# iwl3945 not finding networks

## icorey

i'm using the intel 3945 card on my laptop with the iwl3945 drivers, wpa_supplicant, and gentoo kernel 2.6.24-release3.  my card doesn't always find all the networks available (it always finds the one next door, though).  the one i want to find uses WPA, but i don't think it's just a WPA thing because sometimes i can't find the unencrypted network at school (and i know these networks are up;  at home my sister is using wireless right next to me and at school the network's available pretty much everywhere).  they're also not hidden.

like i said, it finds the networks sometimes.  like right now my computer just found the WPA network after scanning for it for an hour.  i searched on google and apparently i'm the only one who can't find wireless networks.  wpa_supplicant and iwlist eth1 scan both cannot find all the networks when i have this issue.

here are some outputs...

relevant dmesg output:

```
iwl3945: Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG/BG Network Connection driver for Linux, 1.1.17kds

iwl3945: Copyright(c) 2003-2007 Intel Corporation

ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:0b:00.0[A] -> GSI 16 (level, low) -> IRQ 16

PCI: Setting latency timer of device 0000:0b:00.0 to 64

iwl3945: Detected Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection

iwl3945: Tunable channels: 11 802.11bg, 13 802.11a channels

phy0: Selected rate control algorithm 'iwl-3945-rs'

udev: renamed network interface wlan0 to eth1

Unable to find swap-space signature

ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth1: link is not ready

eth1: Initial auth_alg=0

eth1: authenticate with AP 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6

eth1: Initial auth_alg=0

eth1: authenticate with AP 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6

eth1: RX authentication from 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6 (alg=0 transaction=2 status=0)

eth1: authenticated

eth1: associate with AP 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6

eth1: authentication frame received from 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6, but not in authenticate state - ignored

eth1: authentication frame received from 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6, but not in authenticate state - ignored

eth1: RX AssocResp from 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6 (capab=0x401 status=1 aid=2)

eth1: AP denied association (code=1)

eth1: associate with AP 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6

eth1: RX AssocResp from 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6 (capab=0x401 status=1 aid=2)

eth1: AP denied association (code=1)

eth1: associate with AP 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6

eth1: RX AssocResp from 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6 (capab=0x401 status=1 aid=2)

eth1: AP denied association (code=1)

eth1: association with AP 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6 timed out

ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth0: link is not ready

eth1: Initial auth_alg=0

eth1: authenticate with AP 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6

eth1: RX authentication from 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6 (alg=0 transaction=2 status=0)

eth1: authenticated

eth1: associate with AP 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6

eth1: RX AssocResp from 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6 (capab=0x401 status=1 aid=2)

eth1: AP denied association (code=1)

eth1: associate with AP 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6

eth1: RX AssocResp from 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6 (capab=0x401 status=1 aid=2)

eth1: AP denied association (code=1)

eth1: associate with AP 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6

eth1: RX AssocResp from 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6 (capab=0x401 status=1 aid=2)

eth1: AP denied association (code=1)

eth1: association with AP 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6 timed out

...

...here's where it connected finally...

...

eth1: Initial auth_alg=0

eth1: authenticate with AP 00:08:a1:ba:c6:a6

eth1: Initial auth_alg=0

eth1: authenticate with AP 00:e0:98:f1:e2:a5

eth1: Initial auth_alg=0

eth1: authenticate with AP 00:e0:98:f1:e2:a5

eth1: RX authentication from 00:e0:98:f1:e2:a5 (alg=0 transaction=2 status=0)

eth1: authenticated

eth1: associate with AP 00:e0:98:f1:e2:a5

eth1: RX AssocResp from 00:e0:98:f1:e2:a5 (capab=0x471 status=0 aid=3)

eth1: associated

eth1: CTS protection enabled (BSSID=00:e0:98:f1:e2:a5)

eth1: switched to short barker preamble (BSSID=00:e0:98:f1:e2:a5)

ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): eth1: link becomes ready

eth1: no IPv6 routers present

```

/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 :]!).

config_eth0=("dhcp")

#config_eth0=("null")

modules_eth1=("wpa_supplicant" "dhcpcd")

wpa_supplicant_eth1="-Dwext"

wpa_timeout_eth1=60

config_eth1=("dhcp")

dhcpcd_eth1="-t 5 -A"

pre-up(){

   sleep 3

   ifconfig eth1 up

}

config_ppp0=("ppp")

link_ppp0="eth1"

plugins_ppp0=("pppoe")

password_ppp0='...'

