Arch Linux

l_topaz

Member

Registered: 2011-08-02

Posts: 7

Problem connecting laptop to wireless network

Greetings. 

I recently installed ArchLinux on my asus N80Vb laptop.  I downloaded the .iso for the core installation and burn a CD which I used to install.  Checksums were a match.  I followed instructions on the installation guide and everything seems to have been a success.  I installed all packages which seemed to have anything to
do with wireless networking. 

The only problem is that I am having difficulty getting my laptop to connect to the wireless network in the house. 

The network wireless interface in the laptop is an Intel WiFi Link 5100.  I am assuming the driver is loading properly: output from dmesg | tail is:

iwlagn 0000:03:00.0: Unable to find TIM Element in beacon
...
wlan0: Selected IBSS BSSID 2e:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx based on configured SSID
iwlagn 0000:03:00.0: Unable to find TIM Element in beacon
...

(the x's in the second line are because I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to post the actual numbers). 

I followed the manual wireless setup process <a href="https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Wireless_Setup#Part_II:_Wireless_management">here</a> to try to establish a connection and couldn't connect: trying to ping www.google.com gave an unknown host error.

I have netcfg and created a configuration file with the following:

CONNECTION='wireless'
DESCRIPTION='wireless internet connection
INTERFACE='wlan0'
SCAN='yes'
SECURITY='none'
ESSID='mynetwork'
IP='dhcp'
CHANNEL='6'

When trying to use netcfg I get "Wireless network "mynetwork" not present.   [FAIL]

Using iwlist doesn't show <i>mynetwork</i> either, but I know its there because all the PCs, a wii and another laptop are all connected to it without any problems.

(I added CHANNEL='6' because my PC running Fedora shows that it is connected to mynetwork on channel 6, so I thought maybe...).

Connecting via a wired connection is also a possibility but would prefer not to.

Any suggestions?

Regards,

Topaz

lagagnon

Member

From: an Island in the Pacific...

Registered: 2009-12-10

Posts: 1,087

Website

Re: Problem connecting laptop to wireless network

To this thread post the output of: "ifconfig",and "sudo iwlist wlan0 scan"

---

Philosophy is looking for a black cat in a dark room. Metaphysics is looking for a black cat in a dark room that isn't there. Religion is looking for a black cat in a dark room that isn't there and shouting "I found it!". Science is looking for a black cat in a dark room with a flashlight.

l_topaz

Member

Registered: 2011-08-02

Posts: 7

Re: Problem connecting laptop to wireless network

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)

wlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:21:5D:2E:B1:CC 
          inet addr:192.168.0.103  Bcast:0.0.0.0  Mask:255.255.255.255
          UP BROADCAST MULTICAST  MTU:1500  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:1000
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 b)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 b)

iwlist wlan0 scan:

wlan0     Scan completed :
          Cell 01 - Address: 22:CB:4E:FF:34:B1
                    Channel:11
                    Frequency:2.462 GHz (Channel 11)
                    Quality=29/70  Signal level=-81 dBm 
                    Encryption key:on
                    ESSID:"walker"
                    Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s
                              24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
                    Bit Rates:6 Mb/s; 9 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 48 Mb/s
                    Mode:Master
                    Extra:tsf=000001fb84a6f00a
                    Extra: Last beacon: 2816ms ago
                    IE: Unknown: 000677616C6B6572
                    IE: Unknown: 010882848B962430486C
                    IE: Unknown: 03010B
                    IE: Unknown: 2A0100
                    IE: Unknown: 2F0100
                    IE: Unknown: 32040C121860
                    IE: Unknown: DD090010180201F4000000
          Cell 02 - Address: 00:1E:58:C7:D8:03
                    Channel:11
                    Frequency:2.462 GHz (Channel 11)
                    Quality=25/70  Signal level=-85 dBm 
                    Encryption key:off
                    ESSID:"DLinkVWR"
                    Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 22 Mb/s
                    Bit Rates:6 Mb/s; 9 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s
                              36 Mb/s; 48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
                    Mode:Master
                    Extra:tsf=00000008a03f670c
                    Extra: Last beacon: 3026ms ago
                    IE: Unknown: 0008444C696E6B565752
                    IE: Unknown: 010582848B962C
                    IE: Unknown: 03010B
                    IE: Unknown: 2A0100
                    IE: Unknown: 32080C1218243048606C

olive

Member

From: Belgium

Registered: 2008-06-22

Posts: 1,490

Re: Problem connecting laptop to wireless network

The post of iwlist scan show that your card is recognised and working in linux. I suggest to try to configure it entirely by hand:

1) Is your network listed in the iwlist scan? If not the problem probably reside in your Wireless LAN router since the card is able to recognise other network.

2) Try to disable any encryption and try the following commands (as root)

iwconfig wlan0 essid <your-network> key off
dhcpcd wlan0

Is your network working. Do that work? You can also set a WEP key with iwconfig (put the argument key s:<ascii-key>. For WPA, you will need wpa supplicant. But first try to configure your wlan without any encryption and see what happens.

l_topaz

Member

Registered: 2011-08-02

Posts: 7

Re: Problem connecting laptop to wireless network

I tried the commands you gave, and I also tried manually setting up the connection per the instructions on the wireless setup wiki. 
Both times, dhcpcd timed out.

I don't know if I mentioned it, but the wireless router we have isn't using any encryption.

l_topaz

Member

Registered: 2011-08-02

Posts: 7

Re: Problem connecting laptop to wireless network

But the network definitely is working because I am using my PC which is on the same wireless network to access the internet to post on this forum.

l_topaz

Member

Registered: 2011-08-02

Posts: 7

Re: Problem connecting laptop to wireless network

Also, our wireless network does not show up in the iwlist scan.

olive

Member

From: Belgium

Registered: 2008-06-22

Posts: 1,490

Re: Problem connecting laptop to wireless network

Your network does not appear in the iwlist scan? If it is not listed, it can't work (the system can't connect to a WIFI point it don't even see). I am right you can still see other networks? Try to put the notebook very very close to the WIFI router. Maybe the signal is too weak?

l_topaz

Member

Registered: 2011-08-02

Posts: 7

Re: Problem connecting laptop to wireless network

I will definitely try putting it close to the wireless router and see what happens.

l_topaz

Member

Registered: 2011-08-02

Posts: 7

Re: Problem connecting laptop to wireless network

Thank you for your help -- I have been learning a great deal from this, which is part of the reason I chose to install Arch Linux!

anakai

Member

Registered: 2011-02-17

Posts: 11

Re: Problem connecting laptop to wireless network

Sometimes my wireless laptop can't find my essid or any essid so i have to turn off the router for about 10 seconds power it on and then try again.