Internet Connection Problems

[Jerry Feldman]

On 05/06/2009 02:37 AM, Randy Cole wrote:
> I'm having problems connecting to hidden wpa* networks.  If it is
> broadcasting it's SSID, there is no problem.  Also, when moving my
> laptop from one wireless network to another, it often won't connect
> without rebooting.  We're talking "Broadcom Corporation BCM4312
> 802.11b/g (rev 01)"
>  =20
As I mentioned, I connect very reliably. Had no problem connecting at=20
Jones Rd. (although I seem to drop the connection and have to reconnect).=

Work and home are WPA/PSK. I too have a broadcom chip
02:02.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4311 [AirForce 54g]=20
802.11a/b/g PCI Express Transceiver (rev 02)
[    2.251948] b43-pci-bridge 0000:02:02.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 22 (level,=20
low) -> IRQ 22
[   18.161111] b43-phy0: Broadcom 4318 WLAN found
[   45.956217] input: b43-phy0 as /devices/virtual/input/input8
[   46.048057] b43 ssb0:0: firmware: requesting b43/ucode5.fw
[   46.184539] b43 ssb0:0: firmware: requesting b43/pcm5.fw
[   46.343480] b43 ssb0:0: firmware: requesting b43/b0g0initvals5.fw
[   46.486375] b43 ssb0:0: firmware: requesting b43/b0g0bsinitvals5.fw
[   46.660049] b43-phy0: Loading firmware version 410.2160 (2007-05-26=20
15:32:10)
[   46.700461] Registered led device: b43-phy0::tx
[   46.700485] Registered led device: b43-phy0::rx
[   46.700507] Registered led device: b43-phy0::radio
[   46.724121] b43-phy0: Radio turned on by software

iwconfig:
eth1      IEEE 802.11bg  ESSID:"AlgoNet"=20
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.437 GHz  Access Point:=20
00:13:10:62:34:FC =20
          Bit Rate=3D54 Mb/s   Tx-Power=3D20 dBm =20
          Retry min limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr=3D2352 B =20
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality=3D119/100  Signal level:-38 dBm  Noise level=3D-71=
 dBm
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

Note that I am using the native Broadcom driver with firmware that (on=20
Ubuntu) is installed by b43-fwcutter. When I had SuSE installed on that=20
laptop, I had to get the firmware from the Windows .sys file.

Occasionally, it does not see the hidden network. I think that Jarod=20
Wilson may have commented that hiding the ssid does not provide any=20
security.

However, I had some issues on older versions of Ubuntu, but the last 2=20
versions have been very solid. You saw that I was connected to Microsoft =

Guest last night and when I cam into my office this morning, turned on=20
the laptop and immediately acquired the connection. We have an old=20
Linksys WRT54G that some other company discarded here at the Regus center=
=2E=20
One issue I've seen here is that we see 24 wireless networks up here,=20
and I've occasionally grabbed one of them. Usually simply running the=20
iwconfig command:
'sudo iwconfig eth1 essid "AlgoNet"' fixes the problem, but 99% of the=20
time Network Manager is able to successfully connect.


--=20
Jerry Feldman <gaf-mNDKBlG2WHs at public.gmane.org>
Boston Linux and Unix
PGP key id: 537C5846
PGP Key fingerprint: 3D1B 8377 A3C0 A5F2 ECBB  CA3B 4607 4319 537C 5846