# Intel 4965ABG : unable to get a working network

## anigel

Hi,

Before getting completely mad, I try to post here  :Wink: . I'm currently trying to make my wireless card to work (on a HP 6910p notebook). lspci tells me :

```
10:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Unknown device 4229 (rev 61)
```

This is a Intel card, model 4965ABG. This is supposed to work with the iwlwifi driver, with the ipw4965 USE flag.

```
[ebuild   R   ] net-wireless/iwl4965-ucode-4.44.1.18  0 kB

[ebuild   R   ] net-wireless/iwlwifi-1.1.21  USE="ipw4965 -ipw3945" 0 kB
```

I am running a 2.6.22-gentoo-r9 kernel. modprobing the module works well, dmesg tells me:

```
iwl4965: Intel(R) Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN driver for Linux, 1.1.21

iwl4965: Copyright(c) 2003-2007 Intel Corporation

ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:10:00.0[A] -> GSI 17 (level, low) -> IRQ 17

PCI: Setting latency timer of device 0000:10:00.0 to 64

iwl4965: Detected Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN

iwl4965: Tunable channels: 13 802.11bg, 19 802.11a channels

wmaster0: Selected rate control algorithm 'simple'
```

But...

I'd like to connect this interface on my AP, with WPA support. /etc/conf.d/net looks like :

```
modules=( "wpa_supplicant" )

wpa_supplicant_wlan0="-Dwext"

config_wlan0=( "dhcp" )
```

I also configured wpa_supplicant : (net-wireless/wpa_supplicant-0.5.8) :

```
ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant

ctrl_interface_group=wheel

ap_scan=1

fast_reauth=1

network={

        ssid="neskaya"

        scan_ssid=1

        key_mgmt=WPA-PSK

        psk="tata_yoyo_et_son_grand_chapo"

        priority=9

}
```

Trying to mannualy run wpa_supplicant, I get the following messages :

```
wpa_supplicant -D wext -i wlan0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

ioctl[SIOCSIWAUTH]: Operation not supported

WEXT auth param 4 value 0x0 - ioctl[SIOCSIWAUTH]: Operation not supported

WEXT auth param 5 value 0x1 - Trying to associate with 00:19:7e:b3:cb:f7 (SSID='neskaya' freq=2442 MHz)

ioctl[SIOCSIWAUTH]: Operation not supported

WEXT auth param 5 value 0x1 - Associated with 00:19:7e:b3:cb:f7

WPA: Key negotiation completed with 00:19:7e:b3:cb:f7 [PTK=TKIP GTK=TKIP]

CTRL-EVENT-CONNECTED - Connection to 00:19:7e:b3:cb:f7 completed (auth) [id=0 id_str=]
```

I read that these error messages do not mean it does not work. But no... The interface is able to get a valid IP address through the AP : dhcpcd wlan0 :

```
ifconfig wlan0

wlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:13:E8:73:4A:25

          inet addr:192.168.1.10  Bcast:192.168.1.255  Mask:255.255.255.0

          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1

          RX packets:238 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

          TX packets:20 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000

          RX bytes:81724 (79.8 Kb)  TX bytes:2960 (2.8 Kb)
```

But ping does not work (network unreachable). Even more surprising : after trying to ping, the interface "loses" its IP address...

```
ifconfig wlan0

wlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:13:E8:73:4A:25

          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1

          RX packets:27 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

          TX packets:12 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000

          RX bytes:81724 (8.7 Kb)  TX bytes:2960 (1.5 Kb)
```

If anyone has an idea... Thanks  :Wink: .

----------

## reidbold

here's my conf.d/net, wpa_supplicant_wlan0 looks like it might be a hint. Good luck  :Smile: 

```

    

modules=("wpa_supplicant")

wpa_supplicant_wlan0="-Dwext -c /etc/wpa_supplicant_wpa_supplicant.conf"

dhcpcd_wlan0="-l -1"

#330rulez

config_330rulez=("dhcp")

dns_servers_330rulez="192.168.0.1"

dns_domain_330rulez="330rulez"

#uogwifi

config_uogwifi=("dhcp")

mode_330rulez=("managed")

```

```

/etc/wpa_supctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant

ap_scan=1

network={

        ssid="330rulez"

        key_mgmt=NONE

        wep_key0="ilikemomlotsa"

        wep_tx_keyidx=0

        priority=0

}

network={

        ssid="uogwifi"

        key_mgmt=NONE

        priority=2

}

network={

        key_mgmt=NONE

        priority=-9999999

}

```

----------

## leonardosam

Hello anigel,

Did you get any improvement on your iwl4965 card situation? I'm stuck on the same useless point.

----------

## PaulW21781

I too am stuck with this one..., albeit in a different laptop (Acer Aspire 7720G), the ID for the wireless lan car remains the same.

Using both Gentoo sources 2.6.23-r6 and Tuxonice sources 2.6.23-r8

It lists wlan0, but just won't connect to anything at all  :Sad: 

----------

## marjan

I've made a mini howto on how to get this wifi device to work

http://marjan.blogsome.com/2008/01/26/howto-to-make-iwl4965-works-the-gentoo-way/

----------

## leonardosam

Until kernel 2.6.24, I used to use the iwl4965 portage. Then, after someone has added support to the kernel I decided to use the in-kernel driver version. But during the pre-2.6.24 I figured out that the driver had issues with networks that do not broadcast the SSID.

Sounds weird, but that was the problem.

Besides that, I have also decided to rely on NetworkManager which is way more comfortable than pre-historic wpa-supplicant.

----------

## jcat

 *leonardosam wrote:*   

> 
> 
> Besides that, I have also decided to rely on NetworkManager which is way more comfortable than pre-historic wpa-supplicant.

 

Hehe.  AFAIK wpa_supplicant is more configurable than NetworkManager.  NetworkManager is great for people how just want a point and click system, but wpa_supplicant is more for the network veterans.

BTW   wpa does have a gui if you want one.

Cheers,

jcat

----------

## lemmingman

 *marjan wrote:*   

> I've made a mini howto on how to get this wifi device to work
> 
> http://marjan.blogsome.com/2008/01/26/howto-to-make-iwl4965-works-the-gentoo-way/

 

Hey there Marjan, I'd like to see your notes on this, but your howto seems to be missing.

----------

## lemmingman

I am convinced that the 4965 kernel driver is almost useless.  Like some of you, I have been saddled with this problem since receiving my T61P for work.  Our IT department uses a hidden SSID and EAP-FAST...I couldn't be more unlucky.  I did some tests here at my house this weeked and have confirmed that when you are using WPA and have a hidden SSID the 4965 will not associate.  Couple that with the sketchy support for EAP-FAST with wpa_supplicant, and my laptop needs to be tethered with a CAT-5 cable.  

My next task will be to find my cb21abg (madwifi) card around here somewhere and see if I can get it working with that.  

<I just deleted 15 lines of rant.  You can thank me later.>   :Smile: 

In short, if you are using a 4965 on any but the most rudimentary network configurations you are SOOL.

----------

## lemmingman

 *leonardosam wrote:*   

> Besides that, I have also decided to rely on NetworkManager which is way more comfortable than pre-historic wpa-supplicant.

 

NetworkManager uses wpa_supplicant under the covers.  If you have a fairly elaborate wireless network you oftentimes have to get it working with wpa_supplicant first, then get it working with NM if there is support for your config.

The next version of NM (v1.0) will have a ton of new features.  I've seen some screenshots and alot of what could only be done at the command line will now be available in the GUI with NM (except EAP-FAST support of course GRRRR).

----------

