wireless networks not detected - Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG

[Eric Christiansen]

Wireless doesn't work consistently under Karmic (nm-applet doesn't detect wireless networks), but I know my hardware works, because I dual-boot Vista. The strange thing is the intermittent nature of failures; sometimes I'll turn my computer on, and I have wireless, but most of the time nm-applet doesn't detect any wireless networks, and 'ifconfig' won't even list my wireless interface.

From 'lspci' I have:
"""
Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection (rev 02)
"""

The install is x64.

Any pointers would help. I had the same problem in Jaunty, precipitating the move to Karmic (thinking it might be fixed). Now I'm considering returning to Intrepid.

[Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara)]

Please run the following command from a terminal. It will automatically gather and attach relevant debug info from your system and attach it to this bug report. Thanks.

apport-collect -p linux 405656

[Eric Christiansen (ericmartinchristiansen+sites)]

Architecture: amd64
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=a40468a9-483c-47e8-b971-e9019358399c
MachineType: Gateway Gateway M290
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-4-generic root=UUID=4dd37a8c-1335-4e32-a698-dcd1f4b80752 ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 SHELL=/bin/bash
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-4.22-generic
RelatedPackageVersions: linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-4-generic N/A
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-4-generic x86_64
UserGroups: adm admin cdrom dialout lpadmin plugdev sambashare
dmi.bios.date: 01/16/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: Phoenix Technologies LTD
dmi.bios.version: 88.07
dmi.board.vendor: Gateway
dmi.board.version: Rev 1.0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: NO ASSET TAG
dmi.chassis.type: 0
dmi.chassis.vendor: Gateway
dmi.chassis.version: Rev.1
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnPhoenixTechnologiesLTD:bvr88.07:bd01/16/2008:svnGateway:pnGatewayM290:pvrRev1:rvnGateway:rn:rvrRev1.0:cvnGateway:ct0:cvrRev.1:
dmi.product.name: Gateway M290
dmi.product.version: Rev 1
dmi.sys.vendor: Gateway

[Eric Christiansen (ericmartinchristiansen+sites)]

Currently, my wireless is broken. The last time I ran "apport-collect -p linux 405656", it worked. Since it isn't working now, I'll run "apport-collect -p linux 405656" again, in case anything changed that can be detected in the uploaded information.

[Eric Christiansen (ericmartinchristiansen+sites)]

AplayDevices:
 **** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: STAC92xx Analog [STAC92xx Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: STAC92xx Analog [STAC92xx Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: eric 2974 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xf8520000 irq 22'
   Mixer name : 'SigmaTel STAC9200'
   Components : 'HDA:83847690,107b0290,00102201 HDA:11c11040,11c10001,00100200'
   Controls : 7
   Simple ctrls : 5
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=a40468a9-483c-47e8-b971-e9019358399c
IwConfig:
 lo no wireless extensions.

 eth0 no wireless extensions.
MachineType: Gateway Gateway M290
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-5-generic root=UUID=4dd37a8c-1335-4e32-a698-dcd1f4b80752 ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 SHELL=/bin/bash
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-5.24-generic
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-5-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.15
RfKill:

Uname: Linux 2.6.31-5-generic x86_64
UserGroups: adm admin cdrom dialout lpadmin plugdev sambashare
dmi.bios.date: 01/16/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: Phoenix Technologies LTD
dmi.bios.version: 88.07
dmi.board.vendor: Gateway
dmi.board.version: Rev 1.0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: NO ASSET TAG
dmi.chassis.type: 0
dmi.chassis.vendor: Gateway
dmi.chassis.version: Rev.1
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnPhoenixTechnologiesLTD:bvr88.07:bd01/16/2008:svnGateway:pnGatewayM290:pvrRev1:rvnGateway:rn:rvrRev1.0:cvnGateway:ct0:cvrRev.1:
dmi.product.name: Gateway M290
dmi.product.version: Rev 1
dmi.sys.vendor: Gateway

[J.Phenow (j-phenow)]

Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D6c: Slmodemd 1398 F...m slmodemd
 /dev/snd/controlC0: Slmodemd 1398 F.... slmodemd
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D6p: Slmodemd 1398 F...m slmodemd
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xe0700000 irq 16'
   Mixer name : 'Analog Devices AD1981'
   Components : 'HDA:11d41981,103c30ac,00100200 HDA:11c13026,103c30ac,00100700'
   Controls : 13
   Simple ctrls : 11
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=0f7c43a6-f3c9-44d4-8074-0d0661cbc329
MachineType: Hewlett-Packard HP Compaq nc6400 (RA265AT#ABA)
Package: linux (not installed)
PccardctlIdent:
 Socket 0:
   no product info available
PccardctlStatus:
 Socket 0:
   no card
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=(hd0,4)/vmlinuz root=UUID=e20c533e-1996-44a1-9389-a2673961dc88
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-14.48-generic
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-14-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.24
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-14-generic i686
UserGroups:

dmi.bios.date: 04/20/2006
dmi.bios.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.bios.version: 68YCD Ver. F.01
dmi.board.name: 30AC
dmi.board.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.board.version: KBC Version 56.21
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnHewlett-Packard:bvr68YCDVer.F.01:bd04/20/2006:svnHewlett-Packard:pnHPCompaqnc6400(RA265AT#ABA):pvrF.01:rvnHewlett-Packard:rn30AC:rvrKBCVersion56.21:cvnHewlett-Packard:ct10:cvr:
dmi.product.name: HP Compaq nc6400 (RA265AT#ABA)
dmi.product.version: F.01
dmi.sys.vendor: Hewlett-Packard

[J.Phenow (j-phenow)]

I found this bug and figured I'd contribute. I have the same issue, and seems the same card so I hoped we might find a common issue. I still have windows on here so I CAN get to wireless and have access to wired connections but obviously wireLESS is the prefered choice. Let me know if I can assist in the moving this bug out of the list of issues. Go Linux, 9.10 is the best release yet - I'm not scared away by bugs, especially when the distro has such a sound way of reporting and solving their bugs!!

[Jeroen (c0p3rn1c)]

Oops I accidentally Nominated this bug for Jaunty, sorry.

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

The ubuntu-drivers team probably isn't what you think it is, and is certainly not a suitable bug assignee for kernel bugs.

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

(As in, most of us on ubuntu-drivers aren't kernel hackers, so there's no point assigning this to us ...)

[csokun (chornsokun)]

Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: chheangly 1676 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xf4780000 irq 16'
   Mixer name : 'Analog Devices AD1981'
   Components : 'HDA:11d41981,103c30ad,00100200 HDA:11c13026,103c30ad,00100700'
   Controls : 13
   Simple ctrls : 11
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=4b1c8073-24af-4a69-ac71-29ee2a5c5c77
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
MachineType: Hewlett-Packard HP Compaq nc6400 (RV600PA#UUF)
Package: linux (not installed)
PccardctlIdent:
 Socket 0:
   no product info available
PccardctlStatus:
 Socket 0:
   no card
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=c394a377-763b-4914-bb13-665a7ef56183 ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 SHELL=/bin/bash
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-14.48-generic
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-backports-modules-2.6.31-14-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.24
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-14-generic x86_64
UserGroups: adm admin cdrom dialout lpadmin plugdev sambashare
dmi.bios.date: 04/17/2007
dmi.bios.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.bios.version: 68YCU Ver. F.0A
dmi.board.name: 30AD
dmi.board.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.board.version: KBC Version 56.34
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnHewlett-Packard:bvr68YCUVer.F.0A:bd04/17/2007:svnHewlett-Packard:pnHPCompaqnc6400(RV600PA#UUF):pvrF.0A:rvnHewlett-Packard:rn30AD:rvrKBCVersion56.34:cvnHewlett-Packard:ct10:cvr:
dmi.product.name: HP Compaq nc6400 (RV600PA#UUF)
dmi.product.version: F.0A
dmi.sys.vendor: Hewlett-Packard

[Jeroen (c0p3rn1c)]

Since wireless internet is currently my only option I was wondering: Is there a workaround for this problem?

[Jeroen (c0p3rn1c)]

he strange thing is that when I boot from the ubuntu 9.10 live cd it works but even when I do a clean install of 9.10 it fails.

[sebashepin (sebastian-henao)]

Hmm, think i found it.

When it installs, ubuntu runs the b43 firmware tool (required to work with the broadcom wireless card). However, the install procedure needs a file describing the card (wl_apsta-3.130.20.0.o) to complete installation. The thing is the file is available online only and since we cannot go online without wireless, its kind of vicious circle.

Regarding to the reason why wireless works with the live CD: I have no idea

[Kenny Strawn (realkstrawn93)]

Well, Eric, you say it is listed under Lspci, but not recognized by Ifconfig or Network Manager?

Did it work from the Live CD?

[Jeroen (c0p3rn1c)]

I reinstalled my system again, I immediately updated my system and now it works(for 3 system boots now).
The strange thing is that, with my previous install, it seemed to work/fail at random, more boots failed. But some of the system boots did have wireless networking(no change in config).

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This bug was filed against a series that is no longer supported and so is being marked as Won't Fix. If this issue still exists in a supported series, please file a new bug.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.