No interfaces shown in network manager [SOLVED]

bmentink · 2009-12-22 19:07:32

Hi All,

I have just done a fresh install of Arch on my new Sony Vaio VGN-FW53GF, all goes well, except for Network Manager.

I can use my wired connection ok as eth0 shows up as active when I hover over the kde applet in the task bar. However when I go to "Manage Connections"
I do not see any Wireless networks or even my "working" wired connection in any list.

Wireless seems to be working as iwconfig shows an interface.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11abgn  ESSID:""
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.412 GHz  Access Point: Not-Associated
          Tx-Power=0 dBm
          Retry  long limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality:0  Signal level:0  Noise level:0
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

But a scan gives this:

iwlist wlan0 scan
wlan0     Interface doesn't support scanning : Network is down

This machine is using the Intel driver "iwlagn" supplied by the kernel (2.6.31).

My /etc/rc.conf is:

#
# /etc/rc.conf - Main Configuration for Arch Linux
#

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
# LOCALIZATION
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# LOCALE: available languages can be listed with the 'locale -a' command
# HARDWARECLOCK: set to "UTC" or "localtime"
# USEDIRECTISA: use direct I/O requests instead of /dev/rtc for hwclock
# TIMEZONE: timezones are found in /usr/share/zoneinfo
# KEYMAP: keymaps are found in /usr/share/kbd/keymaps
# CONSOLEFONT: found in /usr/share/kbd/consolefonts (only needed for non-US)
# CONSOLEMAP: found in /usr/share/kbd/consoletrans
# USECOLOR: use ANSI color sequences in startup messages
#
LOCALE="en_US.utf8"
HARDWARECLOCK="UTC"
USEDIRECTISA="no"
TIMEZONE="Pacific/Auckland"
KEYMAP="us"
CONSOLEFONT=
CONSOLEMAP=
USECOLOR="yes"

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
# HARDWARE
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# MOD_AUTOLOAD: Allow autoloading of modules at boot and when needed
# MOD_BLACKLIST: Prevent udev from loading these modules
# MODULES: Modules to load at boot-up. Prefix with a ! to blacklist.
#
# NOTE: Use of 'MOD_BLACKLIST' is deprecated. Please use ! in the MODULES array.
#
MOD_AUTOLOAD="yes"
#MOD_BLACKLIST=() #deprecated
MODULES=()

# Scan for LVM volume groups at startup, required if you use LVM
USELVM="no"

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
# NETWORKING
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# HOSTNAME: Hostname of machine. Should also be put in /etc/hosts
#
HOSTNAME="Laptop2"

# Use 'ifconfig -a' or 'ls /sys/class/net/' to see all available interfaces.
#
# Interfaces to start at boot-up (in this order)
# Declare each interface then list in INTERFACES
#   - prefix an entry in INTERFACES with a ! to disable it
#   - no hyphens in your interface names - Bash doesn't like it
# 
# DHCP:     Set your interface to "dhcp" (eth0="dhcp")
# Wireless: See network profiles below
#

#Static IP example
#eth0="eth0 192.168.0.2 netmask 255.255.255.0 broadcast 192.168.0.255"
eth0="dhcp"
wlan0="dhcp"
INTERFACES=(!eth0 !wlan0)

# Routes to start at boot-up (in this order)
# Declare each route then list in ROUTES
#   - prefix an entry in ROUTES with a ! to disable it
#
gateway="default gw 192.168.0.1"
ROUTES=(!gateway)
 
# Enable these network profiles at boot-up.  These are only useful
# if you happen to need multiple network configurations (ie, laptop users)
#   - set to 'menu' to present a menu during boot-up (dialog package required)
#   - prefix an entry with a ! to disable it
#
# Network profiles are found in /etc/network.d
#
# This now requires the netcfg package
#
#NETWORKS=(main)

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
# DAEMONS
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# Daemons to start at boot-up (in this order)
#   - prefix a daemon with a ! to disable it
#   - prefix a daemon with a @ to start it up in the background
#
DAEMONS=(syslog-ng !network hal networkmanager netfs crond)

Can anyone offer some suggestion on how to get network manager going, I would like to use it. In the past
I have used Wicd, but it has some limitations.

