# Problems with iwl3945 since it moved into the kernel

## LonelyStar

Hi,

I have trouble with the iwl3945 since the kernel version, when it moved into the kernel. Troubles are:

- Very often, when I start /etc/init.d/net.wlan0, it can not find any Access-point

- When I try to start /etc/init.d/net.wlan0 again, it says:

   * Wireless radio has been killed for interface wlan0

I have to remove and reinsert the iwl3945 module for it to work again.

Most of the times, I need about 3 tries until it finds an access point (which has then ~70%).

Kernel version:

2.6.24-gentoo-r7

Thanks!

Nathan

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## pappy_mcfae

Try a .22 kernel version, or .25. The .24 and .23 kernel families have unstable wireless support. The .22 versions have great wireless support, especially if you have to go the ndiswrapper route to get things running right.

Blessed be!

Pappy

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## LonelyStar

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I switched to 2.6.25-gentoo-r2, but it only changed the message to:

SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such device

SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such device

SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such device

 *   Wireless radio has been killed for interface wlan0

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## jsosic

Hi! I have lots of problems with iwl3945 driver  :Sad:  I'm really dissapointed, old ipw3945 worked thousand times better  :Sad:  I'm thinking about switching back...

Here's the example:

```
# /etc/init.d/net.wlan0 restart                                      [~][0]

 * Starting wlan0

 *   Running preup function                                                  [ ok ]

 *   Wireless radio has been killed for interface wlan0

 *   wpa_supplicant will launch, but not associate until

 *   wireles radio is re-enabled for interface wlan0

 *   Starting wpa_supplicant on wlan0 ...

ioctl[SIOCSIWAUTH]: Operation not supported

WEXT auth param 4 value 0x0 - ioctl[SIOCSIWAUTH]: Operation not supported           [ ok ]th param 5 value 0x1 - 

 *   Starting wpa_cli on wlan0 ...                                           [ ok ]

 *     Backgrounding ...
```

```
# dmesg

iwl3945: Detected Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection

iwl3945: Radio Frequency Kill Switch is On:

Kill switch must be turned off for wireless networking to work.

iwl3945: WARNING: Requesting MAC access during RFKILL wakes up NIC

iwl3945: WARNING: Requesting MAC access during RFKILL wakes up NIC

iwl3945: WARNING: Requesting MAC access during RFKILL wakes up NIC

iwl3945: WARNING: Requesting MAC access during RFKILL wakes up NIC

iwl3945: Tunable channels: 13 802.11bg, 23 802.11a channels

atkbd.c: Unknown key pressed (translated set 2, code 0x88 on isa0060/serio0).

atkbd.c: Use 'setkeycodes e008 <keycode>' to make it known.

phy2: Selected rate control algorithm 'iwl-3945-rs'

usb 1-2.3: new full speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 11

usb 1-2.3: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice

ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready

ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready

iwl3945: Error sending REPLY_RXON: time out after 2000ms.

iwl3945: Error setting new configuration (-110).

iwl3945: Error sending REPLY_ADD_STA: time out after 2000ms.

iwl3945: Error sending REPLY_RXON: time out after 2000ms.

iwl3945: Error setting new configuration (-110).

wlan0: Initial auth_alg=0

iwl3945: Error sending REPLY_RXON: time out after 2000ms.

iwl3945: Error setting new configuration (-110).

iwl3945: Error sending REPLY_RXON: time out after 2000ms.

iwl3945: Error setting new configuration (-110).

iwl3945: Error sending REPLY_TX_PWR_TABLE_CMD: time out after 2000ms.

iwl3945: Error sending REPLY_RXON: time out after 2000ms.

iwl3945: Error setting new configuration (-110).

ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready

iwl3945: Error sending REPLY_RXON: time out after 2000ms.

iwl3945: Error setting new configuration (-110).

iwl3945: Error sending REPLY_RXON: time out after 2000ms.

iwl3945: Error setting new configuration (-110).

iwl3945: Error sending REPLY_RXON: time out after 2000ms.

iwl3945: Error setting new configuration (-110).

iwl3945: Error sending REPLY_RXON: time out after 2000ms.

iwl3945: Error setting new configuration (-110).

ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready
```

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## m1k0

 *LonelyStar wrote:*   

> 
> 
> SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such device
> 
>  *   Wireless radio has been killed for interface wlan0

 

I have the same error with 2.6.25-r2 and iwl-4965

https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=218565

http://www.intellinuxwireless.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=1657

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## pappy_mcfae

 *LonelyStar wrote:*   

> Hi,
> 
> Thanks for the reply. I switched to 2.6.25-gentoo-r2, but it only changed the message to:
> 
> SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such device
> ...

