Arch Linux

habitue

Member

Registered: 2009-01-14

Posts: 15

Problem getting wireless device to show up

I have a Lenovo T61 thinkpad, and I'm trying to get wireless functioning on it.
Doing lspci | grep -i net gets me:
Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection (rev 02)

Apparently this is a well supported card and all that. I've loaded the iwl3945 module into my rc.conf modules list, and I've even modprobed it to ensure it's activated.  Unfortunately, it refuses to give me a wlan0 interface. Whenever I do ifconfig -a or iwconfig or ls /sys/class/net all I get are eth0 and lo. I've tried adding the wlan daemon and removing it, neither seems to help.  I have been hitting a brick wall for hours with google etc, so I figured I'd just ask.  Maybe I am not searching for the right thing.

Last edited by habitue (2009-01-25 08:21:37)

R00KIE

Forum Fellow

From: Between a computer and a chair

Registered: 2008-09-14

Posts: 4,734

Re: Problem getting wireless device to show up

Check the output of "dmesg | tail" .... maybe the module isn't loading or something might not be going as it is supposed to.

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R00KIE
Tm90aGluZyB0byBzZWUgaGVyZSwgbW92ZSBhbG9uZy4K

tomk

Forum Fellow

From: Ireland

Registered: 2004-07-21

Posts: 9,839

Re: Problem getting wireless device to show up

You need the corresponding firmware package. Check the Wireless Setup wiki page for details.

General advice, as you're new here: before asking questions, check the wiki and search the forum for relevant information.

habitue

Member

Registered: 2009-01-14

Posts: 15

Re: Problem getting wireless device to show up

dmesg gives

iwl3945: failed to register network device (error -2)

If this is a problem with firmware, I cannot find any place on the wifi wiki that explains how to install it or where to get it from. All I see in the iwl3945 section is a warning that it needs to be installed. Since I can use this wireless card just fine on the Ubuntu partition, I figured the firmware was already installed.  Is firmware loaded and unloaded every time the OS boots?

Edit:

OK so I just realized that iwlwifi-3945-ucode was the firmware, I have already installed this but had thought this was the driver package.  Apparently the driver is already in the kernel by default. So basically, I am back to square one.  There is something other than firmware and drivers that are causing this problem.

Last edited by habitue (2009-01-25 18:01:31)