Wireless and Linux always seem to have trouble getting along.

Discussion in 'all things UNIX' started by cheater87, Jan 28, 2010.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. cheater87

    cheater87 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    Posts:
    3,289
    Location:
    Pennsylvania.
    I have a feeling its my wireless card in my new laptop. The wifi keeps disconnecting at times. The Dell laptop I have I don't remember the last time the wifi dropped but the newer one it seems to do it alot with Mint and Ubuntu. Is this a Linux thing with wifi and it not getting along or a wireless card issue?
     
  2. NormanF

    NormanF Registered Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2009
    Posts:
    2,872
    Wireless support in Linux is quite good. It may be a problem with signal losing strength and that can happen on a Windows, Mac or Linux computer. Linux will support most Atheros and Broadcomm based wireless cards today, OOTB.
     
  3. cheater87

    cheater87 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    Posts:
    3,289
    Location:
    Pennsylvania.
    Well I am 2 rooms away but the signal should not deteriorate that much from such a short distance.
     
  4. GlobalForce

    GlobalForce Regular Poster

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2004
    Posts:
    3,581
    Location:
    Garden State, USA
    Which (sans screenshot) card ya got there Cheater?
     
  5. cheater87

    cheater87 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    Posts:
    3,289
    Location:
    Pennsylvania.
    How can I tell? Right now its been over a day and It has not gone out on me yet. *Knocks on wood*.
     
  6. chronomatic

    chronomatic Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2009
    Posts:
    1,343
    Code:
    sudo lshw
    You will have to scroll through the text until you find the wireless card info.
     
  7. cheater87

    cheater87 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    Posts:
    3,289
    Location:
    Pennsylvania.
    product: AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express)
    vendor: Atheros Communications Inc.
     
  8. chronomatic

    chronomatic Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2009
    Posts:
    1,343
    According to google, that card can be problematic. There are other Mint users complaining that they are getting weak signals with it.

    At any rate, I found this thread on the Mint forums. I would try the advice given by the poster known as "Remoulder." First try installing the backports. if that doesn't work, then try compiling the newest packages manually. This post on the Ubuntu forums also discusses how to install them manually (but the instructions are also at the wireless.kernel.org site I linked to first).
     
  9. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2005
    Posts:
    5,554
    Location:
    USA still the best. But barely.
    I'd try LiveCDs. Specifically OpenSuse & PCLOS. Amazingly I have no WiFi problems with these 2 distros.
     
  10. Beavenburt

    Beavenburt Registered Member

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2006
    Posts:
    566
    Have you tried ndiswrapper and loaded up the windows driver?

    I used to have no end of troubles on a Dell inspiron with a Broadcom card. Was a nightmare to get up and running and then when it was up would continually drop connection and not reconnect, so would have the whole sorry procedure to go through again. Tried distro after distro, not one would keep a connection. In the end I thought this just isn't happening, stick with Windows. As much as I love linux and I really wouldn't want anyone to give up on it, in certain circumstances it's not worth the hassle.
     
  11. cheater87

    cheater87 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    Posts:
    3,289
    Location:
    Pennsylvania.
    Did what Remoulder said in his post. Hope it works.
     
  12. cheater87

    cheater87 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    Posts:
    3,289
    Location:
    Pennsylvania.
    NDISwrapper finds nothing. 0_0 Can I switch wireless cards in a laptop?
     
  13. cheater87

    cheater87 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    Posts:
    3,289
    Location:
    Pennsylvania.
    Internet connection is A LOT better. :D *Crosses fingers* haha
     
  14. chronomatic

    chronomatic Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2009
    Posts:
    1,343
    So you successfully compiled and installed the new drivers? Not bad for a newb!
     
  15. cheater87

    cheater87 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    Posts:
    3,289
    Location:
    Pennsylvania.
    I typed in what it said and it downloaded some stuff and installed it and then said done. Wasn't that hard.
     
  16. cheater87

    cheater87 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    Posts:
    3,289
    Location:
    Pennsylvania.
    Just wondering does that command work with all Linux distros such as Ubuntu or just Mint?
     
  17. Kerodo

    Kerodo Registered Member

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2004
    Posts:
    8,013
    If it works with Mint, then it should work with Ubuntu as well.
     
  18. cheater87

    cheater87 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    Posts:
    3,289
    Location:
    Pennsylvania.
    Thanks. :)
     
  19. cheater87

    cheater87 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    Posts:
    3,289
    Location:
    Pennsylvania.
    I typed it in Ubuntu and got this. dan@dan-laptop:~$ sudo apt-get install lunux-backports-modules-karmic
    [sudo] password for dan:
    Reading package lists... Done
    Building dependency tree
    Reading state information... Done
    E: Couldn't find package lunux-backports-modules-karmic
    dan@dan-laptop:~$
     
  20. wat0114

    wat0114 Guest

    You mean Linux-backports... right ;) Otherwise you might have to enable one of the other repositories.
     
  21. cheater87

    cheater87 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    Posts:
    3,289
    Location:
    Pennsylvania.
    Crap haha didn't see that typo. Got it working now. :D
     
  22. JConLine

    JConLine Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2009
    Posts:
    108
    Another wireless problem easily overlooked is having one's computer in close proximity to to a cordless phone. I have a cordless phone close to my laptop and if I use it, it interferes with my wireless connection.

    I have an Atheros wireless adapter and I use Mint and have absolutely no other problems.

    Jim
     
  23. cheater87

    cheater87 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    Posts:
    3,289
    Location:
    Pennsylvania.
    Cordless phones don't interfere with it anymore after entering that. Only thing that annoys me is I have to type this in every time I install Ubuntu or Mint on this laptop. :p
     
  24. cheater87

    cheater87 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    Posts:
    3,289
    Location:
    Pennsylvania.
    What will I have to type in to get it to work in 10.04?
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.