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Size: 3507
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| The module is on '''linux-backports-modules-intrepid''' and it's called ath5k. You just need to install the package, either using Synaptic or apt-get, and make sure that is activated on System/Administration/Hardware Drivers. | Also works on Karmic - see below |
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| Follow these steps bellow '''only if this did not worked'''. What might happened is a conflict with either ath_hal or ath_pci, or you might have ath5k blacklisted somewhere. So: | If the method described in this section doesn't work for you, try [[#KurianAlternative|the alternate method using ''madwifi'' and ''ath_pci'']] described below. Look for the ath5k module, located in the package '''[[https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuBackports|linux-backports-modules-intrepid]]'''. Install the package using either Synaptic or apt-get, and make sure it is activated on System/Administration/Hardware Drivers. Note: For 9.10 substitute linux-backports-modules-karmic, Follow the steps below '''only if ath5k module did not work'''. This may be the result of a conflict with either ath_hal or ath_pci, or ath5k might be blacklisted somewhere. So: |
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| gksudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist | gksudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf |
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| And add to the bottom of the file the following lines: | And add the following lines to the bottom of the file: |
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| Reboot. If it's still not working you much probably have ath5k being blacklisted somewhere - or you are trying to connect to an access point not broadcasting its name (hidden SSID), witch is a separate issue and can be checked by enabling SSID broadcast on the access point. Blacklisting might happen if you are coming from a Hardy upgrade and/or did not uninstall the madwifi driver before doing this. So: | Reboot. If it's still not working than it is very likely you have ath5k being blacklisted somewhere. Blacklisting may have occurred if you are coming from a Hardy upgrade and/or did not uninstall the madwifi driver before doing this. So try the following, but Be Extremely Careful - this next command opens nautilus with root privileges, which can change and/or damage any file on the system. |
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| 2) Be extremely careful, the next command opens a nautilus with root privileges which can change and damage any file on the system. Alt+f2 and do a | 2) Hit "alt+f2" to run a command and type: |
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| And check each and everyfile for a line that looks like: | Now check each and every file for a line that looks like: |
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| And just add a "#" character at the begging of the line, thus commenting it. You might probably find this case on a file named "madwifi". | And just add a "#" character at the beginning of the line, thus commenting it. You might probably find this case on a file named "madwifi". |
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| 2.1) Alternatively, to quickly find where ath5k is being blacklisted, you can open a terminal (Applications/Accessories/Terminal) and type: | 2.1) Alternatively, to quickly find where ath5k is being blacklisted, you can open a terminal (Applications/Accessories/Terminal) and type: |
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| === If after everything you see a network but it doesn't connect === | === If after all the above you see a network but cannot connect === |
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=== If after everything you don't see your network === Remember that you might be trying to connect to an access point that is not broadcasting its name (hidden SSID), which is a separate issue and can be checked by enabling SSID broadcast on the access point. |
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| I found these things helpful for me: | I found the following things helpful: |
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| to the /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist file and reboot. If you are running an up-to-date Hardy, this should enable the free/libre ath5k driver.) | to the /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf file and reboot. If you are running an up-to-date Hardy, this should enable the free/libre ath5k driver.) |
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| http://madwifi.org/ticket/1192 | http://madwifi-project.org/ticket/1192 |
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| 1. wget http: / /snapshots.madwifi.org/madwifi-hal-0.10.5.6/madwifi-hal-0.10.5.6-r3835-20080801.tar.gz 2. tar -zxvf madwifi-hal-0.10.5.6-r3835-20080801.tar.gz 3. cd madwifi-hal-0.10.5.6-r3835-20080801 |
