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#1 2010-11-23 14:26:06

Ultraman
Member
Registered: 2009-12-24
Posts: 242

[SOLVED] NetworkManager unable to enable Wifi

Edit: Finally solved. Disabling the "acer_wmi" module did the trick.

---

I've been using NetworkManager on my laptop for quite some time now, and it always did a good job... until now!
And in the middle of quite a busy week as well! Damn Murphy...

I noticed there was an update for it and Archer as I am, I of course updated from networkmanager-0.8.1-1-x86_64 and network-manager-applet-0.8.1-2-x86_64, to networkmanager-0.8.2-3-x86_64 and network-manager-applet-0.8.2-2-x86_64.
When updating I got a message that filesystem permissions of /var/lib/NetworkManager we're set to 755, and the package expected 700.
Should not be a problem, but I set the permissions to 700 for good measure.

Next boot, using the new version, I was unable to get NetworkManager to engage my Wifi. "Enable Wireless" just did nothing. It's not turning on my Wifi and nm-applet is not marking it as active either, no matter how many times I click it. I also tried disabling Networking and re-enabling it all, no luck.
Reloaded nm-applet a couple of times, no dice. Restarted the networkmanager deamon as well, still nothing.

nm-applet does not produce any error messages for me to check out, only things it tells me when I kill and start it:

** Message: applet now removed from the notification area
** Message: applet now embedded in the notification area

It only talks about placing itself in the notification area, which is in working order.

My laptop is a Sony Vaio VPCY11S1E (know as Sony Vaio Y series, first model), Wifi card is an Atheros AR9285 (ath9k) and it runs up-to-date Arch x86_64. I run a hand configured -ck patched kernel and also the Arch regular kernel.
Come to think of it, I did not try the stock kernel yet, but I doubt it's the cause of the problem.
Because I reverted back to NetworkManager 0.8.1 and it's working like it always did again.

So I got working Wifi with NM 0.8.1, no working Wifi with 0.8.2.

Any pointers or insights you might have are greatly appreciated!

Last edited by Ultraman (2011-03-06 00:48:32)

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#2 2010-11-23 14:36:53

wonder
Developer
From: Bucharest, Romania
Registered: 2006-07-05
Posts: 5,941
Website

Re: [SOLVED] NetworkManager unable to enable Wifi

check out /var/log/daemons.log


Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think.

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#3 2010-11-23 14:51:47

Ultraman
Member
Registered: 2009-12-24
Posts: 242

Re: [SOLVED] NetworkManager unable to enable Wifi

Oh sorry. I did do that, a bit.
I have a tail of the everything.log outputted to my desktop, and noticed NetworkManager is deactivating the Wifi (Reason 2).
I'm gonna check out what "Reason 2" might mean, and i'll see if I can post a nice snippet of the log here...

Log snippet

Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> NetworkManager (version 0.8.2) is starting...
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> Read config file /etc/NetworkManager/nm-system-settings.conf
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> trying to start the modem manager...
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> monitoring kernel firmware directory '/lib/firmware'.
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> Loaded plugin keyfile: (c) 2007 - 2010 Red Hat, Inc.  To report bugs please use the NetworkManager mailing list.
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> found WiFi radio killswitch rfkill1 (at /sys/devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXSYBUS:00/PNP0A08:00/device:0d/SNY5001:00/rfkill/rfkill1) (driver Sony Notebook Control Driver)
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> found WiFi radio killswitch rfkill4 (at /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.1/0000:02:00.0/ieee80211/phy0/rfkill4) (driver <unknown>)
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> found WiFi radio killswitch rfkill3 (at /sys/devices/platform/acer-wmi/rfkill/rfkill3) (driver acer-wmi)
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> WiFi disabled by radio killswitch; enabled by state file
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> WWAN enabled by radio killswitch; enabled by state file
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> WiMAX enabled by radio killswitch; enabled by state file
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> Networking is enabled by state file
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> (eth0): carrier is OFF
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> (eth0): new Ethernet device (driver: 'atl1c' ifindex: 2)
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> (eth0): exported as /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/0
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> (eth0): now managed
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> (eth0): device state change: 1 -> 2 (reason 2)
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> (eth0): bringing up device.
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> (eth0): preparing device.
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> (eth0): deactivating device (reason: 2).
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> Added default wired connection 'Auto eth0' for /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.0/0000:01:00.0/net/eth0
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> (wlan0): driver supports SSID scans (scan_capa 0x01).
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> (wlan0): new 802.11 WiFi device (driver: 'ath9k' ifindex: 3)
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> (wlan0): exported as /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/1
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> (wlan0): now managed
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 1 -> 2 (reason 2)
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> (wlan0): bringing up device.
Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> (wlan0): deactivating device (reason: 2).

