Wireless for Acer Aspire One not working

gcotant · 2015-05-19 14:42:04

I'm using netctl for my wireless. After attempting "netcl start adhoc-net", the error I get is:

Job for netctl@adhoc\x2dnet.service failed. See "systemctl status 'netctl@adhoc\x2snet.service'" and "journal -xe" for details.

Some info on my network settings and what I'm trying to do:
So my entire home network is managed on my dad's computer and only machines that have their mac addresses stored on the router can use the wifi. So what I'm trying to do is create an adhoc network with my other computer so that my Acer can connect to that. Why? Because I have to spend the first 8 hours of my day downstairs watching the dogs (apparently they can't be left alone anymore) and there is no ethernet port in the vicinity. I don't need internet access I just need to be able to ssh into my upstairs computer to work on a programming project.

Here's what I've done so far:

1. I followed the troubleshooting guide on the arch wiki but that did not fix anything.

2. I also installed rfkill and used rfkill list command receiving this output:

0: acer-wireless: Wireless lan
   Soft blocked: yes
   Hard blocked: no
1: phy0: Wireless lan
   Soft blocked: no
   Hard blocked: yes

I used "rfkill unblock wireless" to remove the soft block and "rfkill unblock 1" to remove the hard block. Didn't fix anything.

Here is my netctl profile:

Interface=wlan0 //I have confirmed that this is the name of the device
Connection=wireless
DCHPClient='dhclient'
Security=wep
IP=dhcp

ESSID='AmarrNet'
key='password'
ForceConnect=yes

Here is my journalctl -xe:
https://gist.github.com/6391e28882902b4731cd

Gusar · 2015-05-19 14:58:40

How do you set up the ad-hoc network on the "master" (not-Acer) computer, also netctl? To create a new network, it's required to specify a frequency the network will run at, it's described in the netctl-profile manpage. Either that or use the wext driver, in my experience it handles ad-hoc better, so add WPADriver=wext to your profiles. The third option is to not use ad-hoc but create an AP. There's a popular create_ap script here at the forums, a quick search should find the thread.

ewaller · 2015-05-19 15:00:41

Tell us a bit more bout your other computer. Is it an Arch box?
Does it use a wired network to connect to the router?
Please verify that the wireless you are trying to connect to is dedicated -- in other words, it is not being used to connect to an access point.

To be honest, I think you are going about this wrong. In my opinion the easiest solution would be to set your other computer up as a wireless router -- and to use it to administer a wireless network, including running a DHCP server. You would want to configure a different subnet address than that used by your dad's network. If you wanted, you could even enable NAT forwarding to allow machines attached to the network run by your other computer to access the internet. But.... This could run afoul of the policies your dad has put in place by allowing routing machines that are not on his white list through the MAC of your other machine.

Read this wiki article for details.

Now, explain a couple more things. Why is your Acer not on the white list for the wireless network? Is this deliberate on your dad's part? I ask because I do not want to encourage behavior that is not consistent with the owner of the network -- which I gather is not you.

Last edited by ewaller (2015-05-19 15:01:35)

gcotant · 2015-05-19 15:27:40

ewaller wrote:

Tell us a bit more bout your other computer. Is it an Arch box?
Does it use a wired network to connect to the router?
Please verify that the wireless you are trying to connect to is dedicated -- in other words, it is not being used to connect to an access point.
To be honest, I think you are going about this wrong. In my opinion the easiest solution would be to set your other computer up as a wireless router -- and to use it to administer a wireless network, including running a DHCP server. You would want to configure a different subnet address than that used by your dad's network. If you wanted, you could even enable NAT forwarding to allow machines attached to the network run by your other computer to access the internet. But.... This could run afoul of the policies your dad has put in place by allowing routing machines that are not on his white list through the MAC of your other machine.
Read this wiki article for details.
Now, explain a couple more things. Why is your Acer not on the white list for the wireless network? Is this deliberate on your dad's part? I ask because I do not want to encourage behavior that is not consistent with the owner of the network -- which I gather is not you.

My acer was just recently acquired and my dad doesn't like having too many devices on the wireless network (especially since I'll be moving out next month). My other computer is a debian that uses network manager and it also isn't on the whitelist since I had just recently brought it home from college. It stays plugged in upstairs using an ethernet cable. I followed this guide to setup the adhoc network: http://howtoubuntu.org/how-to-create-a- … -in-ubuntu.

I'm don't have much experience with network configurations beyond setting up profiles that actually connect to a router, so I wasn't really sure how to go about this.

Last edited by gcotant (2015-05-19 15:36:19)

ewaller · 2015-05-19 15:33:22

So, it sounds like your dad's network is irrelevant. You just want to establish a isolated network between your two machines.
To be honest, I have never had much luck with ad-hoc. I can suggest you follow this guide for your Arch Box: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ad-hoc_networking
We cannot really help you on the Debian machine. But, I would still suggest configuring the Debian box as an access point and enabling a DHCP server.

gcotant · 2015-05-19 15:58:58

I'm trying to follow to the adhoc guide you posted, but it appears that I can't even get the device to turn on.

 ip link set wlan0 up

does not change anything.

gcotant · 2015-05-19 16:40:04

I did some experimenting and whatever the issue is must be on Debian's side. I found this out by using my Nexus as a hotspot and I was able to connect to it and ping it just fine but I obviously can't use that, how else am I supposed to watch netflix downstairs. So whatever the issue is, it does not have to do with my arch book. So I guess as far as arch is concerned this is solved...?

Arch Linux

#1 2015-05-19 14:42:04

Wireless for Acer Aspire One not working

#2 2015-05-19 14:58:40

Re: Wireless for Acer Aspire One not working

#3 2015-05-19 15:00:41

Re: Wireless for Acer Aspire One not working

#4 2015-05-19 15:27:40

Re: Wireless for Acer Aspire One not working

#5 2015-05-19 15:33:22

Re: Wireless for Acer Aspire One not working

#6 2015-05-19 15:58:58

Re: Wireless for Acer Aspire One not working

#7 2015-05-19 16:40:04

Re: Wireless for Acer Aspire One not working

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