# [solved]Can't enable power management on wifi card

## HouseAtreides

I really want to figure this out, not so much because the power draw is an issue, but because the card gets hot as Hades under the palm rest.

iwconfig_wlan0="power on"

in /etc/conf.d/net fails on startup, and if I try a manual

iwconfig wlan0 power on 

I get:

Error for wireless request "Set Power Management" (8B2C) :

     Set failed on device wlan0 ; Operation not supported.

lspci says my network controller is an "Intel Corportation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG  [Golan] Network Connection (rev 02)", using the iwl3945 kernel driver

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## kimmie

If that's what it says, then the driver doesn't support power management.

If you're running an old kernel, you could update in the hope that power management has been added.

Another alternative would be to use iwconfig txpower to reduce the transmit power, you can often get away with reduced transmit power, and that should generate less heat.

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## HouseAtreides

 *kimmie wrote:*   

> If that's what it says, then the driver doesn't support power management.
> 
> If you're running an old kernel, you could update in the hope that power management has been added.
> 
> Another alternative would be to use iwconfig txpower to reduce the transmit power, you can often get away with reduced transmit power, and that should generate less heat.

 

Sigh, that's what I was afraid of (kernel is up to date).

Thanks though, I'll try reducing the transmit power.

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## kimmie

Hey, I was doing some power management mundlebungling, and I came up with this:

http://www.lesswatts.org/tips/wireless.php#pm

So you might be able to use iw_priv set_power. Hope you can, if so sorry for the bum steer before.

My system (ipw2200) comes up with this:

```
# iwpriv wlan

wlan      Available private ioctls :

          set_power        (8BE0) : set   1 int   & get   0      

          get_power        (8BE1) : set   0       & get  80 char 

          set_mode         (8BE2) : set   1 int   & get   0      

          get_mode         (8BE3) : set   0       & get  80 char 

          set_preamble     (8BE4) : set   1 int   & get   0      

          get_preamble     (8BE5) : set   0       & get  16 char 

          reset            (8BE6) : set   0 int   & get   0      

          sw_reset         (8BE7) : set   0 int   & get   0      

          monitor          (8BE8) : set   2 int   & get   0      

# iwpriv wlan get_power

wlan      get_power:Power save level: 7 (BATTERY)
```

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