Setting up wireless card...

miggols99 · 2007-06-17 16:54:24

I've installed bcm43xx-fwcutter, installed the firmware, but I can't get my card to be operational! I'm posting this from another computer. Does anyone know what settings I need to put in /etc/conf.d/wireless? At the moment I've got:

wlan_eth0="eth0 essid MyEssid key MyWirelessKey"
WLAN_INTERFACES=(eth0)

my /etc/rc.conf

...
eth0="dhcp"

ROUTES=(!gateway)
...

Can't remember the rest. Are these right? Do I need to add anything? I've read the wiki article, but I don't understand what I need to add/remove. I'm using WEP security (because the DS doesn't accept WPA).

Last edited by miggols99 (2007-06-17 18:45:24)

paul_au · 2007-06-18 13:04:04

if possible can you post your ifconfig and iwconfig.

copy and paste it into a text file on a usb key and then post it might be the easiest option...

miggols99 · 2007-06-18 16:24:55

I don't think that will be possible... I can't copy and paste! I can't really remember what it said. It said something about the ESSID as "S" for some reason and "Access Point: Invalid". That's all I can remember if that helps.

Ramses de Norre · 2007-06-18 16:27:59

echo "ifconfig"|tee info.txt
ifconfig|tee -a info.txt
echo "iwconfig"|tee -a info.txt
iwconfig|tee -a info.txt

And put info.txt on a usb drive and post it here.

miggols99 · 2007-06-18 17:40:42

Ok here it is:

ifconfig
lo        Link encap:Local Loopback  
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 b)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 b)
iwconfig
eth0      IEEE 802.11b/g  ESSID:"S"  Nickname:"Broadcom 4306"
          Mode:Managed  Frequency=2.437 GHz  Access Point: Invalid   
          Bit Rate=1 Mb/s   Tx-Power=15 dBm   
          RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:906F-FB8A-39   Security mode:open
          Link Quality=0/100  Signal level=-256 dBm  Noise level=-256 dBm
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

paul_au · 2007-06-19 12:52:13

as you stated seems that your essid isn't being set correctly.

Maybe try manually setting it, as root try?

iwconfig eth0 essid "MyEssid"

and see if that gives you at least a valid access point.

miggols99 · 2007-06-19 15:24:22

paul_au wrote:

as you stated seems that your essid isn't being set correctly.
Maybe try manually setting it, as root try?
iwconfig eth0 essid "MyEssid"
and see if that gives you at least a valid access point.

That got a connection to my router! Now, how do I set up my WEP key? I can't connect without it

EDIT: Also, how do I get it to set the essid when I start up?

Last edited by miggols99 (2007-06-19 15:54:54)

Ramses de Norre · 2007-06-19 15:50:05

miggols99 wrote:

paul_au wrote:
as you stated seems that your essid isn't being set correctly.
Maybe try manually setting it, as root try?
iwconfig eth0 essid "MyEssid"
and see if that gives you at least a valid access point.
That got a connection to my router! Now, how do I set up my WEP key? I can't connect without it

Take it a step further...

iwconfig eth0 essid "MyEssid" key "####"

All possible parameters are in the man page.

miggols99 · 2007-06-19 15:59:02

It's still not working... I looked at the man pages and I tried adding s: to it but that didn't work either...

jerem · 2007-06-19 17:12:45

Some people (includind me) need restricted wep mode :

iwconfig essid "MyESSID" key "mykey" restricted

And the file to configure wireless nics on startup is /etc/conf.d/wireless.

Last edited by jerem (2007-06-19 17:13:40)

sykesm · 2007-06-19 18:18:47

try this I have very similar problems, I put this in file and now run it after my system has booted and I'm logged in. Seems to do the trick. Just need to ctrl-c out of the ping. I'm sure there's a more elagant way, limit of my skills

sudo iwconfig eth0 essid myessid
sudo iwconfig eth0 key mykey
sudo dhcpcd -n eth0
ping router-ip-address

paul_au · 2007-06-20 07:21:32

it should work for setting the essid on startup...the networking section of your rc.conf should be like this:

lo="lo 127.0.0.1"
eth0="dhcp"
INTERFACES=(lo eth0)

gateway="default gw 192.168.1.1"
ROUTES=(!gateway)

(I set the gateway as the router ip, but don't use it hence the !)
I have no idea about WEP as i don't use, just remember its the hex key not the passphrase. Maybe try it without WEP to make sure everything can run ok (ping something), then reenable WEP and try using the key again.

Does your essid have a space in it (i don't even know if that allowable) but they maybe affecting the conf.d/wireless settings.

miggols99 · 2007-06-20 19:22:35

This is quite weird, but I have a Broadcom based adapter in the computer I am using right now! I was able to set it up by: Installing kdemod-network-wifi, then opening KWiFiManager, settings menu >> configuration editor, typing in the info... ticked "Use Encryption" clicked "Configure" which came up with the settings. Here are some screenshots which might help...

Now how do I do this without a GUI?

sykesm · 2007-06-20 21:31:11

mmm. I have a broadcom based card as well and was getting exactly the same results you are. Hence the code above. I think it's dhcp that is causing the problem and you're not getting an IP adress allocated. try the code I put above and see what results you get, you may have to hit activate a couple of times and pray you're system doesn't hang. I stopped using the Kwifimanager as it completely hung mys system a couple of times. Was also having problems setting the essid in the start upscript only the first character being recongnised.

good luck

miggols99 · 2007-06-21 18:26:29

I've got the internet working! I installed xorg, kdemod and everything's working! Thanks for the help guys

Arch Linux

#1 2007-06-17 16:54:24

Setting up wireless card...

#2 2007-06-18 13:04:04

Re: Setting up wireless card...

#3 2007-06-18 16:24:55

Re: Setting up wireless card...

#4 2007-06-18 16:27:59

Re: Setting up wireless card...

#5 2007-06-18 17:40:42

Re: Setting up wireless card...

#6 2007-06-19 12:52:13

Re: Setting up wireless card...

#7 2007-06-19 15:24:22

Re: Setting up wireless card...

#8 2007-06-19 15:50:05

Re: Setting up wireless card...

#9 2007-06-19 15:59:02

Re: Setting up wireless card...

#10 2007-06-19 17:12:45

Re: Setting up wireless card...

#11 2007-06-19 18:18:47

Re: Setting up wireless card...

#12 2007-06-20 07:21:32

Re: Setting up wireless card...

#13 2007-06-20 19:22:35

Re: Setting up wireless card...

#14 2007-06-20 21:31:11

Re: Setting up wireless card...

#15 2007-06-21 18:26:29

Re: Setting up wireless card...

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