And that's where it ends.
What jumps out is: "Nov 23 15:01:03 localhost NetworkManager[7888]: <info> WiFi disabled by radio killswitch; enabled by state file"
Which is incorrect, the switch is ON. I also tried switching it OFF and ON again (IT Crowd! big_smile ). No effect.

I also see it's seeing multiple killswitches, where I only have one. But that's not the real problem here.

Somehow NM 0.8.2 is thinking my Wifi killswitch is turned off when it isn't.

To see if NM 0.8.1 does anything different, I checked out it's log, which looks like this:

Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> NetworkManager (version 0.8.1) is starting...
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> Read config file /etc/NetworkManager/nm-system-settings.conf
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> trying to start the modem manager...
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> Loaded plugin keyfile: (c) 2007 - 2008 Red Hat, Inc.  To report bugs please use the NetworkManager mailing list.
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> found WiFi radio killswitch rfkill1 (at /sys/devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXSYBUS:00/PNP0A08:00/device:0d/SNY5001:00/rfkill/rfkill1) (driver Sony Notebook Control Driver)
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> found WiFi radio killswitch rfkill4 (at /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.1/0000:02:00.0/ieee80211/phy0/rfkill4) (driver <unknown>)
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> found WiFi radio killswitch rfkill3 (at /sys/devices/platform/acer-wmi/rfkill/rfkill3) (driver acer-wmi)
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> WiFi disabled by radio killswitch; enabled by state file
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> WWAN enabled by radio killswitch; enabled by state file
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> WiMAX enabled by radio killswitch; enabled by state file
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> Networking is enabled by state file
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (eth0): carrier is OFF
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (eth0): new Ethernet device (driver: 'atl1c' ifindex: 2)
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (eth0): exported as /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/0
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (eth0): now managed
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (eth0): device state change: 1 -> 2 (reason 2)
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (eth0): bringing up device.
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (eth0): preparing device.
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (eth0): deactivating device (reason: 2).
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> Added default wired connection 'Auto eth0' for /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.0/0000:01:00.0/net/eth0
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (wlan0): driver supports SSID scans (scan_capa 0x01).
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (wlan0): new 802.11 WiFi device (driver: 'ath9k' ifindex: 3)
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (wlan0): exported as /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/1
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (wlan0): now managed
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 1 -> 2 (reason 2)
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (wlan0): bringing up device.
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (wlan0): deactivating device (reason: 2).
Nov 23 15:03:54 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (wlan0): bringing up device.
Nov 23 15:03:54 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state:  starting -> ready
Nov 23 15:03:54 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 2 -> 3 (reason 42)
Nov 23 15:03:55 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> Activation (wlan0) starting connection 'JoostenWL'
Nov 23 15:03:55 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 3 -> 4 (reason 0)
Nov 23 15:03:55 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled...
Nov 23 15:03:55 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started...
Nov 23 15:03:55 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> Activation (wlan0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled...

It's doing the exact same thing as NM 0.8.2 is it not?
Only it does bring up the interface by trying again by the looks of it.
Note the following behaviour of 0.8.1:

Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (wlan0): exported as /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/1
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (wlan0): now managed
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (wlan0): device state change: 1 -> 2 (reason 2)
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (wlan0): bringing up device.
Nov 23 15:03:49 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (wlan0): deactivating device (reason: 2).
Nov 23 15:03:54 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (wlan0): bringing up device.
Nov 23 15:03:54 localhost NetworkManager[8714]: <info> (wlan0): supplicant interface state:  starting -> ready

NM 0.8.2 stops after the message "deactivating the device (reason: 2)."

Last edited by Ultraman (2010-11-23 15:01:44)

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#4 2010-11-23 14:59:01

GogglesGuy
Member
From: Rocket City
Registered: 2005-03-29
Posts: 610
Website

Re: [SOLVED] NetworkManager unable to enable Wifi

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#5 2010-11-23 15:04:54

Ultraman
Member
Registered: 2009-12-24
Posts: 242

Re: [SOLVED] NetworkManager unable to enable Wifi

Thanks, somehow using the search did not provide me with that topic otherwise I would have checked that out before creating my own.
I'll give https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/21391 and shining's suggestion in there a try later this evening. 16:05 now over here.

Last edited by Ultraman (2010-11-23 15:06:30)

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#6 2010-11-24 22:54:35

Lipo
Member
From: Slovakia
Registered: 2010-11-24
Posts: 2

Re: [SOLVED] NetworkManager unable to enable Wifi

Just updated networkmanager to version 0.8.2-5 and now it's possible to enable wifi again.

