help with transition ipw3945 --> iwl3945

Paul Johnson pauljohn32 at gmail.com
Sun Mar 9 14:41:12 UTC 2008


On Sun, Mar 9, 2008 at 5:08 AM, Andrew Parker <andrewparker at bigfoot.com> wrote:
> On Sat, Mar 8, 2008 at 8:35 PM, Jonathan Underwood
>  <jonathan.underwood at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>  >
>
> >  and to get it to work, I need to add the line
>  >
>  >  options iwl3945 disable_hw_scan=1
>  >
>  >  to /etc/modprobe.conf
>  >
>  >  You'll need to unload and reload the iwl3945 module and reload it for
>  >  that change to take effect, of course.
>
>  this is the missing ingredient that had me pounding my head against a
>  wall for several hours of the day.  since then its been very reliable.
>

On a different thread, Matthew Saltzman referred me to this page, that
was written March 3.  It says that hardware scanning was expected to
be more effective, but there is a little glitch in the mac80211
support.  That note refers a patch that may  find its way into the
kernel, after which we will have to change this option around. This is
the most detailed, up to date explanation of the iwl problems:

http://www.ces.clemson.edu/linux/f8-nm-iwl3945-B.shtml.

I know how to build addon kernel modules  like ipw3945, but I'm unsure
where to go on this one that is in the kernel itself.  The iwl3945
version on http://intellinuxwireless.org is 1.2.25, and the version
that runs when I start the koji kernel-2.6.24.3-22.fc8 reports itself
as "1.2.26kds".

While I keep pounding on this, I find more and more people trying to
make this same transition from ipw3945 to iwl3945.

There is a large amount of unaccounted for randomness in iwl3945
performance.  I've done a lot of experimentation for the past 2 days
going from one coffee shop to another.  On a few nonencrypted routers,
of the 802.1b variety,  the iwl3945 shows and can join, no matter
whether using NetworkManager or that one line in modprobe.conf.  On
other routers, especially 802.1g, it appears to me that Network
Manager can never associate with the router, but that once you turn
that off nad restart, then you can get a connection with
system-config-network or wifi-radar.  The hw_scan_disable option
improves the chances of success in both cases.

Here one thing that has me very frustrated. Apparently, after putting
that one option into modules.conf, then iwlist is no longer able to do
its work, and so even though the card is working and can associate, it
can't find networks for you.

$ /sbin/iwlist scan
lo        Interface doesn't support scanning.

eth0      Interface doesn't support scanning.

wmaster0  Interface doesn't support scanning.

wlan0     No scan results



PJ

-- 
Paul E. Johnson
Professor, Political Science
1541 Lilac Lane, Room 504
University of Kansas




More information about the users mailing list