Acer Aspire 5732Z Wireless (SignalUp) Help! [SOLVED]

dshaw · 2010-08-08 21:52:19

Hello,

I am a recent Arch convert, and am enjoying the distro immensely. However, on one of my recent Arch installs I seem to be having a single (yet serious) issue: I can't make wireless work.

Everything else works fine, but this Acer has a technology called "SignalUp" (which is a button that maps to software to turn on and off the wireless device) that I can't seem to make work. The worst part is that this technology works out of the box in Ubuntu, which makes me even more frustrated.

My lspci | grep -i network:

04:00.0 Network controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR928X Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) (rev 01)

Madwifi has already loaded this driver, so I really don't know what to do about the SignalUp thing.

sudo iwconfig wlan0
wlan0 IEEE 802.11bgn Mode:Managed Access Point: Not-Associated
Tx-Power=0 dBm
Retry long limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:on

$ sudo iwconfig wlan0 up
iwconfig: unknown command "up"

Please, I'm running out of options and I don't want to reinstall Ubuntu! Thanks in advance.

Last edited by dshaw (2010-08-15 07:44:14)

karol · 2010-08-08 22:23:51

Try 'ifconfig wlan0 up'.

dshaw · 2010-08-09 00:53:02

karol wrote:

Try 'ifconfig wlan0 up'.

When I do this, I get no error messages but the device still does not turn on. sudo iwconfig wlan0 txpower auto makes no difference either

warenoso · 2010-08-09 01:11:05

may i ask why are you using madwifi instead of the ath9k part of the kernel?
maybe you should give it a try.

dshaw · 2010-08-09 02:05:35

warenoso wrote:

may i ask why are you using madwifi instead of the ath9k part of the kernel?
maybe you should give it a try.

Madwifi was only done after I couldn't get wireless working with the built-in kernel module--I thought that they operated the same way, anyway though.

I think the real issue is my inability to "power on" the SignalUp device.

creatid · 2010-08-09 14:43:25

dshaw - I have the same Atheros card on an Acer 7535 and it works with the ath9k module.
As root do

iwconfig wlan0 power off
wpa_supplicant -B -Dwext -i wlan0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf

(You do need to create the /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf as per the wiki)

My wpa_supplicant.conf looks like this (without the sensitive bits):
network={
ssid="PUTYOURESSIDHERE"
proto=RSN
# key_mgmt=WPA_PSK
pairwise=CCMP TKIP
group=CCMP TKIP
#psk="PUTYOURPSKHERE"
psk=PUTTHERESULTOFPSKHERE
}

If this works you can automate it in rc.conf (haven't done that myself).

Hope this helps

dshaw · 2010-08-11 02:43:50

Hi,

Thanks for the help! Although I am sure this will assist in actually connecting to the network, my current problem is even turning the "SignalUp" device on. I can't get that beautiful little orange light to go on, and even with wpa_gui I can't select a device!

I know there is a solution waiting for me somewhere, I just can't find it!

Varg · 2010-08-11 08:49:09

I had some trouble on my laptop with a Atheros card to because I loaded the wrong driver. I couldn't get it to work after that because in some way it had corrupted my network card. I'd say uninstall madwifi, change your rc.conf to default values ( only the modules and daemons that have to do with your wifi ). Shut down your laptop, unplug the cable and take out the battery for let's say 15min. Boot it up again and try to get your wifi working with wpa according to the wiki and the posts above.

Last edited by Varg (2010-08-11 08:49:55)

creatid · 2010-08-12 17:31:17

Varg's advice seems to be the best way to go for now.
For the record, my device is also a "SignalUp" thingy and the indicator lights up after the iwconfig and wpa_supplicant commands I posted above. So I know from experience that it *should* work with default settings.

dshaw · 2010-08-12 18:04:15

creatid wrote:

Varg's advice seems to be the best way to go for now.
For the record, my device is also a "SignalUp" thingy and the indicator lights up after the iwconfig and wpa_supplicant commands I posted above. So I know from experience that it *should* work with default settings.

Hmm interesting. I tried those and didn't get them to work, but maybe I'm doing it incorrectly. Will try tonight and edit this post with any additional information I may have.

ps:

rfkill list showed a soft block, but rfkill unblock 0 should have fixed that (rfkill list is clean now)

munkyeetr · 2010-08-13 04:34:43

I have the same wireless adapter in an Acer 5535 laptop...here's what I do:

First: if your laptop has a wireless button (the one that blinks when you do have a signal), make sure it is on. Toggle it if you have to. Not sure about your model, but also check for a hardware switch to toggle wireless on the front or sides of the laptop, and lastly check if there's a Fn button combination that toggles wireless.

All I've ever done to get wireless on Arch with this adapter:

1) # modprobe ath9k
2) # ifconfig wlan0 up
3) # iwlist wlan0 scan :: to check for wireless networks
4) # iwconfig wlan0 essid <essid> key <key>
5) # dhcpcd wlan0

After doing that and updating and installing my system:

I install wicd package and add it to DAEMONS in rc.conf
Add wicd-client & to ~/.xinitrc file one line above where I start my window manager

dshaw · 2010-08-15 07:43:52

munkyeetr wrote:

I have the same wireless adapter in an Acer 5535 laptop...here's what I do:
First: if your laptop has a wireless button (the one that blinks when you do have a signal), make sure it is on. Toggle it if you have to. Not sure about your model, but also check for a hardware switch to toggle wireless on the front or sides of the laptop, and lastly check if there's a Fn button combination that toggles wireless.
All I've ever done to get wireless on Arch with this adapter:
1) # modprobe ath9k
2) # ifconfig wlan0 up
3) # iwlist wlan0 scan :: to check for wireless networks
4) # iwconfig wlan0 essid <essid> key <key>
5) # dhcpcd wlan0
After doing that and updating and installing my system:
I install wicd package and add it to DAEMONS in rc.conf
Add wicd-client & to ~/.xinitrc file one line above where I start my window manager

Using this and wicd I managed to get wireless working, at long last. Thank you!

Arch Linux

#1 2010-08-08 21:52:19

Acer Aspire 5732Z Wireless (SignalUp) Help! [SOLVED]

#2 2010-08-08 22:23:51

Re: Acer Aspire 5732Z Wireless (SignalUp) Help! [SOLVED]

#3 2010-08-09 00:53:02

Re: Acer Aspire 5732Z Wireless (SignalUp) Help! [SOLVED]

#4 2010-08-09 01:11:05

Re: Acer Aspire 5732Z Wireless (SignalUp) Help! [SOLVED]

#5 2010-08-09 02:05:35

Re: Acer Aspire 5732Z Wireless (SignalUp) Help! [SOLVED]

#6 2010-08-09 14:43:25

Re: Acer Aspire 5732Z Wireless (SignalUp) Help! [SOLVED]

#7 2010-08-11 02:43:50

Re: Acer Aspire 5732Z Wireless (SignalUp) Help! [SOLVED]

#8 2010-08-11 08:49:09

Re: Acer Aspire 5732Z Wireless (SignalUp) Help! [SOLVED]

#9 2010-08-12 17:31:17

Re: Acer Aspire 5732Z Wireless (SignalUp) Help! [SOLVED]

#10 2010-08-12 18:04:15

Re: Acer Aspire 5732Z Wireless (SignalUp) Help! [SOLVED]

#11 2010-08-13 04:34:43

Re: Acer Aspire 5732Z Wireless (SignalUp) Help! [SOLVED]

#12 2010-08-15 07:43:52

Re: Acer Aspire 5732Z Wireless (SignalUp) Help! [SOLVED]

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