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#1 2009-09-10 06:38:33

spektre
Member
From: Sweden
Registered: 2009-05-24
Posts: 31

wifi auto connect, disconnects, Atheros [SOLVED]

My first problem is that I can't connect automatically to the school network, when I run:

# netcfg school

It gives me a 'wlan0 rejected NAK' and no connection.
If I comment out 'require dhcp_server_identifier' in dhcpcd.conf it doesn't give me an error, but still no connection.
My current workaround is to manually configure the network, killing dhcpcd process first:

# killall dhcpcd
# ifconfig wlan0 up # Sometimes it's down (?)
# iwconfig wlan0 essid '<school-essid>'
# iwlist wlan0 scan
# dhcpcd wlan0

After this it usually works and I can log in via the http interface, though sometimes it doesn't...
It would be really nice to fix this, all help much appreciated.

It would also be sweet to have the network configure itself properly depending on if I'm at school or home. As it is now, I do:

# netcfg home

when I'm at home and the procedure above when I'm at school, if I could get the auto connection working at school, what would I do to connect to the right network at boot? Trim timeouts or something?

Oh, and also, my wireless net just dies sporadically (once or twice a day, maybe once) at home, could possibly be related?

Computer is an eeepc 1005HA, with an Atheros AR9285 card. Using ath9k.
Home router is a Linksys WRT54G (if it has anything to do with the sporadic net deaths at home).

Thanks
/s

Last edited by spektre (2009-09-25 09:42:53)

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#2 2009-09-10 16:26:13

hauntergeist
Member
From: Vienna
Registered: 2008-10-11
Posts: 56

Re: wifi auto connect, disconnects, Atheros [SOLVED]

Hi.
I'm not a network pro but I had some card related problems myself and maybe I'm able to help.

spektre wrote:

It would also be sweet to have the network configure itself properly depending on if I'm at school or home. As it is now, I do:

# netcfg home

when I'm at home and the procedure above when I'm at school, if I could get the auto connection working at school, what would I do to connect to the right network at boot? Trim timeouts or something?

That's the easiest question. Just add AUTO_NETWORKS=(auto-wireless) to your Network section and the net-auto daemon to your Daemon section of /etc/rc.conf. More info on ArchWiki: Network Profiles.

Is your school network configured for DHCP? Is it encrypted via WPA/2 or do you want to establish a encrypted connection? I think, I need some more information, before I can proceed.
Please post:
- your network profile "school"
- your wpa_supplicant.conf, if you use wpa_supplicant (attention: cancel out usernames and passwords or other security-related information!)
- the output of lspci and lsmod

Here are some interesting links:
ArchWiki: Wireless Setup
The Madwifi page on ath9k

Greetz.

Last edited by hauntergeist (2009-09-10 16:29:36)

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#3 2009-09-10 17:41:38

spektre
Member
From: Sweden
Registered: 2009-05-24
Posts: 31

Re: wifi auto connect, disconnects, Atheros [SOLVED]

That's the easiest question. Just add AUTO_NETWORKS=(auto-wireless) to your Network section and the net-auto daemon to your Daemon section of /etc/rc.conf. More info on ArchWiki: Network Profiles.

Thanks, seems like just the thing I was looking for!

It's an open network configured for dhcp, but you need to login through a http interface to use it, after you get a connection. The connection bit is not affected by the login (I think).

