# iwlwifi not being loaded for N6205 wireless card

## thender

Hi,

I've used Gentoo in the past on this laptop and iwlwifi worked just fine. It also works with an Ubuntu livecd, but for some reason is not working now. When it used to work, lspci -k would show iwlwifi as a driver loaded for my card.

iwlwifi is compiled into the kernel, but when I type lspci -k, it is not loaded as a driver. Also, when I type iwconfig, I see wlan0 & wlan1 - I only have one wireless card! I do not understand why there are now two. 

When I try iwlist wlan0 scan or iwlist wlan1 scan, I get no results. wpa_supplicant can't connect to any networks, nor can network manager in KDE. I am stumped.

Here is the output of emerge --info

```
   

    Portage 2.1.12.2 (default/linux/amd64/13.0/desktop/kde, gcc-4.6.3, glibc-2.15-r3, 3.10.7-gentoo x86_64)

    =================================================================

    System uname: Linux-3.10.7-gentoo-x86_64-Intel-R-_Core-TM-_i5-2520M_CPU_@_2.50GHz-with-gentoo-2.2

    KiB Mem:     8048928 total,   6315056 free

    KiB Swap:          0 total,         0 free

    Timestamp of tree: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 05:15:01 +0000

    ld GNU ld (GNU Binutils) 2.23.1

    app-shells/bash:          4.2_p45

    dev-lang/python:          2.7.5-r2, 3.2.5-r1

    dev-util/cmake:           2.8.10.2-r2

    dev-util/pkgconfig:       0.28

    sys-apps/baselayout:      2.2

    sys-apps/openrc:          0.11.8

    sys-apps/sandbox:         2.6-r1

    sys-devel/autoconf:       2.13, 2.69

    sys-devel/automake:       1.10.3, 1.11.6, 1.12.6

    sys-devel/binutils:       2.23.1

    sys-devel/gcc:            4.6.3

    sys-devel/gcc-config:     1.7.3

    sys-devel/libtool:        2.4-r1

    sys-devel/make:           3.82-r4

    sys-kernel/linux-headers: 3.7 (virtual/os-headers)

    sys-libs/glibc:           2.15-r3

    Repositories: gentoo

    ACCEPT_KEYWORDS="amd64"

    ACCEPT_LICENSE="* -@EULA"

    CBUILD="x86_64-pc-linux-gnu"

    CFLAGS="-march=native -O2 -pipe"

    CHOST="x86_64-pc-linux-gnu"

    CONFIG_PROTECT="/etc /usr/share/config /usr/share/gnupg/qualified.txt"

    CONFIG_PROTECT_MASK="/etc/ca-certificates.conf /etc/env.d /etc/fonts/fonts.conf /etc/gconf /etc/gentoo-release /etc/revdep-rebuild /etc/sandbox.d /etc/terminfo"

    CXXFLAGS="-march=native -O2 -pipe"

    DISTDIR="/usr/portage/distfiles"

    FCFLAGS="-O2 -pipe"

    FEATURES="assume-digests binpkg-logs config-protect-if-modified distlocks ebuild-locks fixlafiles merge-sync news parallel-fetch preserve-libs protect-owned sandbox sfperms strict unknown-features-warn unmerge-logs unmerge-orphans userfetch"

    FFLAGS="-O2 -pipe"

    GENTOO_MIRRORS="http://gentoo.mirrors.easynews.com/linux/gentoo/"

    LDFLAGS="-Wl,-O1 -Wl,--as-needed"

    MAKEOPTS="-j4"

    PKGDIR="/usr/portage/packages"

    PORTAGE_CONFIGROOT="/"

