Wifi not working for some reason :/

[happycampa]

Hey guys, I recently compiled a new kernel (3.8.2), previously I was using 3.2.0-0.bpo.4-amd64 (installed w/aptitude). Now both of the times I installed the images this would come up

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W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168g-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8106e-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8411-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8402-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168f-2.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168f-1.fw for module r8169
ldconfig: /lib/libuuid.so.1 is not a symbolic link

^ I doubt that is my issue

Now, my machine is Debian squeeze, and the out of the box kernel 2.6.x did not support wifi out of the box, only bluetooth, however the 3.2 enabled wifi, and disabled bluetooth, when using 3.8.x wifi is once again 'disabled' and bluetooth is back. I'd like to know if there's a way I can enabled wifi again (atheros card), or if I have to go back to 3.2.

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happy@campa:~$ lspci -v

blah blah

01:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 09)
	Subsystem: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd Device c0d8
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 41
	I/O ports at 2000 [size=256]
	Memory at c0104000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=4K]
	Memory at c0100000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=16K]
	Capabilities: <access denied>
	Kernel driver in use: r8169

02:00.0 Network controller: Atheros Communications Inc. Device 0032 (rev 01)
	Subsystem: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd Device 4105
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 3
	Memory at c0000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512K]
	Expansion ROM at c0080000 [disabled] [size=64K]
	Capabilities: <access denied>

If anyone could help me out/perhaps point me to the driver downloads for my card that would be awesome and greatly appreciated, thanks!

[kedaha]

Hi, looks like the same issue as in viewtopic.php?f=5&t=85431; however, that topic was not properly "solved" because Meguli simply resorted to installing the driver directly from testing which is inadvisable for the reasons detailed there.
I think the proper way to install the driver is to backport it from sid following the procedure described in SimpleBackportCreation, so you might like to try it. These are the basic steps, but check please consult the previous link for further details:

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$ su -c "apt-get install devscripts build-essential"

Now, as normal user:

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$ dget -u http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/pool/main/r/r8168/r8168_8.035.00-1.dsc
$ cd r8168-8.035.00
$ dpkg-buildpackage -us -uc

Now install the deb from home directory with:

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$ su -c "dpkg -i r8168-dkms_8.035.00-1_all.deb"

[happycampa]

Thanks, I don't think this will help my wifi situation, but I guess we will find out!

However, here's the output..

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su -c "dpkg -i r8168-dkms_8.035.00-1_all.deb"
Selecting previously deselected package r8168-dkms.
(Reading database ... 221699 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking r8168-dkms (from r8168-dkms_8.035.00-1_all.deb) ...
Setting up r8168-dkms (8.035.00-1) ...
Loading new r8168-8.035.00 DKMS files...
First Installation: checking all kernels...
Building for 3.2.0-0.bpo.4-amd64 and 3.8.2-iced
Building initial module for 3.2.0-0.bpo.4-amd64
Done.

r8168.ko:
Running module version sanity check.
 - Original module
   - No original module exists within this kernel
 - Installation
   - Installing to /lib/modules/3.2.0-0.bpo.4-amd64/updates/dkms/

depmod........

Updating initrd
Making new initrd as /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-0.bpo.4-amd64
(If next boot fails, revert to the .bak initrd image)
update-initramfs....

DKMS: install Completed.
Module build for the currently running kernel was skipped since the
kernel source for this kernel does not seem to be installed.
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-3.8.2-iced
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168g-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8106e-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8411-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8402-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168f-2.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168f-1.fw for module r8169
ldconfig: /lib/libuuid.so.1 is not a symbolic link

[cynwulf]

The 3.2 kernel should get the Atheros wifi working - no idea about the bluetooth. The 2.6.x kernel is too old.

Kedaha's advice refers to the wired interface. If you do have access to wired connection, getting that working force would be advisable.

[kedaha]

For the wireless interface maybe you need to install firmware-atheros available from the backports non-free repository.
To enable backports, please see: Debian Backports

[sgcb]

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W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168g-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8106e-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8411-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8402-1.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168f-2.fw for module r8169
W: Possible missing firmware /lib/firmware/rtl_nic/rtl8168f-1.fw for module r8169
ldconfig: /lib/libuuid.so.1 is not a symbolic link

^ I doubt that is my issue

To silence the warnings, install firmware-realtek. Though you are right: it won't affect the atheros.

I'd like to know if there's a way I can enabled wifi again (atheros card), or if I have to go back to 3.2.

It looks like the latter. No firmware is required by the ath9k module but according to the debian wiki the AR9485 is not supported in squeeze (kernel 2.6.32)

[happycampa]

My issue is not 2.6, it's my 3.8 kernel, I want to know if I can make the wifi work w/3.8 or if I have to go back to 3.2. Also, firmware realtek is installed, still drops me those warning (I don't care much about those).

[happycampa]

For the wireless interface maybe you need to install firmware-atheros available from the backports non-free repository.
To enable backports, please see: Debian Backports

I already had backports enabled last time I checked, and firmware-atheros is indeed (already installed). 0.28+squeeze1

[sgcb]

My issue is not 2.6, it's my 3.8 kernel, I want to know if I can make the wifi work w/3.8 or if I have to go back to 3.2.

