# Getting no ip on wireless network with many aps, RTL8188CE

## mithodin

Hey folks,

I've recently started studying at university of Bayreuth (Germany). They have a pretty good wireless network covering all of campus. I registered to be able to connect while there, but I can't get an IP from their dhcp server.

The network itself is "encrypted" with WEP. The DHCP-server will only give IPs to known MACs (mine is registered and confirmed to be correct).

So I can connect to the network all right, but I can't get an IP using dhcpcd. I've tried other dhcp-clients as well. I use wpa_supplicant to configure the connection.

When I asked their networking guys about this, they said that some linux drivers are known to have problems with the multitude of APs they have in the buildings and they know no fix.

My wifi-card has a Realtek RTL8188CE 802.11b/g/n chipset. I'm currently using the in-kernel driver rtl8192ce (Kernel 3.1.5), with the correct firmware blob installed, but I've also tried the one Realtek provides. Ndiswrapper didn't work at all.

Any help is very appreciated, since I don't even have a clue where to look for the problem.

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## gerdesj

It might be worth trying to filter a few out:

In /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf add a few of these:

```

network={

        ssid="BTOpenzone"

        disabled=1

}

```

However, if they all have the same SSID that will be useless.

You need to prove what is the actual problem.  

Now is it really the driver or is it your wpa_supplicant config? 

How about booting your laptop off a live CD - say *buntu or Mint and see if that works using Network Manager - quick and easy test. If it works then the card can work.

Cheers

Jon

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## mithodin

Hey,

they all have the same essid, "wlanubt":

network={

        ssid="wlanubt"

        scan_ssid=1

        key_mgmt=NONE

        wep_key0=XXXXXXXXX

        wep_tx_keyidx=0

}

I'm gonna try mint on a live stick, thanks for the tip. Maybe this can shed some light...

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## gerdesj

Best of luck.  Make sure you come back to Gentoo though!  Mint can be tempting ...

Cheers

Jon

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## mithodin

Well, I tried Mint, no luck there. This bugs me, since it's a problem of the kind where I just can't figure out what's wrong...

Also: Yes, Mint seems like a fine os, but it's not the least tempting for me since I put about a month's work (and some years of prior experience) into tuning gentoo on my notebook to have it just the way I want.

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