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#7 2010-11-25 00:05:28

Ultraman
Member
Registered: 2009-12-24
Posts: 242

Re: [SOLVED] NetworkManager unable to enable Wifi

Thanks for letting me know.
I have not found the time to look into this problem as my schedule is rather full at the moment.
But I can give 0.8.2-5 a whirl this weekend smile

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#8 2010-11-25 21:12:28

Lipo
Member
From: Slovakia
Registered: 2010-11-24
Posts: 2

Re: [SOLVED] NetworkManager unable to enable Wifi

I'm sorry, I was wrong. When I updated, I was able to enable my wifi and it was trying to connect to a network. But when I started my laptop today, I'm unable to enable wifi again.. So this issue is still present..

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#9 2010-11-28 11:24:13

Ultraman
Member
Registered: 2009-12-24
Posts: 242

Re: [SOLVED] NetworkManager unable to enable Wifi

Arg, just when I was thinking "let's try again".
Noticed this: https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/21796?p … orkmanager
As well, too bad there are no updates since the 25th.

Normally I'd explore, but I really can't break this system at the moment...
And this system, my laptop, is the only one of my boxes using networkmanager.

Last edited by Ultraman (2010-11-28 11:25:48)

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#10 2010-11-28 13:42:54

wonder
Developer
From: Bucharest, Romania
Registered: 2006-07-05
Posts: 5,941
Website

Re: [SOLVED] NetworkManager unable to enable Wifi

@Ultraman there are no updates since 25 because NOBODY is commenting and give the relevant logs


Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think.

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#11 2010-11-29 09:47:29

Ultraman
Member
Registered: 2009-12-24
Posts: 242

Re: [SOLVED] NetworkManager unable to enable Wifi

Yes, I know that, dear Wonder.  wink
To restate what I meant: "Too bad there hasn't been any feedback since the 25th".

But I see there has been some feedback again today.
I'm swamped right now, so unable to dive into this and give some feedback. Unless somebody can tell me specificly what to post (as I did with deamons.log)

Last edited by Ultraman (2010-11-29 09:50:06)

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#12 2010-11-30 05:10:11

oops
Member
Registered: 2010-06-23
Posts: 24

Re: [SOLVED] NetworkManager unable to enable Wifi

I added my output to the bug. Let me know if I can do anything else to help.

I also have this problem: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=108953 hmm

Last edited by oops (2010-11-30 05:10:50)

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#13 2010-12-28 18:41:20

Ultraman
Member
Registered: 2009-12-24
Posts: 242

Re: [SOLVED] NetworkManager unable to enable Wifi

OK, I can not get this solved...
Downgrading still works fine, nm-applet 0.8.2 and networkmanager 0.8.3 do not work for me. When I click "Enable Wireless" I used to be asked to unlock the Gnome Keyring, after which wifi would be enabled and scanning for networks began.
Now, I do not get asked to unlock my keyring and wifi stays disabled.

I have tried the following things that seemed to help others:
Added

session    optional    pam_loginuid.so
session    optional    pam_ck_connector.so

to /etc/pam.d/login, as shining suggested (https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/21391)
No result, behaviour is still the same, wifi does not enable, I do not get asked to unlock the keyring.

I used to start nm-applet from Openbox's autostart.sh file, so I didnt think the following suggestion would work for me as I was already using ConsoleKit to start Openbox but I tried it anyway:
I changed my .xinitrc to

exec ck-launch-session dbus-launch --exit-with-session sh /home/stefan/.xsession

And filled .xsession with:

#!/bin/sh
if [ -x /usr/bin/nm-applet ]; then
nm-applet --sm-disable &
fi
exec openbox-session

This caused xdm to not load my openbox session for w/e reason.
I changed my default boot to init 5 to init 3 so it would boot to console and now use startx to start X.
nm-applet get's loaded as it should, bu again refuses to prompt me for keyring unlock password and wifi stays disabled.

I removed  /etc/xdg/autostart/nm-applet.desktop as suggested at https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ne … er#Openbox
Also, no effect.

I started nm-applet as root to see what that would do, has the same issue.

I can enable Wifi using ifconfig wlan0 up and the Wifi indication light does turn on, so thats definitely doing something. And sudo iwlist wlan0 scanning also produces a list of available network. So the Wifi itself seems to be accessible and working.

And work it does when I downgrade to 0.8.1. Everything is in working order running 0.8.1.

Tips on how to solve this or where to look for possible causes are very welcome!
If you have questions or require insight into logfile, just ask and I'll post them.
Logs look like the one I gave earlier. And I noticed a D-Bus issue one day, but I cannot track it down to post it here.

Mod question: Would this thread be better off in the Networking forum?

