Install Wireless Drivers

Hi everyone.

English isn't my native language, so I hope it will be understandable.

So, I have an Asus EEEPC that I bought 3 years ago. The model is : Seashell Series 1015BX. After a long use with Seven Starter (I never changed anything on it) I decided to re-install it. But with a Linux like OS. A friend told me that Zorin will be easier for me, the OS being user friendly. He was right, it's easy to use for someone who don't know anything about Linux.

But I have a little problem. The Wireless Network card isn't installed. It's an AW-NE785H. I found the windows drivers on internet and used them with "Windows Wireless Drivers" ( Startup, System tools, Administration ). After trying to install the driver I have an error message telling me that the Module : ndiswrapper is'nt found. I went on the website and tried to install it, using ndisinstaller (Using the terminal and all) and when I choose the driver during the installation the installation crash.

So I'd like to have my wifi card online again but i'm lost. Can someone help me or give me an hint ? Thanks.

Your best bet is waiting for madvinegar, but in the meantime, try this:

1. connect your netbook with a network connection that is wired (does it have an ethernet port?) directly to your router.

2. Open synaptic package manager (Menu | System Tools | Administration | Synaptic Package Manager)

Once there, in the searchbox enter 'ndiswrapper'.

You will find two packages unticked:

ndiswrapper-dkms

and

ndiswrapper-source

Check them both for installation - then click on apply - you may need to reboot.

Keep us posted.

Could you please open terminal and post back the result of:

lspci -nnk | grep -iA2 net


Also, I have written a very detailed guide about ndiswrapper here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5008&p=23910&hilit=ndiswrapper#p23910

Hi again.

Thanks for the quick answer.

1) I went on the synaptic package manager and installed the package. Looks like I failed ^^'
Tried to add the drivers after. No changes. My Wifi card is still offline. (Like if deactivated it in the Windows material manager (Don't know the good name for it in English, sorry.)

2) I tried your guide, madvinegar (All hail SDFM btw), and when I go to look into the .inf folder, it's empty. No folder, nothing.

So, here is the Terminal log :

vanir@vanir-1015BX-1015BX:~$ lspci | grep -i net
01:00.0 Network controller: Qualcomm Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) (rev 01)
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Qualcomm Atheros AR8152 v2.0 Fast Ethernet (rev c1)

Looks like the info in the manual and on the computer aren't accurate. Well, could be me also. Like always : The problem is between the chair and the keyboard.

If you can keep helping me a bit, it will be great.

Please post back the result of

lspci -nnk | grep -iA2 net

vanir@vanir-1015BX-1015BX:~$ lspci -nnk | grep -iA2 net
01:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Qualcomm Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) [168c:002b] (rev 01)
Subsystem: AzureWave AW-NE785 / AW-NE785H 802.11bgn Wireless Full or Half-size Mini PCIe Card [1a3b:1089]
02:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Qualcomm Atheros AR8152 v2.0 Fast Ethernet [1969:2062] (rev c1)
Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:8468]
Kernel driver in use: atl1c

The wireless driver should be already included in the kernel.

What happens if you run:

Code:

sudo modprobe ath9k

Post also the results of:

Code:

lsmod | grep ath
sudo rfkill list all

Here we go :

vanir@vanir-1015BX-1015BX:~$ sudo modprobe ath9k
[sudo] password for vanir:
vanir@vanir-1015BX-1015BX:~$ lsmod | grep ath
ath9k 136257 0
ath9k_common 13619 1 ath9k
ath9k_hw 429197 2 ath9k_common,ath9k
ath 19187 3 ath9k_common,ath9k,ath9k_hw
mac80211 517444 1 ath9k
cfg80211 401762 3 ath,ath9k,mac80211
dm_multipath 22402 0
scsi_dh 14458 1 dm_multipath
vanir@vanir-1015BX-1015BX:~$ sudo rfkill list all
0: asus-wlan: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
1: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes
vanir@vanir-1015BX-1015BX:~$

As I said, according to my opinion, the drivers for your card are included in the kernel already. No need to install anything. Your wireless should be working out of the box.
However, the results of "rfkill list" show that your wireless is hard blocked. This means that it is off by a switch whether that switch is a button, a key combination (i.e. Fn+F2), or a setting in your BIOS that has to be set to "ON" or "Enabled".

See below:

vanir@vanir-1015BX-1015BX:~$ sudo rfkill list all
0: asus-wlan: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
1: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes

Check your BIOS settings for anything that refers to wireless and set it to "on". Also look for a switch or a key combination that will enable your wireless.

Finally, just for reference, run the following command:

Code:

sudo rfkill unblock all

and then post again here the result of:

Code:

sudo rfkill list all

Well, it was that. I did not thought about it because the key combinaison to activate it wasn't working (No switch on that PC). It seems that I forgot about windows keyboard drivers.

vanir@vanir-1015BX-1015BX:~$ sudo rfkill unblock all
[sudo] password for vanir:
vanir@vanir-1015BX-1015BX:~$ sudo rfkill list all
0: asus-wlan: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
vanir@vanir-1015BX-1015BX:~$

Looks like it works. Just got to find how to connect now. It shouldn't be hard and I think I will be able to manage. xD

Thanks for everything, you helped me a lot !

Hi can we marked this thread as [SOLVED]? It means I can give madvinegar another 60 blue jewels!