The r818x driver works ok but auto-configuration sure doesn't! As long as I put an extra random digit on the end of the essid (or provide the router's mac address via iwconfig) then I can establish a network connection immediately. I'm not sure if this is a problem with iwconfig or the device driver but it seems more likely to be the device or the r818x kernel module.
You are not alone. I am experiencing the exact same issue with Feisty Fawn Beta (With updates applied bringing it to nearly-released status)
The card is a PCMCIA "Generic" re-branded device from wal-mart. It is detected as :
PCI Device: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8180L 802.11b MAC (rev 20)
Subsystem: Linksys unknown device 0019
The r818x driver works ok but auto-configuration sure doesn't! As long as I put an extra random digit on the end of the essid (or provide the router's mac address via iwconfig) then I can establish a network connection immediately. I'm not sure if this is a problem with iwconfig or the device driver but it seems more likely to be the device or the r818x kernel module.