# Problem with ATH9K associating [solved: sorta]

## RayDude

I know this is a software problem because kubuntu boot DVD works perfectly.

It attempts to associate three times and then gives up. 

Here's a snippet of the log:

```
Jul 15 08:33:58 boss kernel: ath9k 0000:04:00.0 wlp4s0: disabling HT/VHT due to WEP/TKIP use

Jul 15 08:33:58 boss kernel: wlp4s0: associate with 78:54:2e:4b:3f:86 (try 1/3)

Jul 15 08:33:58 boss kernel: wlp4s0: RX AssocResp from 78:54:2e:4b:3f:86 (capab=0x11 status=0 aid=2)

Jul 15 08:33:58 boss kernel: wlp4s0: associated

Jul 15 08:33:58 boss kernel: wlp4s0: disassociating from 78:54:2e:4b:3f:86 by local choice (reason=3)

Jul 15 08:33:58 boss kernel: cfg80211: Calling CRDA to update world regulatory domain

Jul 15 08:33:58 boss kernel: wlp4s0: deauthenticating from 78:54:2e:4b:3f:86 by local choice (reason=3)
```

I'm using NetworkManager and I tried doing it by hand from the CLI.

I thought it might be a missing firmware, but every bit of documentation I've found indicates that firmware is not necessary.

Here's lspci output:

```
04:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Atheros Communications Inc. AR9462 Wireless Network Adapter [168c:0034] (rev 01)

        Subsystem: Lite-On Communications Inc Device [11ad:6621]

        Kernel driver in use: ath9k
```

Anyone have any ideas?

TIA

----------

## turtles

Do you have all that (ahem cough nanny state) regulatory domain stuff set up?

and a working dbus..?

```

* net-wireless/wireless-regdb

     Available versions:  20090115 20110428-r1 ~20130111 20130213

     Homepage:            http://wireless.kernel.org/en/developers/Regulatory

     Description:         Binary regulatory database for CRDA

* net-wireless/crda

     Available versions:  1.1.2-r3 ~1.1.2-r4 ~1.1.3

     Homepage:            http://wireless.kernel.org/en/developers/Regulatory

     Description:         Central Regulatory Domain Agent for wireless networks.

```

http://wireless.kernel.org/en/developers/Regulatory

----------

## DONAHUE

```
dmesg | grep -i firmware

ifconfig
```

what is returned by each?

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## RayDude

Thanks turtles. That was the problem. I had no idea that nanny state software had been added.

Why doesn't it install automagically when I specify wifi?

Anyway, I got those loaded (dbus was already there) and ifconfig down the wlan and uped it and voila! my ethernet diconnected me!

I found the wireless IP added by trial and error (remote bring up) and wireless was alive!

Thanks again. I'm not sure how I would have figured this out on my own.

Update: actually, I confused myself. I'm not certain its working yet. I'll have to wait until I get home to see.

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## RayDude

first, here's the firmware message in dmesg:

```
dmesg | grep -i firmware

[    2.578275] [Firmware Bug]: ACPI(PEGP) defines _DOD but not _DOS

[    4.250084] r8169 0000:03:00.0 enp3s0: unable to load firmware patch rtl_nic/rtl8168e-3.fw (-2)

```

Second, the laptop is now worse than it was. Networkmanager can't get the ethernet cable to work. However, I shut networkmanager down and created a net.enp3s0 in /etc/init.d/ and that brings up dhcp perfectly.

So I have made things worse, but I don't know how.

Any advice would be appreciated.

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## 666threesixes666

[ebuild  N     ] net-wireless/crda-1.1.2-r3  22 kB

Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0846:9030 NetGear, Inc. WNA1100 Wireless-N 150 [Atheros AR9271]

i had to have firmware, gotten by emerge linux-firmware

AR9462

http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/ath9k_htc

further, you must recompile kernel for ath9k_htc and keep ath9k in if its a htc card...  lspci / lsusb / dmesg | grep ath9k in live cd would be helpful to determine if its htc or not, for me thats how i found it, and i do not know the accuracy of this document.

post

```

rc-update

```

Last edited by 666threesixes666 on Wed Jul 17, 2013 1:25 am; edited 1 time in total

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## DONAHUE

see https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-899002-start-0.html for a fix for the rtl8168e-3.fw  symptom

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## RayDude

I have ath9k_htc compiled as a module, it doesn't load. Do I need to blacklist ath9k?

I'm going to emerge linux-firmware and try that.

Thanks much!

 *666threesixes666 wrote:*   

> [ebuild  N     ] net-wireless/crda-1.1.2-r3  22 kB
> 
> Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0846:9030 NetGear, Inc. WNA1100 Wireless-N 150 [Atheros AR9271]
> 
> i had to have firmware, gotten by emerge linux-firmware
> ...

 

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## RayDude

The good news is: I got bumblebee working!

The bad news is: networkmanager is fooked. It can't even connect ethernet.

What are my alternatives? I'm used to setting up everything by hand, should I go back to that?

Brian

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## DONAHUE

have you looked at /var/log/messages?

gentoo networking is the most reliable because it is controllable then wicd then network manager IMHO

what have you done about the bluetooth side of your AR9462?

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## RayDude

 *DONAHUE wrote:*   

> see https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-899002-start-0.html for a fix for the rtl8168e-3.fw  symptom

 

Thanks. Emerging the firmware fixed this, I think. Its not in dmesg anymore.

I take it back. DMESG is full of nvidia crap so all the other messages are gone.

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## 666threesixes666

is it ath9k_htc?  please append solved to original post title.  if it is htc, id report it up stream as such.  debian wiki is only for 2 chips for htc.  lsmod | grep htc (probably as root) will tell you if its htc or not.

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## RayDude

Update: I couldn't get networkmanager or wicd to work, but when I copied the config files off another working gentoo laptop, everything worked perfectly.

Good old gentoo init scripts work.

Someday, hopefully, I'll be able to get network manager to work.

So its working, just not with network manager.

----------

