radio killswitch light does not reflect killswitch state

[David Norton]

My laptop (compaq nx9030) has a small button on the edge that allows the user to enable/disable the wireless. There is a little LED light above it that is supposed to reflect the state of this button. It doesn't, it's off all the time.

Wishlist: make the light reflect the state of the button

Long story:
Normally, I wouldn't mind, however, I found that after I accidentally bumped this little button (and forgot about it), my wifi dropped out. After spending an hour trying to figure out why knetworkmanager "randomly" decided not to see my wifi card after months of proper behavior, I found a bugreport asking someone to check /var/log/daemon.log

Being curious as to what my daemon.log said, I ran
$ cat /var/log/daemon.log

And lo and behold I find the last two lines say:
Jul 25 12:57:11 dnorton-laptop NetworkManager: <info> User request to enable wireless overridden by radio killswitch.
Jul 25 12:57:17 dnorton-laptop NetworkManager: <info> User request to enable wireless overridden by radio killswitch.

Thought:
"Oh, yeah, I must have bumped that a minute before my wifi died!"

*presses button again*

And presto, my wifi works fine again.

$ cat /var/log/daemon.log
Jul 25 12:57:46 dnorton-laptop NetworkManager: <info> Wireless now enabled by radio killswitch

If that light worked normally, I probably would have noticed that it was off when I was having trouble.

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. This bug did not have a package associated with it, which is important for ensuring that it gets looked at by the proper developers. You can learn more about finding the right package at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/FindRightPackage. I have classified this bug as a bug in linux.

[David Norton (norty)]

Ok, yeah, I should have marked it as a kernel wishlist item. I wasn't thinking when I posted.

In accordance with the recommendations listed at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeamBugPolicies, I attach the following log files.

[David Norton (norty)]

I don't know how to attach multiple files.

[Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara)]

Hi David,

Care to verify this is still an issue for the latest Alpha release for the upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10? You should be able to test via a LiveCD - http://www.ubuntu.com/testing . Please let us know your results. Thanks.

[David Norton (norty)]

Typing from Ibex Alpha 4 in LiveCD mode, I can confirm that the killswitch
still toggles wireless functionality, but does not toggle the light above
it.

David

On Sun, Aug 10, 2008 at 7:13 PM, Leann Ogasawara <email address hidden> wrote:

> Hi David,
>
> Care to verify this is still an issue for the latest Alpha release for
> the upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10? You should be able to test via a
> LiveCD - http://www.ubuntu.com/testing . Please let us know your
> results. Thanks.
>
> ** Changed in: linux (Ubuntu)
> Status: New => Incomplete
>
> --
> radio killswitch light does not reflect killswitch state
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/251933
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in "linux" source package in Ubuntu: Incomplete
>
> Bug description:
> My laptop (compaq nx9030) has a small button on the edge that allows the
> user to enable/disable the wireless. There is a little LED light above it
> that is supposed to reflect the state of this button. It doesn't, it's off
> all the time.
>
> Wishlist: make the light reflect the state of the button
>
>
>
> Long story:
> Normally, I wouldn't mind, however, I found that after I accidentally
> bumped this little button (and forgot about it), my wifi dropped out. After
> spending an hour trying to figure out why knetworkmanager "randomly" decided
> not to see my wifi card after months of proper behavior, I found a bugreport
> asking someone to check /var/log/daemon.log
>
> Being curious as to what my daemon.log said, I ran
> $ cat /var/log/daemon.log
>
> And lo and behold I find the last two lines say:
> Jul 25 12:57:11 dnorton-laptop NetworkManager: <info> User request to
> enable wireless overridden by radio killswitch.
> Jul 25 12:57:17 dnorton-laptop NetworkManager: <info> User request to
> enable wireless overridden by radio killswitch.
>
> Thought:
> "Oh, yeah, I must have bumped that a minute before my wifi died!"
>
> *presses button again*
>
> And presto, my wifi works fine again.
>
> $ cat /var/log/daemon.log
> Jul 25 12:57:46 dnorton-laptop NetworkManager: <info> Wireless now enabled
> by radio killswitch
>
>
> If that light worked normally, I probably would have noticed that it was
> off when I was having trouble.
>

--
Alpha Epsilon Pi Exchequer

[Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara)]

The Ubuntu Kernel Team is planning to move to the 2.6.27 kernel for the upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10 release. As a result, the kernel team would appreciate it if you could please test this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel. There are one of two ways you should be able to test:

1) If you are comfortable installing packages on your own, the linux-image-2.6.27-* package is currently available for you to install and test.

--or--

2) The upcoming Alpha5 for Intrepid Ibex 8.10 will contain this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel. Alpha5 is set to be released Thursday Sept 4. Please watch http://www.ubuntu.com/testing for Alpha5 to be announced. You should then be able to test via a LiveCD.

Please let us know immediately if this newer 2.6.27 kernel resolves the bug reported here or if the issue remains. More importantly, please open a new bug report for each new bug/regression introduced by the 2.6.27 kernel and tag the bug report with 'linux-2.6.27'. Also, please specifically note if the issue does or does not appear in the 2.6.26 kernel. Thanks again, we really appreicate your help and feedback.

