# ipw2200 can't associate with any ESSIDs

## PezAreYummy

I'm at a loss for what to do, I have had this wireless card set up just fine before and after trying to reinstall my system I can't get it going again. I'm sure there is some little piece I'm missing that I can't find, hopefully someone can catch it. 

First the problem: I turned on verbose mode on my init scripts and when i try to start eth1 i get this

```

 * Starting eth1

 *   Loading networking modules for eth1

 *     modules: apipa arping ccwgroup macchanger macnet rename iwconfig essidnet iptunnel ifconfig system dhcpcd ip6to4

 *       iwconfig provides wireless

 *       ifconfig provides interface

 *       dhcpcd provides dhcp

 *   Configuring eth1 for MAC address 00:0E:35:57:AB:29 ...               [ ok ]

 *   Configuring wireless network for eth1

Warning: Driver for device eth1 has been compiled with version 22

of Wireless Extension, while this program supports up to version 20.

Some things may be broken...

 *   Scanning for access points

 *     Found "ZeroZero" at 00:18:39:FC:07:34 (managed, encrypted)

 *     Found "linksys" at 00:18:F8:18:C5:6A (managed)

 *     Found "HH Production" at 00:18:F8:1B:2A:5D (managed, encrypted)

 *   Couldn't associate with any access points on eth1

 *   Failed to configure wireless for eth1                                [ !! ]

```

I have ipw2200-firmware version 3.0 installed as well as wireless-tools version 28

dmesg shows me this

```

localhost ~ # dmesg | grep ipw2200

ipw2200: Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200/2915 Network Driver, 1.2.0k

ipw2200: Copyright(c) 2003-2006 Intel Corporation

ipw2200: Detected Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network Connection

ipw2200: Detected geography ZZM (11 802.11bg channels, 0 802.11a channels)

```

```

localhost ~ # dmesg | grep ieee80211

ieee80211: 802.11 data/management/control stack, git-1.1.13

ieee80211: Copyright (C) 2004-2005 Intel Corporation <jketreno@linux.intel.com>

ieee80211_crypt: registered algorithm 'NULL'

ieee80211_crypt: registered algorithm 'WEP'

ieee80211_crypt: registered algorithm 'TKIP'

```

I'm using kernel linux-2.6.22-r7-suspend2 with

```

localhost ~ # more /boot/config-2.6.21-suspend2-r7 | grep IPW2200

CONFIG_IPW2200=m

# CONFIG_IPW2200_MONITOR is not set

# CONFIG_IPW2200_QOS is not set

# CONFIG_IPW2200_DEBUG is not set

```

```

localhost ~ # more /boot/config-2.6.21-suspend2-r7 | grep IEEE80211

CONFIG_IEEE80211=y

# CONFIG_IEEE80211_DEBUG is not set

CONFIG_IEEE80211_CRYPT_WEP=y

# CONFIG_IEEE80211_CRYPT_CCMP is not set

CONFIG_IEEE80211_CRYPT_TKIP=y

CONFIG_IEEE80211_SOFTMAC=y

# CONFIG_IEEE80211_SOFTMAC_DEBUG is not set

```

I can't find the problem anywhere except for the Warning that I get from wireless-tools which after some googling appears that it would not cause the problem I'm having. It would only cause problems with extra features that I don't even know about. If anyone has any suggestions I'd be greatful.

----------

## didymos

Well, what's the configuration your using in /etc/conf.d/net? Have you tried to manually configure it on the command line?

----------

## PezAreYummy

As far as configuring it manually I've never quite understood how to do it. Is it as simple as...

```

iwconfig eth1 essid linksys

```

if so that doesn't work out

/etc/conf.d/net

```

localhost ~ # more /etc/conf.d/net     

# This blank configuration will automatically use DHCP for any net.*

# scripts in /etc/init.d.  To create a more complete configuration,

# please review /etc/conf.d/net.example and save your configuration

# in /etc/conf.d/net (this file :]!).

mac_key_00904C7E0064="764A4EA66D"

preferre_aps=( "seanserv.home.net" "linksys")

associate_order="forcepreferred"

```

----------

## PezAreYummy

Is there anyone else out there that is using kernel version 2.6.22-r7, wireless tools version 28 with ipw2200 firmware version 3.0?

----------

## GNUtoo

i use:

[ebuild   R   ] net-wireless/wireless-tools-28  USE="-multicall -nls*" 249 kB

linux-2.6.22.1-rt9 (real time linux)

ipw2200 as module in order to be able to load the firmware

[ebuild   R   ] net-wireless/ipw2200-firmware-3.0  264 kB

----------

## didymos

 *PezAreYummy wrote:*   

> Is there anyone else out there that is using kernel version 2.6.22-r7

 

I'd say that's a no, given that the latest is 2.6.22-r5.

----------

## PezAreYummy

I'm still pretty stumped, when using the init script /etc/init.d/net.eth1 it can scan for and find access points, but it can't associate with them, however when I type iwlist scan it can't find them. I've been trying so many different configurations and googling everything i can think of. Does someone have a new idea for me to look into?

By the way, the 2.6.22-r7 was a typo, it is actually 2.6.21-suspend2-r7

----------

## Deusexodus

What du you get when typing :

# iwconfig eth1

Me for example I have :

```
eth0      IEEE 802.11g  ESSID:"My AP"  

          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.457 GHz  Access Point: 00:00:00:00:00:00   

          Bit Rate:54 Mb/s   Tx-Power=20 dBm   Sensitivity=8/0  

          Retry limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off

          Encryption key:0000-0000-0000-0000-0000-0000-00   Security mode:open

          Power Management:off

          Link Quality=97/100  Signal level=-27 dBm  Noise level=-83 dBm

          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0

          Tx excessive retries:1061  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0
```

If after eth0 (eth1 for you) you have "radio off" you have to push the wireless button (for me it's on the front of my laptop).