Last edited by Ultraman (2010-12-28 18:43:00)

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#14 2010-12-31 23:21:43

richp
Member
From: France
Registered: 2010-12-05
Posts: 3

Re: [SOLVED] NetworkManager unable to enable Wifi

Hello everybody and Happy new year !

I am encountering the same issue with my Sony Vaio Y (with the exactly the same wifi card as yours).
Since the problem occured on a new install of Arch, I can't downgrade NetworkManager, so I currently I'm using Wicd.

If you want some infos and/or logs, don't hesitate to ask me (I don't really know what to post).

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#15 2011-01-01 14:35:06

Ultraman
Member
Registered: 2009-12-24
Posts: 242

Re: [SOLVED] NetworkManager unable to enable Wifi

richp wrote:

I am encountering the same issue with my Sony Vaio Y (with the exactly the same wifi card as yours).

That is interesting. My laptop is a Sony Vaio Y as well, model VPCY11S1E.

Since the problem occured on a new install of Arch, I can't downgrade NetworkManager, so I currently I'm using Wicd.

It is possible to get the older version of networkmanager via a server that holds old packages. I know at least one exists.
What are you using to login? Do you use a display manager (such as xdm, gdm, kdm, slim)? What WM/DE are you using?
And your reply will save me the trouble of doing a fresh install to fix this one, thanks. smile

If you want some infos and/or logs, don't hesitate to ask me (I don't really know what to post).

Do your logs show the same things my logs show or are there noticeable differences?

Last edited by Ultraman (2011-01-01 14:37:24)

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#16 2011-01-01 21:34:44

richp
Member
From: France
Registered: 2010-12-05
Posts: 3

Re: [SOLVED] NetworkManager unable to enable Wifi

What are you using to login? Do you use a display manager (such as xdm, gdm, kdm, slim)? What WM/DE are you using?

I'm using kdm, and I tested both under kde4.5x and 4.6b1.

Do your logs show the same things my logs show or are there noticeable differences?

They show the same results ...

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#17 2011-03-06 00:47:07

Ultraman
Member
Registered: 2009-12-24
Posts: 242

Re: [SOLVED] NetworkManager unable to enable Wifi

*Major bump*

I finally solved this!

Because I was having some USB troubles with the 2.6.37 kernel, I looked into falling back to an LTS kernel to see what that would do. That would be the 2.6.35.11 kernel, of which I knew it would give me some graphics glitches that I could live with, but the USB would work fine. Why not the .32.31? I bought a SSD yesterday, .32 does not support TRIM, so testing that one would be any help.

Anyway, while manually configuring the .35 kernel I came across the configuration options with hold the laptop extras: Acer laptop extras, MSI laptop extras, ThinkPad extras, Sony (+sonypi) extras, that stuff.
I remembered seeing the "acer_wmi" module in my lsmod while running the stock ARCH kernel. Yet, I do not have an Acer machine, I run a Sony Vaio. So I disabled all the other extras, including the acer_wmi, and left only the Sony extras enabled.
Upon booting I immediately noticed a difference: networkmanager 0.8.1 was initializing WiFi right after logging in.
Normally I would have to right-click the applet, select "Enable Wireless" and then it would start doing that.
This intrigued me.

Before attempting to make the switch to SSD, I exchanged my normal 320GB HDD for an older 80GB type, I would do a fresh test installation on. To familiarize myself with the process of installing GPT style. That went pretty smooth, just have to make a 1MB ef02 partition for GRUB2 to boot from, other than that no real differences.
But I did change one thing: I set "!acer_wmi" in my rc.conf MODULES entry.

When I got gdm, X, Xfce and the new networkmanager on there, I booted into init 5 mode.
After logging in, the nm-applet was waiting for me in the systray. Wireless Enabled! Just like the switch on my laptop.
Turn that off, wireless off. Turn that on, wireless on and scanning. After selecting my network, entering the passphrase, I was online!
Before it would turn off and on, but would not initialize and scan. And no way to turn it on via networkmanager.
So I now have working WiFi with the latest networkmanager.

Disabling the "acer_wmi" module did the trick. It seems "acer_wmi" and the Sony laptop module were squabbling over something. My bet would be rfkill or something else that would prevent WiFi from turning on.
I remember checking out the rfkill status with the module loaded, and the "acer_wmi" would always say my WiFi was disabled or off, whatever the situation.
Throwing out that module made sony_laptop boss, a welcome change smile

*Marking solved

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#18 2011-04-27 13:35:10

richp
Member
From: France
Registered: 2010-12-05
Posts: 3

Re: [SOLVED] NetworkManager unable to enable Wifi

NIIIIIIIICE ! it solved the problem for me too ...

Thanks a lot smile

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