pppd_ppp0=(

   "noauth"

   "defaultroute"

   "usepeerdns"

   "default-asyncmap"

   "ipcp-accept-remote"

   "ipcp-accept-local"

   "lcp-echo-interval 15"

   "lcp-echo-failure 3"

   "mru 1492"

   "mtu 1492"

   "debug"

)

```

wpa_supplicant.conf:

(i have problems finding all 3 of these networks)

```
ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant

ctrl_interface_group=users

update_config=0

fast_reauth=1

network={

   ssid="rit"

   key_mgmt=NONE

   priority=1

}

network={

   ssid="beresnet"

   psk="..."

   proto=WPA

   key_mgmt=WPA-PSK

   pairwise=TKIP

   group=TKIP WEP104 WEP40

   priority=100

}

network={

   ssid="Gladiator"

   psk="..."

   proto=WPA

   key_mgmt=WPA-PSK

   pairwise=TKIP

   group=TKIP WEP104 WEP40

}

```

also, i get an error in startup about wpa_supplicant.  i'd post it but IDK how to view the startup log (if someone can tell me how to do this that'd be great).  i don't think this is the problem though because i've seen two different messages for wpa_supp. when starting up and my card's ability to find the networks seems to be independent of the message in startup.

----------

## Inodoro_Pereyra

Right now i have two laptops next to me, one of them is picking up 5 wireless networks around, and the other one, (guess wich wireless adapter)? is only seeing two of the wireless networks availables... 

Maybe is not any wpa or config stuff related problem but a less powered wireless network adapter or antenna.

 *icorey wrote:*   

> 
> 
> also, i get an error in startup about wpa_supplicant.  i'd post it but IDK how to view the startup log (if someone can tell me how to do this that'd be great).  i don't think this is the problem though because i've seen two different messages for wpa_supp. when starting up and my card's ability to find the networks seems to be independent of the message in startup.

 

```
dmesg
```

Regards.

----------

## jcat

Some laptops built in WiFi aerials are rubbish, mine isn't that great.

You might try and make your WiFi network more distinguishable from your neighbours, you can do this by picking the correct channel.  Most of the WiFi channels overlap, so if you're neighbours using channel 7, don't anything close it, you should consider either channel 1 or 11.

This web page contains a diagram that shows how the frequencies overlap, and makes it clear what channels you should be using to try and avoid interference with your neighbours.

http://www.moonblinkwifi.com/2point4freq.cfm

So 1, 6 and 11 don't overlap.

2, 7, and 12

3, 8 and 13

etc...

Hope that helps  :Smile: 

Cheers,

jcat

----------

## Princess Nell

I've been completely unable to get iwl3945/2.6.24/wpa_supplicant to work. It picks up some other

network, but not my own AP about 3m away. https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-675800-highlight-.html.

All works fine with ipw3945/2.6.23.

----------

## jcat

Well, I can't pretend I don't have any issues at all, but it does at least work for me!

Competing with several neighbours WiFi at least 10m away from my AP.

Cheers,

jcat

----------

## cazort

I am having this problem too, but it comes and goes.

Roughly half the time, sometimes more, my computer does not pick up the proper wireless network upon booting.  This is irrespective of the signal strength.  There are competing networks on the same channel but they are extremely weak, and the network I'm trying to connect to is extremely strong.

I can even put my laptop directly next to the router, and still have this problem.  The only way I have been able to deal with it is to continually restart my computer, which is really annoying--especially when it takes 4-5 restarts, as it does sometimes, before it connects.

Does anyone know how I can solve this?

Or how I can solve that devilishly difficult "txpower on" problem (my machine crashes when I type that?):

https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=217992

That way I could at least just reset the device several times instead of resetting the computer.

----------

## jcat

To restart networking with iwl3945 you need to reload the kernel module, which is slightly annoying, but you can do it like this:

Assuming your WiFi card is wlan0 _and_ you have compiled the driver as a module and not into the kernel, do

```

/etc/init.d/net.wlan0 stop

modprobe -r iwl3945

modprobe iwl3945

/etc/init.d/net.wlan0 start
```

That should do it.

Are you using WPA_Supplicant or Wireless Tools or Network Manager?

Cheers,

jcat

----------