To connect to an WPA encrypted AP I use wpa_supplicant.

Good Luck. (Sorry for my english)

EDIT : I'm using wireless-tools 28 with firmware 3.0 and with the kenerl suspend2 2.6.21-r7 too, It just write  *Quote:*   

> "Warning: Driver for device eth0 has been compiled with version 22
> 
> of Wireless Extension, while this program supports up to version 20.
> 
> Some things may be broken..."

  but however the versions aren't like gentoo want : but it runs.

----------

## PezAreYummy

Ok, this is some progress, It does say radio off in iwconfig. I'm on a Dell Latitude D600 and apparently pressing fn+f2 should turn the wireless on/off, but it doesn't change anything. And in my bios it says that the wireless is on. What else could cause wireless-tools to think that the wireless is turned off?

----------

## Deusexodus

You could type :

```
# modprobe -r ipw2200

# modprobe ipw2200
```

(to unload and load kernel module)

it should turn your wifi on, else type Fn + F2 and do again the two lines, surely you will have a change.

Good luck.

----------

## d2_racing

```

Warning: Driver for device eth1 has been compiled with version 22 

of Wireless Extension, while this program supports up to version 20. 

Some things may be broken

```

For this problem, you need to install the ~x86 of wireless-tools.

----------

## PezAreYummy

Thank you for the suggestions, somewhat illuminating, however I still can't decipher the problem. It's quite frustrating because I have had this working with no problem on two previous installs of gentoo.

Ok, here's the story now. When I reload the kernel module wireless tools shows 

```

eth0      unassociated  ESSID:"My AP"  

```

for a moment and then it goes back to

```

eth0      radio off  ESSID:"My AP"  

```

Then if i reload the kernel module and press fn+f2 it'll show

```

eth0      IEEE 802.11g  ESSID:"My AP"  

```

for a moment and then

```

eth0      unassociated  ESSID:"My AP"  

```

for another moment and then it goes back to

```

eth0      radio off  ESSID:"My AP"  

```

I got some weird messages from dmesg doing all this,

This seems to be associated with pressing fn+f2

```

atkbd.c: Unknown key pressed (translated set 2, code 0x88 on isa0060/serio0).

atkbd.c: Use 'setkeycodes e008 <keycode>' to make it known.

```

However, it does seem that the code is working because dmesg also gives this sometimes

```

ipw2200: Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 2200/2915 Network Driver, 1.2.0k

ipw2200: Copyright(c) 2003-2006 Intel Corporation

ipw2200: Detected Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network Connection

ipw2200: Radio Frequency Kill Switch is On:

ipw2200: Detected geography ZZM (11 802.11bg channels, 0 802.11a channels)

ipw2200: Failed to send TX_POWER: Command timed out.

ipw2200: Failed to send RTS_THRESHOLD: Command timed out.

ipw2200: Failed to send FRAG_THRESHOLD: Command timed out.

ipw2200: Failed to send CARD_DISABLE: Command timed out.

```

The problem is narrowed down however, that if I reload the module press fn+f2 and then check iwconfig a few times it says IEEE 802.11g the first time, then unassociated, and then radio off.

----------

## PezAreYummy

I think I'm going to go ahead and be rude and bump this up to the top again in hopes that someone sees it that can help. I've tried everything I can think of, as well as everything google can think of.

----------

## haptie

 *PezAreYummy wrote:*   

> I think I'm going to go ahead and be rude and bump this up to the top again in hopes that someone sees it that can help. I've tried everything I can think of, as well as everything google can think of.

 

Hi, you could download and install from wireless-tools official page the latest version of wireless-tools, (29 beta), if you are lucky maybe it work or you could wait for the stable version of the new wireless-tools or try to use ndiswrapper or something like that.

----------

## dunayiv

I noticed that ieee80211 is built into your kernel , I am pretty sure you want to build it outside your kernel just like you did for ipw2200.

http://ieee80211.sourceforge.net/

----------

## davidgurvich

Try disabling all interfaces except lo and the wireless.

----------

## davidgurvich

What version of the firmware have you installed?  net-wireless/ipw2200-firmware.

----------

## PezAreYummy

Well, for other reasons I've had to bail and run windows on this machine so it's a moot point, but someone else may find this useful. I was using version 3.0 of the ipw2200-firmware, and I'm 95% sure that ieee80211 can be built into the kernel, I had everything running successfully previously with it being built in, and searched on this forum have confirmed that it can be built into the kernel, while ipw2200 must be compiled as a module.

----------

## Pinto

I had the same problem.  What I ended up doing is turning off my wireless card using Fn+F2, rebooting the machine with it off.  After gentoo fully loaded I logged in and turned the card back on.  Now it worked fine and did not end up with the radio off issue.

You could also go into your bios and see if there is a way to turn off the manual switch and set it up so it expects software to alter the wireless cards on/off state.  I couldn't do this as my laptop does not have that option in the bios though.  GL in the future when you try to use linux again.  I think it would be easier to revert to an older kernel (I am thinking 2.6.22 worked for me in the past).  I will probably do that myself as turning off/on the wireless each time I reboot the machine is very inefficient.

----------

