# Problems with iwl3945 driver [wicd]

## ren0

Hi,

I'm trying to get a wireless connection between my router and my laptop using wicd. When scanning SSIDs, I'm surprised to have no results, as if there were no access point around. I then tried to use the iwconfig command, provided by the wireless-tools package. Thus, I configured the /etc/conf.d/net file and the /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf file to get my laptop connected, buf when I tried to connect the laptop to the access point iwconfig wlan0 up && dhcpcd wlan0, it didn't work. I was told that  *Quote:*   

> iwconfig: unknown command "up"

 

I don't know what to do next, can you help me ?

Here is the result of lspci

```
06:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection (rev 02)
```

which shows that the iwl3945 driver must be used. I compiled it in the kernel, and wlan0 is correctly detected as being a wireless interface. Nevertheless, when displaying some messages from the kernel, with the dmesg command, some problems seem to appear

```
[    0.376607] iwl3945: Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG/BG Network Connection driver for Linux, in-tree:ds

[    0.377157] iwl3945: Copyright(c) 2003-2010 Intel Corporation

[    0.377551] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)

[    0.377901] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 19 (level, low) -> IRQ 19

[    0.378283] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: setting latency timer to 64

[    0.433444] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: Tunable channels: 13 802.11bg, 23 802.11a channels

[    0.433983] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: Detected Intel Wireless WiFi Link 3945ABG

[    0.434447] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: irq 29 for MSI/MSI-X

[   10.495560] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode

[   10.519240] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   10.519243] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode

[   10.520424] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   10.520427] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: Could not read microcode: -2

[   10.530121] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode

[   10.531183] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   10.531186] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode

[   10.532291] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   10.532294] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: Could not read microcode: -2

[   10.609707] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode

[   10.610718] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   10.610721] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode

[   10.611783] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   10.611786] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: Could not read microcode: -2

[   14.506532] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode

[   14.509204] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   14.509209] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode

[   14.510787] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   14.510790] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: Could not read microcode: -2

[   22.355425] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode

[   22.356635] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   22.356638] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode

[   22.357807] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   22.357810] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: Could not read microcode: -2

[   25.173080] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode

[   25.174388] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   25.174392] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode

[   25.175276] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   25.175279] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: Could not read microcode: -2

[   30.176232] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode

[   30.177596] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   30.177600] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode

[   30.178652] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   30.178654] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: Could not read microcode: -2

[   35.178950] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode

[   35.180121] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   35.180125] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode

[   35.181730] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   35.181733] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: Could not read microcode: -2

[   43.925649] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode

[   43.927562] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   43.927565] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode

[   43.929083] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   43.929086] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: Could not read microcode: -2

[   45.030037] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode

[   45.031628] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   45.031632] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode

[   45.032658] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   45.032661] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: Could not read microcode: -2

[   45.929683] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode

[   45.930776] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   45.930779] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode

[   45.931979] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   45.931982] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: Could not read microcode: -2

[   46.101816] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode

[   46.103552] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   46.103556] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode

[   46.104716] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   46.104719] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: Could not read microcode: -2

[   46.269895] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode

[   46.271934] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   46.271938] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode

[   46.272977] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode firmware file req failed: -2

[   46.272980] iwl3945 0000:06:00.0: Could not read microcode: -2

```

Thank you !

----------

## DONAHUE

guide

Did you install the microcode? 

```
emerge -av net-wireless/iwl3945-ucode
```

The help page for your driver in menuconfig says:

 *Quote:*   

> CONFIG_IWL3945:
> 
> Select to build the driver supporting the:
> 
> Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG/BG Network Connection
> ...

 

----------

## ren0

Thank you for your help. 

I've just emerged the microcode and everything's now all right. 

I don't understand why it didn't worked out of the box. The driver was directly compiled in the kernel, why did I have to emerge the microcode ?

----------

## DONAHUE

probably a licensed blob or just a binary blob but source not provided thus offending open source movement sensibilities.Last edited by DONAHUE on Mon Sep 13, 2010 5:22 pm; edited 4 times in total

----------

## ren0

OK.Thanks !

----------