    PORTAGE_RSYNC_OPTS="--recursive --links --safe-links --perms --times --compress --force --whole-file --delete --stats --human-readable --timeout=180 --exclude=/distfiles --exclude=/local --exclude=/packages"

    PORTAGE_TMPDIR="/var/tmp"

    PORTDIR="/usr/portage"

    PORTDIR_OVERLAY=""

    SYNC="rsync://rsync6.us.gentoo.org/gentoo-portage"

    USE="X a52 aac acl acpi alsa amd64 berkdb bindist bluetooth branding bzip2 cairo cdda cdr cli consolekit cracklib crypt cups cxx dbus declarative dri dts dvd dvdr emboss encode exif fam firefox flac fortran gdbm gif gpm iconv ipv6 jpeg kde kipi lcms ldap libnotify mad mmx mng modules mp3 mp4 mpeg mudflap multilib ncurses networkmanager nls nptl ogg opengl openmp pam pango pcre pdf phonon plasma png policykit ppds qt3support qt4 readline sdl semantic-desktop session spell sse sse2 ssl startup-notification svg synaptics tcpd tiff truetype udev udisks unicode upower usb vorbis wxwidgets x264 xcb xcomposite xinerama xml xscreensaver xv xvid zlib" ABI_X86="64" ALSA_CARDS="ali5451 als4000 atiixp atiixp-modem bt87x ca0106 cmipci emu10k1x ens1370 ens1371 es1938 es1968 fm801 hda-intel intel8x0 intel8x0m maestro3 trident usb-audio via82xx via82xx-modem ymfpci" APACHE2_MODULES="authn_core authz_core socache_shmcb unixd actions alias auth_basic authn_alias authn_anon authn_dbm authn_default authn_file authz_dbm authz_default authz_groupfile authz_host authz_owner authz_user autoindex cache cgi cgid dav dav_fs dav_lock deflate dir disk_cache env expires ext_filter file_cache filter headers include info log_config logio mem_cache mime mime_magic negotiation rewrite setenvif speling status unique_id userdir usertrack vhost_alias" CALLIGRA_FEATURES="kexi words flow plan sheets stage tables krita karbon braindump author" CAMERAS="ptp2" COLLECTD_PLUGINS="df interface irq load memory rrdtool swap syslog" ELIBC="glibc" GPSD_PROTOCOLS="ashtech aivdm earthmate evermore fv18 garmin garmintxt gpsclock itrax mtk3301 nmea ntrip navcom oceanserver oldstyle oncore rtcm104v2 rtcm104v3 sirf superstar2 timing tsip tripmate tnt ubx" INPUT_DEVICES="keyboard mouse evdev" KERNEL="linux" LCD_DEVICES="bayrad cfontz cfontz633 glk hd44780 lb216 lcdm001 mtxorb ncurses text" LIBREOFFICE_EXTENSIONS="presenter-console presenter-minimizer" OFFICE_IMPLEMENTATION="libreoffice" PHP_TARGETS="php5-5" PYTHON_SINGLE_TARGET="python2_7" PYTHON_TARGETS="python2_7 python3_2" RUBY_TARGETS="ruby19 ruby18" USERLAND="GNU" VIDEO_CARDS="fbdev glint intel mach64 mga nouveau nv r128 radeon savage sis tdfx trident vesa via vmware dummy v4l" XTABLES_ADDONS="quota2 psd pknock lscan length2 ipv4options ipset ipp2p iface geoip fuzzy condition tee tarpit sysrq steal rawnat logmark ipmark dhcpmac delude chaos account"

    Unset:  CPPFLAGS, CTARGET, EMERGE_DEFAULT_OPTS, INSTALL_MASK, LANG, LC_ALL, PORTAGE_BUNZIP2_COMMAND, PORTAGE_COMPRESS, PORTAGE_COMPRESS_FLAGS, PORTAGE_RSYNC_EXTRA_OPTS, USE_PYTHON

