# Unsupported driver 'iwlwifi' (Intel PRO/Wireless 5100 AGN)

## promythyus

Just got my first Gentoo install up and running and now I want to get wireless working.

When I try to start the wifi interface with 

```
/etc/init.d/net.wlp7s0 start
```

 it errors with 

```
* Caching service dependencies ...

* Bringing up interface wlp7s0

* Starting wpa_supplicant on wlp7s0 ...

Successfully initialized wpa_supplicant

wlp7s0: Unsupported driver 'iwlwifi'

* start-stop-daemon: failed to start '/usr/sbin/wpa_supplicant'

* ERROR: net.wlp7s0 failed to start
```

The wiki lists iwlwifi as the correct driver for my wifi card, "Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 5100 AGN [Shiloh] Network Connection" (from lspci).

Related lines from /etc/conf.d/net:

```
modules_wlp7s0="wpa_supplicant"

wpa_supplicant_wlp7s0="-Diwlwifi"
```

/etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf:

```
network={

ssid="Mason Wireless"

psk=(psk here)

scan_ssid=1

}
```

Anyone know why the driver is not working?

----------

## 666threesixes666

the column to the right of driver says "firmware"  my guess is you neglected to

```

emerge linux-firmware

```

as your post doesn't mention firmware.

----------

## NeddySeagoon

promythyus,

```
wpa_supplicant_wlp7s0="-Dext"
```

is worth trying too.

----------

## dmpogo

 *NeddySeagoon wrote:*   

> promythyus,
> 
> ```
> wpa_supplicant_wlp7s0="-Dext"
> ```
> ...

 

I have (for a bit older chip - 4965)

```

wpa_supplicant_wlan0="-Dnl80211"

```

and actually, suprisingly 

sys-firmware/iwl5000-ucode

is not masked, so no need for full linux-firmware

----------

## promythyus

I didn't specify in my post but I had installed the firmware for my card.

"-Dext" didn't work but "-Dnl80211" is working, I can ping google at the very least. So thanks dmpogo, how did you work that one out?

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## dmpogo

 *promythyus wrote:*   

> I didn't specify in my post but I had installed the firmware for my card.
> 
> "-Dext" didn't work but "-Dnl80211" is working, I can ping google at the very least. So thanks dmpogo, how did you work that one out?

 

It is in my config for the last at least 3 years  and my memory faded as of source.   Though, I'm pretty sure when I got this laptop in 2008 I have used -Dext for a while and

it was working,  but those were the times when this 80211 stack was actively developed in the kernel, adn again, I have an older iwl4965 driver and chipset.

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## NeddySeagoon

dmpogo,

There are two wireless stacks in the kernel -Dext uses the old one, -Dnl80211 uses the new one.

Which one works depends on your kernel.  You may even build both wireless stacks if you want.

----------

