Someone please help me get my wireless working!

mpj88 · 30 Apr 2011 at 10:53

Hi, to start off with i'm pretty much a complete noob at ubuntu! I have installed the latest beta version of ubuntu on my 13" netbook. However the wireless no longer works. I have no option to search for networks etc. Can someone tell me what i need to do? Tried to find the ubuntu alternative of device manager with no joy!

If i cant get this working soon I'll prob have to go back to windows

Thanks in advance

EDIT: I have now installed Mint and having the same issue. Also tried running 10.04.2 from a usb with no joy. I have a reatek RTL8187se wireless card

shine · 30 Apr 2011 at 10:56

I think wireless is broken in the latest release, there's some discussion here:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18269160

mpj88 · 30 Apr 2011 at 10:59

Ah ok, so should i revert to the latest stable release? Not just me being stupid then!

masterluke · 30 Apr 2011 at 13:04

Wireless isnt broken in general with natty. Works fine here. These is a kernel bug which stops certain atheros based wireless cards from functioning. Do you know what wireless chipset your netbook uses? What netbook is it?

mpj88 · 30 Apr 2011 at 13:08

I dont unfortuntley. Its a KIRF (fake macbook air!) from china so could be anything! Anyway of me finding out through ubuntu?

I'm in the process of downloading mint incase i cant get this working!

masterluke · 30 Apr 2011 at 13:11

whats the output of "sudo lspci"

mpj88 · 30 Apr 2011 at 13:18

masterluke said:
whats the output of "sudo lspci"

mpj88 · 30 Apr 2011 at 13:41

Am i right in thinking that if they don't work running from USB it wont making any difference installing it on the drive? Just tried Mint 10 and ubuntu 10.04.2 and neither of these displayed any wifi networks when running from a usb stick.

masterluke · 30 Apr 2011 at 14:24

Thats correct.. a fresh install would be same as a livecd.

Looks like it is seeing your wireless which is a realtek RTL8187se.

Whats the output of "sudo iwconfig" ?

EDIT - some wireless cards need a keyboard combination to get the wireless radio turned on. Does yours?

mpj88 · 30 Apr 2011 at 14:27

masterluke said:
Thats correct.. a fresh install would be same as a livecd.

Looks like it is seeing your wireless which is a realtek RTL8187se.

Whats the output of "sudo iwconfig" ?

mpj88 · 30 Apr 2011 at 14:30

Thats in Mint as you can tell, hope it doesn't make a difference!

Yes my keyboard does have that key but pressing it doesnt seem to do anything at all.

russ0r · 30 Apr 2011 at 14:36

Make sure it's enabled in the BIOS too!

masterluke · 30 Apr 2011 at 14:42

Wierd it appears to be working.. what do you get from..

sudo iwlist wlan0 scan

mpj88 · 30 Apr 2011 at 14:45

masterluke said:
sudo iwlist wlan0 scan

"wlan0 No scan results"

russ0r said:
Make sure it's enabled in the BIOS too!

Will reboot and check this. However it was fine in windows so dont know how it would have disbled itself!

EDIT: No option to disable in BIOS

mpj88 · 30 Apr 2011 at 15:52

Tried installing windows drivers in Mint but no joy

And i may have now made it worse! sudo iwconfig no longer show wlan0! argh!