Ubuntu 9.10: Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Not Working (Worked on Jaunty)

[rug2]

Hello,

I've just upgraded to 9.10 (fresh install from scratch). Everything seems fine, except the wireless. I don't know where to begin to fix this issue. From what others are reporting, it seems to be some sort of bug and I've tried many of the methods recommended as a fix, which I believe are just reiterations of fixes to problems that existed on previous versions of ubuntu with this wireless chipset. These failed fix attempts were:

sudo rmmod -f iwl3945
sudo modprobe iwl3945 disable_hw_scan=1

and

"install the linux-backports-modules", this didn't fix it either.

Turning off the ethernet connection doesn't bring up the wireless either. This thread http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1322643 recommends opening a bug report. How and who should I report to?

If it helps, here's some info:

relevant line from lspci:

05:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection (rev 02)

relevant lshw:

root@rug-laptop:/home/rug# !lshw
lshw -C network
  *-network DISABLED      
       description: Wireless interface
       product: PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection
       vendor: Intel Corporation
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:05:00.0
       logical name: wmaster0
       version: 02
       serial: 00:19:d2:36:7f:c2
       width: 32 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list logical ethernet physical wireless
       configuration: broadcast=yes driver=iwl3945 latency=0 multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11abg
       resources: irq:28 memory:f0800000-f0800fff
  *-network
       description: Ethernet interface
       product: PRO/100 VE Network Connection
       vendor: Intel Corporation
       physical id: 8
       bus info: pci@0000:07:08.0
       logical name: eth0
       version: 02
       serial: 00:a0:d1:66:2d:2a
       size: 100MB/s
       capacity: 100MB/s
       width: 32 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd autonegotiation
       configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=e100 driverversion=3.5.24-k2-NAPI duplex=full firmware=N/A ip=192.168.1.2 latency=66 link=yes maxlatency=56 mingnt=8 multicast=yes port=MII speed=100MB/s
       resources: irq:20 memory:f0905000-f0905fff ioport:4000(size=64)

Thanks for any help,
rug

[C0p3rn1c]

Bugs should be reported on the following site:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/

I think I have the same problem, it's being handled at the following URL:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...nux+bug/405656

Please register at launchpad and you can help the Ubuntu team by supplying more information about this issue.If your issue differs from mine, make sure there isn't already an existing bug report in the launchpad system before posting a new one.

Best regards,

c0p3rn1c

[darco]

I have the same network card and when I first installed KK, it also did not recognize the card. I cant recall exactly what I did since its been awhile but I used this sticky to resolve. I believe it was a ndiswrapper issue

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=885847

good luck

darco

[haribol707]

I have the same wireless card but did not face any issues when I tried KK. It was detected at install time. Only problem was the known issue with frequently dropped wireless connections. However, I have reverted to 9.04 due to various other reasons. Waiting for KK to stabilize before I upgrade again. Have you tried running off Live CD? Does it work then?

[rug2]

I have the same network card and when I first installed KK, it also did not recognize the card. I cant recall exactly what I did since its been awhile but I used this sticky to resolve. I believe it was a ndiswrapper issue

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=885847

good luck

darco

Thanks for the replies people. I'll try playing around with ndiswrapper and see if it makes things work. Since some of you are reporting the card as working, I'll hold on the bug report for now.

[seenthelite]

I have the same card on Dell Inspiron 6400 and have installed 9.10 a couple of times and each time no wireless. My fix is install wicd and reboot. I must stress that if you do this you will lose Network Manager and it is difficult to reinstall it. So Synaptic Package Manager simply select wicd install and reboot. I no longer have Network Manager and do not need it.

[rug2]

I have the same card on Dell Inspiron 6400 and have installed 9.10 a couple of times and each time no wireless. My fix is install wicd and reboot. I must stress that if you do this you will lose Network Manager and it is difficult to reinstall it. So Synaptic Package Manager simply select wicd install and reboot. I no longer have Network Manager and do not need it.

Wouldn't this suggest that the problem is with network manager or one of it's underlying tools? Do you still have the signal dropping issues with wicd? Thanks.

[rug2]

Ok, wicd didn't help.

I've gone through this Wireless Trouble shooter and have come to this:

4.2.5. Driver looks ok, device disabled

    * Newer laptops come with features to disable the wireless radio to save battery when not in use. Usually this is switched by a FN+Fx key combo or specific button for the purpose. It is possible driver and everything is ok but the wireless device is in the disabled state and can't be used. Using the designated key(s) in linux sometimes does not work.

      Usually this is apparent by running the lshw command you see *-network:1 DISABLED or wireless=radio off, or if you run the iwconfig command you see eth1      NOT READY!. So how do you rectify this? It varies so much the exact solution can't be put here in this document for all the different models. So...
    *

      Look at the LaptopTestingTeam page on the team wiki to see if your laptop is listed with any information.
    * Do a google search using terms such as manufacture, model, linux, wireless, enable, button, radio....etc. When searching and finding similar pages that don't help, use words that are used in those pages to help you search.
    *

      Go to the ubuntu forums and ask, maybe someone else has the same laptop and knows the work around.
    *

      Some laptops have a controller chip on the motherboard that is only accessible through a different OS. If you have turned off your WiFi card in a different operating system, you may have to boot back into that OS and enable the card before it is accessible to Linux.

This is a dead end. The wireless card, according to the trouble shooter is communicating with the kernel and the drivers are loaded. But it's been disabled. I will try one thing and report back immediately, that is trying to see if I left the wireless card disabled on Windows 7.

[rug2]

SOLVED

I feel like an idiot. I forgot all about the wireless kill switch on the side of the laptop. It was disabled using that.

Thanks for all the help, everything is working now.

[karmikdingo]

Mate, what can I say? I didn't notice the latitude d420 switch in the right side of the board either! Thanks for pointing us to that place!

cheers

KD