[ILUG] Wireless card question

[Padraig Kitterick]

Hanafin, Jenny wrote:
> Hi guys,
> 
> Now that I've got my linux boot up and running again (many thanks for suggestions, in the end I reinstalled, will be much more careful about watching online updates in future) I'm trying to finally get my wireless card working. I'm using Opensuse 10.3 on a dual-boot Dell machine with an Intel Pro 3945ABG wireless card. I'm a noobie to linux admin, so finding this networking stuff a bit of a black box at the moment. Please bear with me!
> 
> So, the following IPW3945 software (according to YAST) is installed:
> 
> ipw-firmware (card firmware)
> ipw3945-kmp-bigsmp (kernel module)
> ipw3945d (regulatory daemon)
> iwlwifi-kmp-bigsmp (intel wifi drivers)
> 
> So I'm guessing that the software is there and ready to go.
> 
> lsmod gives a 'ipw3945 208676 1' entry
> lspci also has an 'Intel corporation PRO/wireless 3945abg' entry
> 
> So the system is seeing the card, and recognising it. But it's still not working.
> 
> I've done a modprobe ipw3945, didn't seem to help.
> 
> I can't see an ipw3945 in the /lib/modules/2.6.22.17-0.1-bigsmp/source/drivers/net/wireless directory, is that where I should be looking? Is that where modprobe looks? Can someone explain how modprobe works a little bit and maybe I can figure it out?
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Jen

Try checking the logs to see if the hardware is causing the driver to be 
loaded automatically or if its only being loaded when you modprobe, e.g.

cat /var/log/syslog | grep -i ipw3945 -A 4 -B 4

The '-A 4 -B 4' will show you the 4 lines before and after any line 
containing 'ipw3945'. Also check what netword devices the kernel is 
seeing with:

cat /proc/net/wireless
cat /proc/net/dev

It may be your wireless card is up and running, just not configured...

Padraig