```

Here is the kernel .config file. http://pastebin.com/Eiw2GRjS

Here is the output of lspci -k

```
   

    00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family DRAM Controller (rev 09)

            Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21cf

    00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200/2nd Generation Core Processor Family PCI Express Root Port (rev 09)

            Kernel driver in use: pcieport

    00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 09)

            Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21d1

            Kernel driver in use: i915

    00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 (rev 04)

            Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21cf

    00:16.3 Serial controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family KT Controller (rev 04)

            Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21cf

            Kernel driver in use: serial

    00:19.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82579LM Gigabit Network Connection (rev 04)

            Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21ce

            Kernel driver in use: e1000e

    00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #2 (rev 04)

            Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21cf

            Kernel driver in use: ehci-pci

    00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller (rev 04)

            Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21cf

            Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel

    00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 1 (rev b4)

            Kernel driver in use: pcieport

    00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 2 (rev b4)

            Kernel driver in use: pcieport

    00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 4 (rev b4)

            Kernel driver in use: pcieport

    00:1c.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 5 (rev b4)

            Kernel driver in use: pcieport

    00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #1 (rev 04)

            Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21cf

            Kernel driver in use: ehci-pci

    00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation QM67 Express Chipset Family LPC Controller (rev 04)

            Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21cf

    00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family 6 port SATA AHCI Controller (rev 04)

            Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21cf

            Kernel driver in use: ahci

    00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller (rev 04)

            Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21cf

            Kernel driver in use: i801_smbus

    01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GF119M [Quadro NVS 4200M] (rev a1)

            Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21d1

            Kernel driver in use: nouveau

    03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Centrino Advanced-N 6205 [Taylor Peak] (rev 34)

            Subsystem: Intel Corporation Centrino Advanced-N 6205 AGN

    0d:00.0 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd PCIe SDXC/MMC Host Controller (rev 08)

            Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21cf

            Kernel driver in use: sdhci-pci

    0d:00.3 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Ricoh Co Ltd R5C832 PCIe IEEE 1394 Controller (rev 04)

            Subsystem: Lenovo Device 21cf
```

Here is the output of dmesg http://pastebin.com/6bZ3Fn8S

Here is the output of dmesg | grep iwl

```
   

    [    3.725897] bus: 'pci': add driver iwlwifi

    [    3.725945] bus: 'pci': driver_probe_device: matched device 0000:03:00.0 with driver iwlwifi

    [    3.725948] bus: 'pci': really_probe: probing driver iwlwifi with device 0000:03:00.0

    [    3.726459] iwlwifi 0000:03:00.0: irq 44 for MSI/MSI-X

    [    3.726867] driver: '0000:03:00.0': driver_bound: bound to device 'iwlwifi'

    [    3.726871] bus: 'pci': really_probe: bound device 0000:03:00.0 to driver iwlwifi

    [    3.726918] __allocate_fw_buf: fw-iwlwifi-6000g2a-exp.ucode buf=ffff88023314ac00

    [    3.726965] device: 'iwlwifi-6000g2a-exp.ucode': device_add

    [    3.727018] PM: Adding info for No Bus:iwlwifi-6000g2a-exp.ucode

    [    3.727028] firmware iwlwifi-6000g2a-exp.ucode: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-6000g2a-exp.ucode

    [    3.727075] iwl4965: Intel(R) Wireless WiFi 4965 driver for Linux, in-tree:d

    [    3.727076] iwl4965: Copyright(c) 2003-2011 Intel Corporation

    [    3.727082] bus: 'pci': add driver iwl4965

    [    3.727212] iwl3945: Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG/BG Network Connection driver for Linux, in-tree:ds

    [    3.727214] iwl3945: Copyright(c) 2003-2011 Intel Corporation

    [    3.727219] bus: 'pci': add driver iwl3945

    [    6.014731] PM: Removing info for No Bus:iwlwifi-6000g2a-exp.ucode

    [    6.014750] __fw_free_buf: fw-iwlwifi-6000g2a-exp.ucode buf=ffff88023314ac00 data=          (null) size=0

    [    6.014757] __allocate_fw_buf: fw-iwlwifi-6000g2a-6.ucode buf=ffff8802332783c0

    [    6.014772] device: 'iwlwifi-6000g2a-6.ucode': device_add

    [    6.014791] PM: Adding info for No Bus:iwlwifi-6000g2a-6.ucode

    [    6.014796] firmware iwlwifi-6000g2a-6.ucode: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-6000g2a-6.ucode

    [    6.053495] PM: Removing info for No Bus:iwlwifi-6000g2a-6.ucode

    [    6.053515] __fw_free_buf: fw-iwlwifi-6000g2a-6.ucode buf=ffff8802332783c0 data=          (null) size=0

    [    6.053523] __allocate_fw_buf: fw-iwlwifi-6000g2a-5.ucode buf=ffff8802332783c0

    [    6.053538] device: 'iwlwifi-6000g2a-5.ucode': device_add

    [    6.053555] PM: Adding info for No Bus:iwlwifi-6000g2a-5.ucode

    [    6.053561] firmware iwlwifi-6000g2a-5.ucode: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-6000g2a-5.ucode

    [    6.053789] PM: Removing info for No Bus:iwlwifi-6000g2a-5.ucode

    [    6.053804] __fw_free_buf: fw-iwlwifi-6000g2a-5.ucode buf=ffff8802332783c0 data=          (null) size=0

    [    6.053808] iwlwifi 0000:03:00.0: request for firmware file 'iwlwifi-6000g2a-5.ucode' failed.

    [    6.053811] iwlwifi 0000:03:00.0: no suitable firmware found!