1. wget http://snapshots.madwifi-project.org/madwifi-hal-0.10.5.6-current.tar.gz 2. tar -zxvf madwifi-hal-0.10.5.6-current.tar.gz 3. cd madwifi-hal-0.10.5.6-r* |
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| 7. sudo vi /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist -> blacklist ndiswrapper (Do this if you had tried ndiswrapper) | 7. sudo vi /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf -> blacklist ndiswrapper (Do this if you had tried ndiswrapper) |
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| This downloads and installs a non-free binary-only driver for the atheros chipset. You need to rebuild and reinstall the driver every time you update your kernel. | This will download and install a non-free, binary-only driver for the atheros chipset. You need to rebuild and reinstall the driver every time you update your kernel. |
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| __________________ | <<Anchor(KurianAlternative)>> = Method Using madwifi and ath_pci = The following method was described in the Ubuntu Forum thread [[http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1309072]]. Sections of this thread are quoted below. If you run into trouble, looking at the details of that thread may be helpful. Dr. P.J. Kurian posted the following information (edited here): Hi guys! In this thread you will find the instructions for installing the ''madwifi'' drivers for Atheros wireless cards. Please follow the instructions exactly. Open the terminal by navigating through Applications-->Accessories--> Terminal. Now type the following commands in the terminal window: {{{ sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list }}} Now uncomment anything in that file that starts with '''deb''' by changing it from '''#deb''' to '''deb''' or something along those lines. To exit and save your changes, hit ''CTRL+X''. Then answer "YES" to "Do you want to save?" and hit ''ENTER''. Now type the following commands: {{{ sudo -i apt-get update && apt-get upgrade apt-get install build-essential libssl-dev linux-headers-`uname -r` subversion svn checkout http://svn.madwifi-project.org/madwifi/trunk/ madwifi-ng cat >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf << END #Remove To Install MadWIFI Drivers blacklist ath9k blacklist ath5k END cd madwifi-ng make && make install echo ath_hal >> /etc/modules echo ath_pci >> /etc/modules }}} Restart your machine. Your wireless connection should work now. optional: I use '''wicd''' to connect to the wireless modem. To install '''wicd''' type the following commands in a terminal window: {{{ sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install wicd }}} == Warning about kernel updates == Kernel updates of your system will kill your driver, so you'll need to recompile it. Type the command {{{sudo -i}}} into a terminal window and just repeat the last three steps. Your '''madwifi''' will come back to life. == Additional step for kernel 2.6.32.22 and later == Kernel 2.6.32.22 changed the default for the '''rfkill''' parameter of '''ath_pci''' from '''0''' to '''1''', which had the effect of killing the methods described above. You'll need to make sure that it's set back to '''0''' on system startup. To do that, edit (or create) the file '''/etc/modprobe.d/options.conf''' to include the line {{{ options ath_pci rfkill=0 }}} Your wireless should work after you reboot. (Edited 2010-05-15 to remove advertising spam links) |
Built-in drivers/modules, tested only on Intrepid
Also works on Karmic - see below
If the method described in this section doesn't work for you, try the alternate method using ''madwifi'' and ''ath_pci'' described below.
Look for the ath5k module, located in the package linux-backports-modules-intrepid. Install the package using either Synaptic or apt-get, and make sure it is activated on System/Administration/Hardware Drivers.
Note: For 9.10 substitute linux-backports-modules-karmic,
Follow the steps below only if ath5k module did not work. This may be the result of a conflict with either ath_hal or ath_pci, or ath5k might be blacklisted somewhere. So:
1) Hit "alt+f2" to run a command and type:
gksudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
And add the following lines to the bottom of the file:
blacklist ath_hal blacklist ath_pci
Reboot. If it's still not working than it is very likely you have ath5k being blacklisted somewhere. Blacklisting may have occurred if you are coming from a Hardy upgrade and/or did not uninstall the madwifi driver before doing this. So try the following, but Be Extremely Careful - this next command opens nautilus with root privileges, which can change and/or damage any file on the system.
2) Hit "alt+f2" to run a command and type:
gksudo nautilus
And navigate to
/etc/modprobe.d
Now check each and every file for a line that looks like:
blacklist ath5k
And just add a "#" character at the beginning of the line, thus commenting it. You might probably find this case on a file named "madwifi".
