dellWirelessCtl needed for Dell machines

[Juan Pablo Salazar Bertín]

Binary package hint: hal

Dell machines with a bluetooth/wlan killswitch using hal version 0.5.9.1 need /usr/bin/dellWirelessCtl, otherwise, when using network-manager, logs are filled with this line every 6 seconds:

NetworkManager: <info> Error getting killswitch power: org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.KillSwitch.NotSupported - Access type not supported

A workaround is to manually do the following:

snifer@snifer-laptop:~$ sudo aptitude install libsmbios-bin
snifer@snifer-laptop:~$ sudo ln -s /usr/sbin/dellWirelessCtl /usr/bin/dellWirelessCtl
snifer@snifer-laptop:~$ sudo modprobe dcdbas

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
Date: Sat Aug 11 12:13:25 2007
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 7.10
Package: hal 0.5.9.1-1ubuntu2
PackageArchitecture: i386
SourcePackage: hal
Uname: Linux snifer-laptop 2.6.22-9-generic #1 SMP Fri Aug 3 00:50:37 GMT 2007 i686 GNU/Linux

[Juan Pablo Salazar Bertín (snifer)]

Confirmed by users at a duplicate of this bug.

[michelem (michele-marcucci)]

With Gutsy Gibbon the workaround didn't work, now I have this log:

Aug 31 11:55:15 goa NetworkManager: <info> nm_policy_device_change_check:: old_dev && new_dev!!
Aug 31 11:55:15 goa NetworkManager: <info> Error getting killswitch power: org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.KillSwitch.NotSupported - dellWirelessCtl returned 4
Aug 31 11:55:20 goa NetworkManager: <info> nm_policy_device_change_check:: old_dev has_link? 1
Aug 31 11:55:20 goa NetworkManager: <info> nm_policy_device_change_check:: old_dev && new_dev!!
Aug 31 11:55:21 goa NetworkManager: <info> Error getting killswitch power: org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.KillSwitch.NotSupported - dellWirelessCtl returned 4
Aug 31 11:55:25 goa NetworkManager: <info> nm_policy_device_change_check:: old_dev has_link? 1
Aug 31 11:55:25 goa NetworkManager: <info> nm_policy_device_change_check:: old_dev && new_dev!!
Aug 31 11:55:28 goa NetworkManager: <info> Error getting killswitch power: org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.KillSwitch.NotSupported - dellWirelessCtl returned 4
Aug 31 11:55:30 goa NetworkManager: <info> nm_policy_device_change_check:: old_dev has_link? 1
Aug 31 11:55:30 goa NetworkManager: <info> nm_policy_device_change_check:: old_dev && new_dev!!
Aug 31 11:55:34 goa NetworkManager: <info> Error getting killswitch power: org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.KillSwitch.NotSupported - dellWirelessCtl returned 4
Aug 31 11:55:36 goa NetworkManager: <info> nm_policy_device_change_check:: old_dev has_link? 1
Aug 31 11:55:36 goa NetworkManager: <info> nm_policy_device_change_check:: old_dev && new_dev!!

[tduermeier (tduermeier)]

I also tried this workaround in Gutsy (Tribe 5) and am now getting the error seen in this bug: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/network-manager/+bug/138794

NetworkManager: <info> Error getting killswitch power arguments: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.InvalidArgs - Argument 0 is specified to be of type "uint32", but is actually of type "int32"

[Philip Paquette (pcpaquette)]

Using the workaround above with Gutsy now gives me the following error:

Sep 25 14:56:42 paquette-laptop NetworkManager: <info> Error getting killswitch power: org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.UnknownError - An Error occurred. The Error message is: Unhandled SMI call.

[Juan Pablo Salazar Bertín (snifer)]

I'm using hal version 0.5.9.1-6ubuntu5 and network-manager version 0.6.5-0ubuntu15 and this issue is not present anymore.

[Juan Pablo Salazar Bertín (snifer)]

Reopening, since it reappeared for me with network-manager version 0.6.5-0ubuntu16.7.10.0.
My lshal is attached at <https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/network-manager/+bug/138794/comments/15>.

[Mark Rijckenberg (markrijckenberg)]

Hi,

I confirm having this same error on my Dell Latitude D510 when using hal version 0.5.9.1-6ubuntu5 and network-manager version 0.6.5-0ubuntu16 in Kubuntu Gutsy Gibbon.