```

----------

## DawgG

 *Quote:*   

> [    6.053808] iwlwifi 0000:03:00.0: request for firmware file 'iwlwifi-6000g2a-5.ucode' failed.
> 
> [    6.053811] iwlwifi 0000:03:00.0: no suitable firmware found! 

 

try installing the firmware (ebuild linux-firmware installs ALL available firmware).

if it still does not work then, you might have to install rfkill to (un)block the wifi-devices or use iw instead of iwconfig (on my old notebook iwconfig stopped working some kernel-versions ago, but iw works).

also i think it is recommended to install all wifi-drivers as modules.

GOOD LUCK!

----------

## thender

I emerged linux-firmware and iwlwifi works! Huzzah!

However, I get this when I run wpa_gui, from /var/log/messages. It scans, it sees the network, but never connects.

```
    x50, len=1

    Aug 27 00:50:55 localhost kernel: [  643.575791] i2c i2c-6: NAK from device addr 0x50 msg #0

    Aug 27 00:50:57 localhost kernel: [  645.412678] wlp3s0: authenticate with 00:23:69:51:0f:76

    Aug 27 00:50:57 localhost kernel: [  645.415359] wlp3s0: send auth to 00:23:69:51:0f:76 (try 1/3)

    Aug 27 00:50:57 localhost kernel: [  645.418653] wlp3s0: authenticated                 

    Aug 27 00:50:57 localhost kernel: [  645.418728] iwlwifi 0000:03:00.0 wlp3s0: disabling HT/VHT due to WEP/TKIP use

    Aug 27 00:50:57 localhost kernel: [  645.418739] iwlwifi 0000:03:00.0 wlp3s0: disabling HT as WMM/QoS is not supported by the AP                                                                                 

    Aug 27 00:50:57 localhost kernel: [  645.418748] iwlwifi 0000:03:00.0 wlp3s0: disabling VHT as WMM/QoS is not supported by the AP                                                                                   

    Aug 27 00:50:57 localhost kernel: [  645.419614] wlp3s0: associate with 00:23:69:51:0f:76 (try 1/3)

    Aug 27 00:50:57 localhost NetworkManager[2411]: <info> (wlp3s0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> inactive

    Aug 27 00:50:57 localhost kernel: [  645.422218] wlp3s0: RX AssocResp from 00:23:69:51:0f:76 (capab=0x411 status=0 aid=2)                                                                                                   

    Aug 27 00:50:57 localhost kernel: [  645.425484] wlp3s0: associated                                   

    Aug 27 00:50:57 localhost kernel: [  645.425827] wlp3s0: disassociating from 00:23:69:51:0f:76 by local choice (reason=3)                                                                                                         

    Aug 27 00:50:57 localhost kernel: [  645.430620] cfg80211: Calling CRDA to update world regulatory domain 

    Aug 27 00:50:57 localhost NetworkManager[2411]: <info> (wlp3s0): supplicant interface state: inactive -> disconnected

    Aug 27 00:50:59 localhost logger: ACPI event unhandled: battery BAT0 00000080 00000001                           

    Aug 27 00:51:00 localhost logger: ACPI event unhandled: battery BAT0 00000080 00000001                           

    Aug 27 00:51:00 localhost kernel: [  648.768581] wlp3s0: authenticate with 00:23:69:51:0f:76                       

    Aug 27 00:51:00 localhost kernel: [  648.771303] wlp3s0: send auth to 00:23:69:51:0f:76 (try 1/3)                     

    Aug 27 00:51:00 localhost NetworkManager[2411]: <info> (wlp3s0): supplicant interface state: disconnected -> inactive 

    Aug 27 00:51:00 localhost kernel: [  648.774353] wlp3s0: authenticated                                                 

    Aug 27 00:51:00 localhost kernel: [  648.774429] iwlwifi 0000:03:00.0 wlp3s0: disabling HT/VHT due to WEP/TKIP use

    Aug 27 00:51:00 localhost kernel: [  648.774441] iwlwifi 0000:03:00.0 wlp3s0: disabling HT as WMM/QoS is not supported by the AP

    Aug 27 00:51:00 localhost kernel: [  648.774451] iwlwifi 0000:03:00.0 wlp3s0: disabling VHT as WMM/QoS is not supported by the AP

    Aug 27 00:51:00 localhost kernel: [  648.775143] wlp3s0: associate with 00:23:69:51:0f:76 (try 1/3)

    Aug 27 00:51:00 localhost kernel: [  648.777910] wlp3s0: RX AssocResp from 00:23:69:51:0f:76 (capab=0x411 status=0 aid=2)

    Aug 27 00:51:00 localhost kernel: [  648.786545] wlp3s0: associated
```