2.1) Alternatively, to quickly find where ath5k is being blacklisted, you can open a terminal (Applications/Accessories/Terminal) and type:
grep -r "ath5k" /etc/modprobe.d/
Just remember you need to just comment lines that have "blacklist ath5k".
This solution is based on this thread on the forums: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=6089169
If after all the above you see a network but cannot connect
You might want to try changing the WPA Supplicant on your network manager to wext. On wicd it's the first option when you go into Preferences.
If after everything you don't see your network
Remember that you might be trying to connect to an access point that is not broadcasting its name (hidden SSID), which is a separate issue and can be checked by enabling SSID broadcast on the access point.
Manually installed drivers
sudo lshw -C network
I found the following things helpful:
1) https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/182489
(Synopsis: Add the following line: blacklist ath_pci to the /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf file and reboot. If you are running an up-to-date Hardy, this should enable the free/libre ath5k driver.)
2) http://madwifi-project.org/ticket/1192
(Synopsis: 0. Connect to wired network and install build-essential (sudo apt-get install build-essential) 1. wget http://snapshots.madwifi-project.org/madwifi-hal-0.10.5.6-current.tar.gz 2. tar -zxvf madwifi-hal-0.10.5.6-current.tar.gz 3. cd madwifi-hal-0.10.5.6-r* 4. sudo make 5. sudo make install 6. System -> Administration -> Hardware Drivers -> Uncheck both hal and Atheros support 7. sudo vi /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf -> blacklist ndiswrapper (Do this if you had tried ndiswrapper) This will download and install a non-free, binary-only driver for the atheros chipset. You need to rebuild and reinstall the driver every time you update your kernel.
3) The wireless LED on my laptop does not work in linux. I may have pressed the wireless button while troubleshooting and turned off wireless without knowing it. So while fiddling around, I may have installed the right driver but not known it.
Method Using madwifi and ath_pci
The following method was described in the Ubuntu Forum thread http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1309072. Sections of this thread are quoted below. If you run into trouble, looking at the details of that thread may be helpful.
Dr. P.J. Kurian posted the following information (edited here):
Hi guys! In this thread you will find the instructions for installing the madwifi drivers for Atheros wireless cards. Please follow the instructions exactly.
Open the terminal by navigating through Applications-->Accessories--> Terminal.
Now type the following commands in the terminal window:
sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list
Now uncomment anything in that file that starts with deb by changing it from #deb to deb or something along those lines. To exit and save your changes, hit CTRL+X. Then answer "YES" to "Do you want to save?" and hit ENTER.
Now type the following commands:
sudo -i apt-get update && apt-get upgrade apt-get install build-essential libssl-dev linux-headers-`uname -r` subversion svn checkout http://svn.madwifi-project.org/madwifi/trunk/ madwifi-ng cat >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf << END #Remove To Install MadWIFI Drivers blacklist ath9k blacklist ath5k END cd madwifi-ng make && make install echo ath_hal >> /etc/modules echo ath_pci >> /etc/modules
Restart your machine. Your wireless connection should work now.
optional: I use wicd to connect to the wireless modem. To install wicd type the following commands in a terminal window:
sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install wicd
Warning about kernel updates
Kernel updates of your system will kill your driver, so you'll need to recompile it. Type the command sudo -i into a terminal window and just repeat the last three steps. Your madwifi will come back to life.
Additional step for kernel 2.6.32.22 and later
Kernel 2.6.32.22 changed the default for the rfkill parameter of ath_pci from 0 to 1, which had the effect of killing the methods described above. You'll need to make sure that it's set back to 0 on system startup. To do that, edit (or create) the file /etc/modprobe.d/options.conf to include the line
options ath_pci rfkill=0
Your wireless should work after you reboot.
(Edited 2010-05-15 to remove advertising spam links)