Here are the references to the error message in lshal output:

ulysses@desktop:~$ lshal |grep ill
  info.capabilities = {'killswitch'} (string list)
  info.category = 'killswitch' (string)
  info.interfaces = {'org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.KillSwitch'} (string list)
  killswitch.access_method = 'dell' (string)
  killswitch.type = 'wlan' (string)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.KillSwitch.method_argnames = {'power', ''} (string list)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.KillSwitch.method_execpaths = {'hal-system-killswitch-set-power', 'hal-system-killswitch-get-power'} (string list)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.KillSwitch.method_names = {'SetPower', 'GetPower'} (string list)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.KillSwitch.method_signatures = {'b', ''} (string list)
  info.capabilities = {'killswitch'} (string list)
  info.category = 'killswitch' (string)
  info.interfaces = {'org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.KillSwitch'} (string list)
  killswitch.access_method = 'dell' (string)
  killswitch.type = 'bluetooth' (string)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.KillSwitch.method_argnames = {'power', ''} (string list)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.KillSwitch.method_execpaths = {'hal-system-killswitch-set-power', 'hal-system-killswitch-get-power'} (string list)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.KillSwitch.method_names = {'SetPower', 'GetPower'} (string list)
  org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.KillSwitch.method_signatures = {'b', ''} (string list)
ulysses@desktop:~$

See attachment for full output from lshal.

Regards,

Mark

[Julian Edwards (julian-edwards)]

This is actually an important issue for laptops, because it frequently wakes up the hard disk, increasing power consumption and contributing to the "load cycle" issue.

I would like my HD to spin down for longer than 15 seconds. :)

[Christophe Berthe (cberthe)]

i can confirm the bug, if tried the solution proposed but no succes, it doesn't solve the loosing connection problem with wpa, i would like to have a solution to killer switch problem !

Dec 21 12:23:30 DELLD830-UBUNTU NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
Dec 21 12:23:30 DELLD830-UBUNTU NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'SET_NETWORK 0 psk <key>'
Dec 21 12:23:30 DELLD830-UBUNTU NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
Dec 21 12:23:30 DELLD830-UBUNTU NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'ENABLE_NETWORK 0'
Dec 21 12:23:30 DELLD830-UBUNTU NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
Dec 21 12:23:30 DELLD830-UBUNTU NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
Dec 21 12:23:34 DELLD830-UBUNTU avahi-daemon[5862]: Registering new address record for fe80::21c:bfff:fe51:4b18 on eth1.*.
Dec 21 12:23:53 DELLD830-UBUNTU NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1/wireless): disconnected during association, asking for new key.
Dec 21 12:23:53 DELLD830-UBUNTU NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) New wireless user key requested for network 'dd-wrt'.
Dec 21 12:24:21 DELLD830-UBUNTU NetworkManager: <info> eth1: link timed out.
cberthe@DELLD830-UBUNTU:~$ tail /var/log/daemon.log
Dec 21 12:23:30 DELLD830-UBUNTU NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
Dec 21 12:23:30 DELLD830-UBUNTU NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'SET_NETWORK 0 psk <key>'
Dec 21 12:23:30 DELLD830-UBUNTU NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
Dec 21 12:23:30 DELLD830-UBUNTU NetworkManager: <info> SUP: sending command 'ENABLE_NETWORK 0'
Dec 21 12:23:30 DELLD830-UBUNTU NetworkManager: <info> SUP: response was 'OK'
Dec 21 12:23:30 DELLD830-UBUNTU NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
Dec 21 12:23:34 DELLD830-UBUNTU avahi-daemon[5862]: Registering new address record for fe80::21c:bfff:fe51:4b18 on eth1.*.
Dec 21 12:23:53 DELLD830-UBUNTU NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1/wireless): disconnected during association, asking for new key.
Dec 21 12:23:53 DELLD830-UBUNTU NetworkManager: <info> Activation (eth1) New wireless user key requested for network 'dd-wrt'.
Dec 21 12:24:21 DELLD830-UBUNTU NetworkManager: <info> eth1: link timed out.

[Morten Lund (m-lund)]

I can confirm too. Same issue here. Workaround doesn't work.

[Kenneth Loafman (kenneth-loafman)]

Thanks for the workaround. It works on my Dell XPS M1530.

[Bogdan Butnaru (bogdanb)]

Can we get the Debian fix pulled in for testing?

[Huck (huck-mail)]

Thanks for the workaround; it works on my Dell Inspiron 1525.

[Mario Limonciello (superm1)]

The fix that was presented in Debian has been applied to the ubuntu package. If these problems persist for anyone on Intrepid and later, please open another bug.

[Adrian Busolini (aab-cs)]

Since this bug doesn't seem to be closed, I'll post here and open another bug if necessary.

Reappeared in daemon.log under Intrepid. Message:

killswitch_getpower_reply(): Error getting killswitch power: dellWirelessCtl (/usr/bin/dellWirelessCtl) not available or executable.

I've just downloaded libsmbios-bin after an apt-file search, and have softlinked it. I haven't issued the modprobe yet; I'll try to remember to monitor it and post back with progress. It only appears to log the warning each time NM is restarted, although I may have to revise that statement later. I don't know whether this was occurring under hardy.

Is this really a bug though? I was surprised to find this report; I thought libsmbios-bin was more of an 'optional extra'...

[Adrian Busolini (aab-cs)]

Sorry; forgot the important bits:

hal 0.5.11-4ubuntu
NM 0.7~~svn20081018t105859-0ubuntu1

Laptop is a Dell Inspiron 6400