# Thinkpad T61 - Intel 4965AGN - UTD

## ArlexBee-871RBO

HELLO!

I've been trying to get my laptop to work with University of Texas at Dallas wireless system for over a week now.  My wireless works at home, but that's on Kubuntu and much simpler setup.  I tried Kubuntu at school, but didn't work.  So I installed Gentoo on a new drive cause I feel more comfortable with Gentoo.  I'm clueless when it comes to networking, but I've tried pretty much everything I could find.  

UTD doesn't offer any Linux support, but HERE is their windows xp setup page.  And HERE is their Linux setup page.  Their Linux instructions is written for xsupplicant 1.0, but I've decided to use wpasupplicant.

I'm running kernel 2.6.25-gentoo-r7.  My Intel iwl4965 drivers are loaded.  I've even installed the iwl4965-ucode-4.44.1.20.

my /etc/conf.d/net:

```

config_eth0=( "dhcp" )

dhcp_eth0="nodns nontp nonis"

modules=( "dhcp" "wpa_supplicant" )

wpa_supplicant_wlan0="-Dwext -iwlan0 -c/etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf"

wpa_timeout_wlan0=30

config_wlan0=( "dhcp" )

dhcpcd_wlan0="-t 30"

```

my /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

```

ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant

ctrl_interface_gropu=0

eapol_version=2

ap_scan=1

network={

      ssid=UTDALLAS"

      key_mgmt=IEEE8021x

      eap=PEAP

      ca_cert="/etc/cert/verisign.pem"

      phase2="auth=MSCHAPV2"

      identity="my_school_ID"

      password="my_school_pwd"

}

```

when I run /etc/init.d/net.wlan0 start I get:

```

 * starting wlan0

 *    Starting wpa_supplicant on wlan0 ...

ioctl [SIOCSIWAUTH]: Operation not supported

 [ ok ]th param 4 value 0x0-

 *    Starting wpa_cli on wlan0 ...

 *       Backgrounding ...

```

I installed iwl4965-ucode thinking it would work, but nothing.  I'm all out of ideas here.

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## gemini91

Hi, I have the same machine (t61-p). I first installed SUSE-11

and it worked from the start. Later I did gentoo (~amd64) and

the wireless has worked just fine. I do use Network manager.

Here is part of dmesg when coming up

```

$ dmesg | grep iwl

iwl4965: Intel(R) Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN driver for Linux, 1.2.26ks

iwl4965: Copyright(c) 2003-2008 Intel Corporation

iwl4965: Detected Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN

iwl4965: Tunable channels: 11 802.11bg, 13 802.11a channels

phy0: Selected rate control algorithm 'iwl-4965-rs'

firmware: requesting iwlwifi-4965-1.ucode

Registered led device: iwl-phy0:radio

Registered led device: iwl-phy0:assoc

Registered led device: iwl-phy0:RX

Registered led device: iwl-phy0:TX

```

My /etc/conf.d/net file is empty and wpa_supplicant.conf is pretty

much empty as well. All configuration was done through Network

Manager.

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## farhaven

Is that missing " in the SSID definition also there in your file or did that get lost while copying the content of wpa_supplicant.conf to the forum?

Edit: Having read the Linux configuration page provided by your uni, I think you have a wrong SSID set. You have "UTDALLAS" in your config but the page states "WATERVIEW"

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## ArlexBee-871RBO

yes, that missing " is a typo.  I had to type it up cause I had no easy way of pasting it.

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## ArlexBee-871RBO

ok.  After so many tries I finally got it to connect.  But after a minute or two it got disconnected.  I booted into windows just to make sure that the network isn't dead or anything, but it was fine.  I booted back to linux again, but I wasn't able to reconnect.

Any idea what causes this disconnects?

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## ArlexBee-871RBO

I'm all out of ideas.  I'm able to connect for mabye up to 3 minutes, then it disconnects.  I even disable power management in the kernel, but it didn't help.

Does anyone have any suggestions?  I've tried everything I can think of. 

Is there anyway for me to determine if the problem is at my end or the school wireless system?

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## ArlexBee-871RBO

Playing around with iwconfig, I just noticed when "Noise level" drops below -96 I'm able to connect.  But if it goes above -100 I lose connection.  What do I do? is there anyway to boost the signal?  I tried "iwconfig wlan0 sense" but I get an error saying operation not supported.

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## pappy_mcfae

Perhaps it might behoove you to install xsupplicant, since it's in portage, and figure out how to translate what xsupplicant does to wpa_supplicant. That way, you have needed connectivity, and you can experiment with wpa_supplicant when you're not doing mission critical stuff. It's the best of both worlds.

Blessed be!

Pappy

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## Master of the Darkside

After trying NetworkManager adn pretty much everything else, I found out that for wireless the best tool is wicd (http://wicd.sourceforge.net/). Maybe you can try it out.

Also, did you check /var/log/messages for any other warnings/errors?

The "noise level" you are talking about is not the issue: -100dBm noise is lower than -96dBm, signal strength is better.

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## ArlexBee-871RBO

I've tried xsupplicant, and it's buggy and it sucks.  Besides, I don't see why I would need to try it with xsupplicant.  wpa_supplicant is able to connect to the network, it's just that something is causing me to lose the signal.  

I can't tell if it's driver issue or some kind of setting in iwconfig or wpa_supplicant.  I've noticed that at certain locations in school my connection is better and it doesn't disconnect as often.  Yet, running windows xp I had no such problem; the connection was solid no matter where I went.  So, I'm thinking it's driver issue ?  or maybe there is a way for me to boost my signal in the settings?

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## alexdu

 *ArlexBee-871RBO wrote:*   

> I'm all out of ideas.  I'm able to connect for mabye up to 3 minutes, then it disconnects.  I even disable power management in the kernel, but it didn't help.
> 
> Does anyone have any suggestions?  I've tried everything I can think of. 
> 
> Is there anyway for me to determine if the problem is at my end or the school wireless system?

 Sure. Try to ping something, if it disconnect anyway - occasional signal lost, otherwise - WiFi card power saving feature.

(sure, might be driver issues, but kernel panic is shown usually)

This might help you: https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-707893.html

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## gforum

maybe this helps:

https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-p-5235840.html#5235840

it seems similar.

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