CONNECTION="wireless"
DESCRIPTION="A simple opened wireless connection"
INTERFACE="wlan0"
ESSID="du-public"
IP="dhcp"
# lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GME Express Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GME Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 02)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 02)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 4 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7 Family) SATA AHCI Controller (rev 02)
01:00.0 Ethernet controller: Attansic Technology Corp. Atheros AR8132 / L1c Gigabit Ethernet Adapter (rev c0)
02:00.0 Network controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) (rev 01)
# lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
i915                  184872  1 
drm                   154656  2 i915
i2c_algo_bit            5864  1 i915
i2c_core               22776  3 i915,drm,i2c_algo_bit
nfs                   294576  0 
fscache                44688  1 nfs
nfsd                  255276  9 
lockd                  72556  2 nfs,nfsd
nfs_acl                 2884  2 nfs,nfsd
auth_rpcgss            38112  2 nfs,nfsd
sunrpc                190432  12 nfs,nfsd,lockd,nfs_acl,auth_rpcgss
exportfs                4260  1 nfsd
ipv6                  277908  22 
ext2                   69036  1 
snd_seq_dummy           2696  0 
snd_seq_oss            31168  0 
snd_seq_midi_event      7012  1 snd_seq_oss
snd_seq                53744  5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_seq_device          6768  3 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq
joydev                 10400  0 
snd_pcm_oss            40352  0 
snd_mixer_oss          17540  1 snd_pcm_oss
arc4                    1732  2 
ecb                     2788  2 
snd_hda_codec_realtek   206504  1 
uvcvideo               61040  0 
snd_hda_intel          26664  3 
videodev               36544  1 uvcvideo
v4l1_compat            15688  2 uvcvideo,videodev
ath9k                 319380  0 
snd_hda_codec          71716  2 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel
snd_hwdep               7656  1 snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm                73672  4 snd_pcm_oss,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec
mac80211              182848  1 ath9k
fan                     4392  0 
video                  19832  1 i915
output                  2884  1 video
snd_timer              21100  3 snd_seq,snd_pcm
snd                    58436  15 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm,snd_timer
soundcore               6848  1 snd
snd_page_alloc          8876  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
thermal                13888  0 
eeepc_laptop           13240  0 
rfkill                 10640  4 ath9k,eeepc_laptop
cfg80211               67364  2 ath9k,mac80211
led_class               3976  1 ath9k
psmouse                59644  0 
button                  5556  0 
iTCO_wdt               10952  0 
iTCO_vendor_support     3080  1 iTCO_wdt
sg                     27928  0 
serio_raw               5704  0 
uhci_hcd               23540  0 
battery                10984  0 
intel_agp              27484  1 
ehci_hcd               35664  0 
agpgart                32756  3 drm,intel_agp
ac                      4360  0 
evdev                  10176  17 
usbcore               150192  4 uvcvideo,uhci_hcd,ehci_hcd
pcspkr                  2372  0 
atl1c                  32136  0 
cpufreq_powersave       1380  0 
cpufreq_ondemand        7672  0 
acpi_cpufreq            8624  0 
freq_table              3716  2 cpufreq_ondemand,acpi_cpufreq
processor              35800  3 acpi_cpufreq
rtc_cmos               11212  0 
rtc_core               18048  1 rtc_cmos
rtc_lib                 2500  1 rtc_core
ext3                  134380  2 
jbd                    48504  1 ext3
mbcache                 7080  2 ext2,ext3
sd_mod                 27328  5 
ahci                   34004  4 
ata_piix               23080  0 
libata                168012  2 ahci,ata_piix
scsi_mod              110708  3 sg,sd_mod,libata

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#4 2009-09-10 21:05:51

hauntergeist
Member
From: Vienna
Registered: 2008-10-11
Posts: 56

Re: wifi auto connect, disconnects, Atheros [SOLVED]

I searched the net and my config-files for a few hours, but I can't come up with a solution.
To replace your long procedure, you can try the steps

netcfg2 clean
netcfg2 school

What puzzles me is the fact that the card can connect to your home-wlan. Besides I found that others have trouble with the atheros-ar9285-and-linksys-wrt54g-combo too, mostly the wireless connections breaks cause of heavy traffic. No solution found either.

Do you have windows on your eeepc too? Do the wireless connection work under windows?
You can try a pacman -Syu and update the config-files to get the latest configs and drivers. Or you can try to find an equivalent card and test it. If the problems persist then it's probably the fault of the school network and/or router.

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#5 2009-09-25 09:39:13

spektre
Member
From: Sweden
Registered: 2009-05-24
Posts: 31

Re: wifi auto connect, disconnects, Atheros [SOLVED]

Hehe, been a while, I have an update though.
Installed wicd, everything works perfectly now.
I don't know much about how the stuff works, but I have some thoughts...
wicd gives the option to autoconnect to all APs with the same essid, my school has four of them spread out, giving different signal strengths depending on where you are. Maybe netcfg tries to connect to the first in the list disregarding signal strength or something? Or going for MAC address and not essid?
wicd also gives the option for auto reconnect, maybe it hides the disconnects?

I've also been able to set up aes wpa2 with hidden essid and mac filter now (just for kicks), so there's no wifi trouble at all.
Marking this solved.

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