WiFi permanently disappeared after booting test kernel [SOLVED]

[Bill Davidsen]

Mike Fleetwood wrote:
> On 31 January 2013 23:34, Ed Greshko <Ed.Greshko at greshko.com> wrote:
>> On 02/01/2013 06:19 AM, Mike Fleetwood wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> On my netbook I booted a test kernel 3.8.0-rc4+ I compiled.  Now after
>>> booting back into my regular Fedora kernel 3.6.11-5.fc17.i686.PAE my
>>> wifi network device remains permanently disappeared.  No wifi networks
>>> displayed in Network Manager gui.  Also the Network Manager syslog
>>> messages make it look like the device has completely disappeared.
>>>
>>> Suggestions for restoring wifi welcome.
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>> Mike
>>>
>>>
>>> Fragment of Network Manager syslog messages when working before
>>> --8<--
>>>
>>> Jan 18 23:01:53 edge NetworkManager[479]: <info> WiFi enabled by radio
>>> killswitch; enabled by state file
>>>
>>>
>>> Fragment of Network Manager syslog messages when broken after
>>> --8<--
>>>
>>> Jan 28 18:43:26 edge NetworkManager[466]: <info> WiFi disabled by
>>> radio killswitch; enabled by state file
>>
>> yum install rfkill
>>
>> Then provide the output of "rfkill list"
>
> Solved now.  Bit of a brown paper bag moment.  I must have unknowingly
> disabled wifi, but exactly when I was testing that kernel.
>
> Fixed by:
> # yum install rfkill
> # rfkill list all
> 0: eeepc-wlan: Wireless LAN
> 	Soft blocked: yes           <-- HERE
> 	Hard blocked: no
> ...
> # rfkill unblock all
> (Or press [Fn][F2]).
>
> I was just a bit dismayed to see that software blocking wifi removes
> the wifi device line from the output of lspci:
> 01:00.0 Network controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR928X
> Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) (rev 01)
>
Don't be dismayed, that's why it's useful. It really keeps the driver from being 
loaded, and that's a good thing. Why do you want this? Because Fedora doesn't 
work as shipped with the majority of wireless adaptors, who's vendors have a 
license which fails the Fedora purity test. By blocking the unclean adaptor 
completely you can plug in a USB model which will work well enough to download 
the drivers which work and install them.

-- 
Bill Davidsen <davidsen at tmr.com>
   "We have more to fear from the bungling of the incompetent than from
the machinations of the wicked."  - from Slashdot