Cheers,
Bernie

Last edited by bmentink (2009-12-24 04:19:49)

Statix · 2009-12-22 23:47:49

I believe the line:

INTERFACES=(!eth0 !wlan0)

is why interfaces are not showing up.

I don't really use network config in rc.conf anymore, but I believe that determines what interfaces are started at boot.

The ! disables them, so if you take out the ! and change it to:

INTERFACES=(eth0 wlan0)

both should show up.

You can also manually start the wlan0 interface by typing:

# ifconfig wlan0 up

or eth0 instead
It's probably a good idea to make sure it works after enabling it manually before you change your rc.conf.

bmentink · 2009-12-23 02:31:56

Ok, I found the issue. I was missing the firmware for the card. I downloaded firmware from the intel site as per the wiki on wireless and
my interface comes up (shown with ifconfig) and I can see all the networks.

However, I cannot seem to connect to my network with WPA. When I go to connect I get network manager thinking the access point is WEP and asking for pass phrase.
If I select WPA(personal) and fill in a password, nothing happens .... just says unavailable.

Can anyone give some idea's here. I have not used network manager before for WPA.

Cheers,
Bernie

jowilkin · 2009-12-23 02:38:21

Statix wrote:

I believe the line:
INTERFACES=(!eth0 !wlan0)
is why interfaces are not showing up.
I don't really use network config in rc.conf anymore, but I believe that determines what interfaces are started at boot.
The ! disables them, so if you take out the ! and change it to:
INTERFACES=(eth0 wlan0)
both should show up.

To use NetworkManager, you need to disable the interfaces in rc.conf. NetworkManager then enables them.

jowilkin · 2009-12-23 02:41:18

bmentink wrote:

Ok, I found the issue. I was missing the firmware for the card. I downloaded firmware from the intel site as per the wiki on wireless and
my interface comes up (shown with ifconfig) and I can see all the networks.
However, I cannot seem to connect to my network with WPA. When I go to connect I get network manager thinking the access point is WEP and asking for pass phrase.
If I select WPA(personal) and fill in a password, nothing happens .... just says unavailable.
Can anyone give some idea's here. I have not used network manager before for WPA.
Cheers,
Bernie

I use WPA2 with network manager without a problem. It should "just work", im not sure why you have issues, can you switch your router to a different security protocol to test?

bmentink · 2009-12-23 03:22:58

Hi,

I tried setting the modem/router to WPA personal, WPA2 personal and WEP, none of them work.

Has anyone got settings for /etc/rc.conf, so I can try it without Network Manager ...

Edit: Forget it, I tried with Wicd and it all works just fine, even with WPA2 .. don't know what's up with Network Manager.

Cheers,
Bernie

Last edited by bmentink (2009-12-23 07:13:37)

bmentink · 2009-12-24 04:19:14

Ok, I tried again ... (I don't give up easily ..)

I removed the "!" from wlan0 in the INTERFACES line in /etc/rc.conf, and now it works.
It seems the wiki documentation is misleading (first telling you to add the "!", then telling you to remove it ..)

Marking as solved.

Cheers,

Arch Linux

#1 2009-12-22 19:07:32

No interfaces shown in network manager [SOLVED]

#2 2009-12-22 23:47:49

Re: No interfaces shown in network manager [SOLVED]

#3 2009-12-23 02:31:56

Re: No interfaces shown in network manager [SOLVED]

#4 2009-12-23 02:38:21

Re: No interfaces shown in network manager [SOLVED]

#5 2009-12-23 02:41:18

Re: No interfaces shown in network manager [SOLVED]

#6 2009-12-23 03:22:58

Re: No interfaces shown in network manager [SOLVED]

#7 2009-12-24 04:19:14

Re: No interfaces shown in network manager [SOLVED]

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