[SOLVED] another netbook wireless problem

[rfakhrai]

Re: another netbook wireless problem

Those are thorough instructions. It's not very difficult at all. Just make sure you do it in the sequence described. And I'm willing to bet that your problem will be fixed.

fingers crossed

[oldgeek]

Re: another netbook wireless problem

Well, I'm stuck at 57%. A look at the details shows that the process is stuck with firmware-b43-installer. I tried to install this the other day, as per forum instructions in another thread, but it got stuck and didn't complete. Perhaps that is part of the problem. Sigh.

[Teunis]

Re: another netbook wireless problem

Yes that could very well be, you'll need a driver.

Have you tried installing it via the konsole and if so, do you get an error?

[wizard10000]

Re: another netbook wireless problem

Well, I'm stuck at 57%. A look at the details shows that the process is stuck with firmware-b43-installer. I tried to install this the other day, as per forum instructions in another thread, but it got stuck and didn't complete. Perhaps that is part of the problem. Sigh.

You already *have* a driver installed otherwise iwlist wouldn't have seen your wireless network - or anybody else's.

[oldgeek]

Re: another netbook wireless problem

And therein lies the problem, I believe. I tried to install wicd again, but was told it couldn't find the package lock. Well, I remembered that one way to solve that problem was to type in 'sudo dpkg --configure -a' so I did that, and this is what came up:

steve@steve-Ideapad-S10-3s:~$ sudo dpkg --configure -a
[sudo] password for steve:
Setting up libnotify1 (0.5.0-2ubuntu1) ...
Setting up libxres1 (2:1.0.5-1) ...
Setting up libglade2-0 (1:2.6.4-1build1) ...
Setting up python-wicd (1.7.0+ds1-6) ...
Setting up python-glade2 (2.22.0-0ubuntu1.1) ...
Setting up wicd-daemon (1.7.0+ds1-6) ...
* Starting Network connection manager wicd [fail]
Setting up libcanberra-gtk0 (0.28-0ubuntu3) ...
Setting up libwnck-common (1:2.30.6-0ubuntu3) ...
Setting up python-notify (0.1.1-2build4) ...
Setting up libwnck22 (1:2.30.6-0ubuntu3) ...
Setting up firmware-b43-installer (4.150.10.5-5) ...
--2011-07-30 20:36:59-- http://mirror2.openwrt.org/sources/b...0.10.5.tar.bz2
Resolving mirror2.openwrt.org... 1.0.0.0
Connecting to mirror2.openwrt.org|1.0.0.0|:80...

Does this help?

[rfakhrai]

Re: another netbook wireless problem

Does it just hang at that point?

[oldgeek]

Re: another netbook wireless problem

No, it just keeps looking around for the program on other addresses. Last time I did this I let it run out for quite a while, but it was unable to find anything downloadable. The point is, if I have a working wireless card, do I really need the b-43 installation? And just what is the b-43? Sounds like something predating a B-52! Why won't it let me install wicd? And why won't Kubuntu automatically connect my netbook to wireless, like Windows 7 does? Seems like a pretty basic task to me, yet look at how much trouble I've had trying to get it to work. Anyway, thanks to both of you who have tried to help me.

[Teunis]

Re: another netbook wireless problem

You know this "firmware-b43-installer" is part of the wifi driver that supports your Broadcom card, I mean, it’s pretty obvious from the description in the package manager.

Wizard10000 had a very interesting remark, as your computer is able to see and use the wifi card there should be no further need to install "firmware-b43-installer". You proved it with the "sudo iwlist eth2 scan" command.

From my experience installing wicd does not cause the installation of such drivers as part or condition of it's own installation.

So I assume this is a stale or uncompleted/ incomplete installation that is waiting for completion.
Have a look in the package manager what the status of this package is and when needed uninstall it.

Another trick that might be useful is to first give the "sudo dpkg --configure -a", "sudo apt-get autoclean" and "sudo apt-get update" commands to make sure you start with a clean slate.

[oldgeek]

Re: another netbook wireless problem

So far I have been unable to 'sudo dpkg --configure -a' to clean up my digital mess--it keeps trying to install firmware-b43-installer (it's on its 4th try at the moment) and I can't seem to get rid of the damn thing. This problem also keeps me from updating, as it locks up dpkg. By the way, wicd seems to be installed correctly on my system, as the icon is there and so is my connection, and I've been able to play with it a little bit. I uninstalled the knw packages (I think I have, at any rate--I've been reading that there might be an extra step I'm missing), but cannot connect to internet with just the wireless, even though the icons indicate that I am connected. When I uninstalled the knw stuff, it stopped at 75%, in order to--you guessed it--try to install the infamous k43. This is driving me up a wall, as k43 seems to be messing everything up yet I can't seem to abort the process. It's now on its 9th try to connect, and I don't know what to do any more.

[Snowhog]

Re: another netbook wireless problem

Read this post by GreyGeek. If you in fact has Wicd fully installed (go on the assumption that you do), then ensure that all the networkmanager packages listed are in fact removed.

[oldgeek]

Re: another netbook wireless problem

I'm not sure how I did this, but the wireless and wicd are now working, and I'm replying to this post without any wires attached. I let the k43 attempts go on until it gave up, then ran autoclean and the other recommended command, re-booted, played around with settings, and now it works. Thanks to all who have responded to my original post.

[rfakhrai]

Re: [SOLVED] another netbook wireless problem

Great!

It's weird but, more often than not, wicd seems to solve my wireless problems. Glad we could help.

[oldgeek]

Re: [SOLVED] another netbook wireless problem

It's also weird to see how many people have read both my thread and all the other wireless threads. There is obviously a major problem here that Kubuntu programmers have yet to solve. WICD seems to work better than KNM, so why does Kubuntu insist on a program which doesn't function properly? If Kubuntu is to be an attractive alternative to Windows 7, it must at least be able to connect a laptop or netbook to a wireless connection without all the rigamarole I had to go through. I like to solve problems, and am on vacation and can spend the time necessary to get my wireless working, but not everybody will have the patience to do what it takes to make Kubuntu user-friendly. On the other hand, it's nice that people try to help. I've recurred to this forum various times for specific problems, and I've always been directed to the right solution. That's support.

[rfakhrai]

Re: [SOLVED] another netbook wireless problem

I can't disagree with you. But I definitely recognize the challenge that devs face integrating drivers for many different wireless hardware manufacturers. You summed it up well, though:

...it's nice that people try to help. I've recurred to this forum various times for specific problems, and I've always been directed to the right solution. That's support.

[wizard10000]

Re: [SOLVED] another netbook wireless problem

It's also weird to see how many people have read both my thread and all the other wireless threads. There is obviously a major problem here that Kubuntu programmers have yet to solve. WICD seems to work better than KNM, so why does Kubuntu insist on a program which doesn't function properly?

KNM is supposed to be fixed in KDE 4.7 - I installed 4.7 the other day but haven't been brave enough to pitch wicd and try it