
"Software gets slower faster than hardware gets faster." Niklaus Wirth - A Plea for Lean Software (1995)