[David Norton (norty)]

*Issue remains* when using LiveCD Intrepid Alpha 5, kernel 2.6.27-2-generic

I did not test with kernel 2.6.26, because I lack the resources to do so
(all I have are LiveCDs, as this is normally a production machine).

David

On Thu, Aug 28, 2008 at 6:29 PM, Leann Ogasawara <email address hidden> wrote:

> The Ubuntu Kernel Team is planning to move to the 2.6.27 kernel for the
> upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10 release. As a result, the kernel team would
> appreciate it if you could please test this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel.
> There are one of two ways you should be able to test:
>
> 1) If you are comfortable installing packages on your own, the linux-
> image-2.6.27-* package is currently available for you to install and
> test.
>
> --or--
>
> 2) The upcoming Alpha5 for Intrepid Ibex 8.10 will contain this newer
> 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel. Alpha5 is set to be released Thursday Sept 4.
> Please watch http://www.ubuntu.com/testing for Alpha5 to be announced.
> You should then be able to test via a LiveCD.
>
> Please let us know immediately if this newer 2.6.27 kernel resolves the
> bug reported here or if the issue remains. More importantly, please
> open a new bug report for each new bug/regression introduced by the
> 2.6.27 kernel and tag the bug report with 'linux-2.6.27'. Also, please
> specifically note if the issue does or does not appear in the 2.6.26
> kernel. Thanks again, we really appreicate your help and feedback.
>
> ** Tags added: cft-2.6.27
>
> --
> radio killswitch light does not reflect killswitch state
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/251933
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in "linux" source package in Ubuntu: Triaged
>
> Bug description:
> My laptop (compaq nx9030) has a small button on the edge that allows the
> user to enable/disable the wireless. There is a little LED light above it
> that is supposed to reflect the state of this button. It doesn't, it's off
> all the time.
>
> Wishlist: make the light reflect the state of the button
>
>
>
> Long story:
> Normally, I wouldn't mind, however, I found that after I accidentally
> bumped this little button (and forgot about it), my wifi dropped out. After
> spending an hour trying to figure out why knetworkmanager "randomly" decided
> not to see my wifi card after months of proper behavior, I found a bugreport
> asking someone to check /var/log/daemon.log
>
> Being curious as to what my daemon.log said, I ran
> $ cat /var/log/daemon.log
>
> And lo and behold I find the last two lines say:
> Jul 25 12:57:11 dnorton-laptop NetworkManager: <info> User request to
> enable wireless overridden by radio killswitch.
> Jul 25 12:57:17 dnorton-laptop NetworkManager: <info> User request to
> enable wireless overridden by radio killswitch.
>
> Thought:
> "Oh, yeah, I must have bumped that a minute before my wifi died!"
>
> *presses button again*
>
> And presto, my wifi works fine again.
>
> $ cat /var/log/daemon.log
> Jul 25 12:57:46 dnorton-laptop NetworkManager: <info> Wireless now enabled
> by radio killswitch
>
>
> If that light worked normally, I probably would have noticed that it was
> off when I was having trouble...

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Per a decision made by the Ubuntu Kernel Team, bugs will longer be assigned to the ubuntu-kernel-team in Launchpad as part of the bug triage process. The ubuntu-kernel-team is being unassigned from this bug report. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeamBugPolicies for more information. Thanks.

[JoLa (josef-latt)]

I had the same problem with a Dell laptop (vostro 1320). It occurs after the latest upgrades.
With the life CD and before the upgdate there were no problems.
After a new installation I started the actualisation and deselected 'hal, libhal1, libhal-storage1'. Now WLAN works fine.

There must be a bug in the new files, version: 0.512c1+git20090403-0ubuntu3

'dbus-send --system --print-reply --dest=org.freedesktop.Hal /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/dell_wlan_switch org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.KillSwitch.GetPower' returns '0'

With the old version (0.512c1+git20090403-0ubuntu1) it returns 2

Hint: I use ubuntu since 6 weeks. I'm not a specialist. Because of some hints concerning hal layer, which I found in the internet, and tried what's above written.

[JoLa (josef-latt)]

Think that I have to open a new bug report, because I had overseen that this problem concerns only the killswitch light and not the function. With me the killswitch turns the light on/off but with the newer files WLAN isn't possible.

[Alejandro Vidal (mancvso)]

Using Karmic Alpha 6 and happens the same.

ath5k_pci: Atheros Communications Inc. AR5001 Wireless Network Adapter (rev 01)
Packaed Bell EasyNote MX52
Before this, the switch button doesn't even work. Now it works :D (thanks!!!) BUT, the LED light is alway on.

[rsoika (ralph-soika)]

maybe related to
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/406060

[David Norton (norty)]

Bug Reporter here:
This problem was fixed for me in the 9.04 release.
I have not tested it with 9.10

[penalvch (penalvch)]

David Norton, this bug report is being closed due to your last comment https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/251933/comments/17 regarding this being fixed with an update. For future reference you can manage the status of your own bugs by clicking on the current status in the yellow line and then choosing a new status in the revealed drop down box. You can learn more about bug statuses at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Status. Thank you again for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please submit any future bugs you may find.