 

Try 2.6.22-gentoo-r10, ndiswrapper, and the Windoze drivers. It works every time. If you can get the ndiswrapper to work under the .22, it should work with .25. 

Blessed be!

Pappy

----------

## cld71

I have a laptop with a 3945ABG.

I started using gentoo kernel 2.6.23 with net-wireless/iwlwifi, and net-wireless/ipw3945.

Didn't have any problems with anything.

But, when I upgraded to gentoo kernel 2.6.24 it was hit or miss at startup and trying to do a /etc/init.d/net.wlan0 restart never worked.

I thought that upgrading to gentoo kernel 2.6.25 would work, but I couldn't even get it to startup.

I tried a vanilla kernel 2.6.25 thinking that it was the gentoo sources, but still the same results.

I think this is a kernel problem.

I am still using gentoo kernel 2.6.23.

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## Charris

I had to remove net.wlan0 from boot to prevent a similar problem when I upgraded kernels.  Try removing net.wlan0 from all runlevels, I'm pretty sure udev will do it's thing and auto start it, and if it's set to start as well, it may cause problems with trying to start twice.

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## ganderatc

I had issued with the 2.6.24 drivers, but have since upgraded to 2.6.25 and all has been well.

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## m1k0

@ganderatc, 

show your kernel .config, please.

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## TheCat

I have similar issue. but! it works with open AP! I have open AP at home and it works! but I can't get it work at work where I have WPA Authentication...

----------

## TheCat

strange. it works in this way:

```
modprobe -r iwl4965 && modprobe iwl4965 && ifconfig wlan0 up && iwlist scan
```

but after few seconds it doesn't work again...

finally got it working by:

```
modprobe -r iwl4965 && modprobe iwl4965 && ifconfig wlan0 up && /etc/init.d/net.wlan0 restart
```

and by configuring /etc/conf.d/wireless and /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

----------

## cazort

I found the following page:

http://www.nabble.com/iwlwifi---problem-with-wireless-radio-being-killed-td16797770.html

Which claims to address the "wireless radio has been killed" problem.  However, when I run the suggested line:

```
iwconfig wlan0 txpower on
```

...the screen on my laptop fades to white and I am unable to use the laptop (a Dell XPS M1130, 3945ABG wireless, Intel Mobile Integrated Graphics).  It isn't a crash though...it's only something with the video, since I can change to a terminal, manually log on as root, and reboot the computer.  Is there some reason that suggested command is possibly dangerous?  Why should it affect other hardware like my video card?  This is scary to me...if it affects the video, who knows what other damage it could do?  This seems like a serious bug in something but I'm not quite sure how to report it.

Also, if the wireless worked in 2.6.22 but now doesn't work in 2.6.24 (I'm using .24)...is there any way we can somehow contribute (in the form of bug reports, patches, etc.) to get whatever bugs or things are not working fixed?  I hate to downgrade because something doesn't work because it's not contributing to solving the problem.  Like...how can we trace exactly what is causing the problem "wireless radio has been killed"?  And how can we troubleshoot why it is having trouble finding an access point in the first place?

It's frustrating to me because obviously the hardware is capable of working...and once it connects, it has never dropped the connection, in my experience.  This behavior is more than could be said of any of the *doze wireless tools I've worked with.

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## m1k0

http://lkml.org/lkml/2008/6/5/373

laptok ~ # echo 0 > /sys/bus/pci/drivers/iwl4965/0000\:04\:00.0/rf_kill

laptok ~ # iwconfig wlan0 txpower on

laptok ~ # /etc/init.d/net.wlan0 restart

And it's works!

Why I have to run this two line (0>rf_kill and txpower on) before wifi starts?

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## Zucca

/etc/conf.d/net:

```
preup() {

    if [[ ${IFACE} = "wlan0" ]]; then

         iwconfig ${IFACE} txpower off

         echo 0 > /sys/bus/pci/drivers/iwl3945/0000\:04\:00.0/rf_kill

         iwconfig ${IFACE} txpower on

    fi

    return 0

}
```

Might work. At least it worked on my computer.

NOTE: Change the "iwl3945" -part and wlan0 -part if you need to. ;)

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