Yes, that should be possible. It should only be a matter of enabling the requisite kernel modules at compile time. (ath9k)
No firmware required by ath9k:

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# modinfo -F firmware ath9k | wc -l
0

Also, firmware realtek is installed, still drops me those warning (I don't care much about those).

This might be due to firmware caching within the generated debian packages. Recompiling/generating the packages again will probably resolve this... Though I haven't rolled my own kernel in a while

[kedaha]

I think you may get it working with network-manager as in viewtopic.php?f=10&t=96807.

[happycampa]

My issue is not 2.6, it's my 3.8 kernel, I want to know if I can make the wifi work w/3.8 or if I have to go back to 3.2.

Yes, that should be possible. It should only be a matter of enabling the requisite kernel modules at compile time. (ath9k)
No firmware required by ath9k:

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# modinfo -F firmware ath9k | wc -l
0

Also, firmware realtek is installed, still drops me those warning (I don't care much about those).

This might be due to firmware caching within the generated debian packages. Recompiling/generating the packages again will probably resolve this... Though I haven't rolled my own kernel in a while

Well...ERROR: modinfo: could not find module ath9k
0

I tried the network manager things suggested, still no dice, it still just has "no network devices blah avaliable". Why is it then that wifi works just fine on my 3.2 kernel?

[sgcb]

Well...ERROR: modinfo: could not find module ath9k
0

meaning not even modinfo can find the ath9k module... You need to be sure it is being built with your kernel (Device Drivers -> Network device support -> Wireless LAN -> Atheros Wireless Cards)

[stevepusser]

This appears to be the crux of the problem:

I already had backports enabled last time I checked, and firmware-atheros is indeed (already installed). 0.28+squeeze1

That's the old squeeze version for the 2.6.32 kernel. Try installing the 0.36 squeeze-backports updated version:

http://packages.debian.org/squeeze-back ... re-atheros

To clear up some confusion: many atheros devices do need non-free firmware. The driver is built along with the kernel if configured to do so, but still needs the correct firmware. And it's OK to install upstream firmware packages, since they just put binary blobs into /lib/firmware.

[sgcb]

many atheros devices do need non-free firmware.

Right but AFAICT not in this case. Reasoning:

• it's been mentioned that wifi works with kernel 3.2
• interface is AR9485 which is supported by ath9k which requires no firmware regardless of supported hardware (modinfo command above)
• firmware-atheros package description mentions the contained firmware is for hardware driven by ar9170, ath3k, or ath9k_htc modules (ath9k_htc != ath9k)

You may install it if it makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. I'm fairly certain though that it will not help

[happycampa]

many atheros devices do need non-free firmware.

Right but AFAICT not in this case. Reasoning:

• it's been mentioned that wifi works with kernel 3.2
• interface is AR9485 which is supported by ath9k which requires no firmware regardless of supported hardware (modinfo command above)
• firmware-atheros package description mentions the contained firmware is for hardware driven by ar9170, ath3k, or ath9k_htc modules (ath9k_htc != ath9k)

Well, when I go to http://packages.debian.org/squeeze-back ... s/download

"Download Page for firmware-atheros_0.36+wheezy.1~bpo60+1_all.deb"

I assume that is the one you speak of?

I added deb http://ftp.at.debian.org/debian-backports/ squeeze-backports main non-free, apt-get update, yadayada, however the update backport package isn't showing up..

[kedaha]

The line in /etc/apt/sources.list for the mirror should be:

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deb http://ftp.at.debian.org/debian-backports squeeze-backports main contrib non-free

Now apt-get update && apt-cache policy firmware-atheros will show:

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# firmware-atheros:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 0.28+squeeze1
  Version table:
     0.36+wheezy.1~bpo60+1 0
        100 http://ftp.at.debian.org/debian-backports/ squeeze-backports/non-free amd64 Packages
     0.28+squeeze1 0
        500 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ stable/non-free amd64 Packages
        500 http://http.us.debian.org/debian/ squeeze/non-free amd64 Packages

[happycampa]

Well, I installed the package from backports, and now bluetooth is working flawlessly, previously it was just a mere icon with buggy functionality. However the main thing, aka wifi is still not working..perhaps

ERROR: modinfo: could not find module ath9k
0

(Again, after the install) is the issue? How should I get that installed? I'm not in the mood to compile another kernel, but if I must do so, I will.

[sgcb]

I'm not in the mood to compile another kernel

If wifi works with 3.2 and everything else works just as well, then I see no reason why you would need to.

[happycampa]

I'm not in the mood to compile another kernel

If wifi works with 3.2 and everything else works just as well, then I see no reason why you would need to.

Because the 3.8 kernel has been treating me much better (smoother/better performance with my comp, etc), so I'd like to have wifi working on that..

[stevepusser]

Look in /boot at your config file for your custom kernel, and search it for ath9k. If enabled, you should find a set of lines like

CONFIG_ATH9K_HW=m
CONFIG_ATH9K_COMMON=m
CONFIG_ATH9K_BTCOEX_SUPPORT=y
CONFIG_ATH9K=m
CONFIG_ATH9K_PCI=y
# CONFIG_ATH9K_AHB is not set
# CONFIG_ATH9K_DEBUGFS is not set
CONFIG_ATH9K_RATE_CONTROL=y

Also check in

/lib/modules/(your-custom-kernel)/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/ath/

to see if the ath9k drivers exist.