I have a dangerous question. I'd like to simply have a widget that sees a list of networks, that I can choose. Once I choose, it asks me for a password, and it just connects.. no telling it what type of network, what type of encryption, or editing a conf file more than once. Like what shows up in Ubuntu or Mint when you boot into the OS. Is there some tool you can point me in the direction of that allows this? I take my laptop to many different places, I cringe at the idea of going through menus or editing conf files just to connect to someone else's wifi. 

Thank you!

----------

## thender

Apparently I had networkmanager still installed. I removed it and all is well. 

I still connect to networks based on what is in /etc/conf.d/net

```

hostname="thinkpad"

modules="wpa_supplicant"

modules="dhcpcd"

trl_interface="/var/run/wpa_supplicant"

config_wlp3s0="dhcp"

```

and my /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

```
ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant

update_config=1

network={

        ssid="mywifinetwork"

        psk="mywifipassword"

        proto=WPA

        key_mgmt=WPA-PSK

        pairwise=TKIP

        group=TKIP WEP104 WEP40

        auth_alg=OPEN

}

```

But it'd be great to have some simple all in one kinda widget on the taskbar with a list of networks that just lists networks I can connect to. 

The problem here is that when I run wpa_gui, all it sees is wlan0 - which is not real! wlp3s0 is my interface, I do not know where wlan0 was found. If I iwlist wlan0 scan, I find nothing, which is how I know it is not linked to a real hardware device. I have to ps xa | grep wlp3s0, kill every process, then /etc/init.d/wlp3s0 start, then run wpa_gui in order to use it to manage wireless networks, which is inconvenient if I am out & about.

----------

## DawgG

 *Quote:*   

> simple all in one kinda widget on the taskbar with a list of networks that just lists networks I can connect to. 

 

sorry, can't help you there - i rarely us GUIs. (but there must be sth.)

maybe there is an old udev-rule that creates wlan0 (check in /etc/udev/rules.d/)

if you want stick with the "old" ifnames (i prefer wlan0 and eth0) you can boot with the kernel parameter 

```
net.ifnames=0
```

GOOD LUCK!

----------

## mreff555

Have you tried compiling it as a module? I actually had similar problems building it in to the kernel.

----------

## thender

 *DawgG wrote:*   

>  *Quote:*   simple all in one kinda widget on the taskbar with a list of networks that just lists networks I can connect to.  
> 
> sorry, can't help you there - i rarely us GUIs. (but there must be sth.)
> 
> maybe there is an old udev-rule that creates wlan0 (check in /etc/udev/rules.d/)
> ...

 

I prefer the old rules. The only good reason for having enp0s25 instead of eth0 is to utilize the memory muscle lost when speed dial & phones with address books built in took over in the late 90s.  :Wink:  What changed? Why are names now so long?

I used Linux in 2002-2003, 2006-2009 as a server, and not again until a few months ago, so there is a four year knowledge gap. 

I'll try compiling it in as a module and see what occurs. It's strange, even if I unmerge networkmanager, it is reemerged & causes problems when I emerge -av world. If anyone is having problems where wpa_gui or wpa_supplicant can't connect to wi-fi networks after emerging world, check if networkmanager has recompiled itself! Drove me nuts because I didn't check, since I thought I already uninstalled it.

I'll be on the hunt for a "real" GUI besides wpa_gui next. Thanks again for all the help.

----------

