• Toolz
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Topic: [solved] WPA2 networks not connecting with Eee 901

There are a bunch of threads here regarding issues with WPA2 networks but I don't think any describe the problem here. I can't connect to any WPA2 networks. This is default Crunchbang 9.04. It tries and tries then just asks for password again. If you show password it's a long string of characters. This is on a Eee 901. Crunchbang can connect to same network fine on my HP laptop.

Eeebuntu and Mint fail in the same way. I'm typing this from Mint on the HP connected to the WPA2 network. I was thinking changing to the array.org kernel might help but seeing that Eeebuntu is having problems I suppose it won't.

Moblin managed to connect, Slitaz doesn't, and I could possibly try something non-Ubuntu like Mandriva or PCLinuxOS to see if they connect.

Last edited by Toolz (2009-07-16 12:51:18)

  • From: UK
  • Registered: 2009-04-07
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Re: [solved] WPA2 networks not connecting with Eee 901

@Toolz
FWIW, I also have an Asus 901 and with Crunchee 8.10.02  I could never get either WPA or WPA2 to even appear as options (just WEP) using Network Manager. It was only when I changed to wicd that it worked perfectly.

I installed Crunchbang 9.04.01 yesterday (using ubuntu mini CD and the crunchbang script) and had the same issue. Changing to wicd fixed it again. (Although I am using WPA not WPA2). So, worth a try?

Incidentally none of my F-keys work. Bit disappointing. Off to see if I can install el-murito or similar.
Dave

Last edited by davesurrey (2009-07-09 08:34:49)

  • Toolz
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Re: [solved] WPA2 networks not connecting with Eee 901

Ok I'll stick Wicd on there... Hopefully the job will complete without requiring wired access. I've heard using Wicd means it's going to be more difficult connecting to the net with a bluetooth modem in future?

  • Toolz
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Re: [solved] WPA2 networks not connecting with Eee 901

I'm surprised Wicd doesn't connect either. It spends a long time on the 'Validating authentication...' part then gives up.

  • From: UK
  • Registered: 2009-04-07
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Re: [solved] WPA2 networks not connecting with Eee 901

Toolz,
Yes I believe it's a weakness of wicd that it doesn't support Bluetooth.

Is it possible for you to try WPA rather than WPA2, although this may be grasping at straws?
Have you tried using un-encrypted to test it really is an encryption issue?

Just a thought.
Cheers
Dave

  • Toolz
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Re: [solved] WPA2 networks not connecting with Eee 901

Bad news, with Wicd I couldn't even connect to an open AP. And Mandriva couldn't connect to the WPA2 AP ... so far a grand total of one distro, Moblin can get the Eee 901 to connect to the WPA2 AP here. I can't really play with the AP as it isn't mine. [I must stress that of course they have provided me with the login.]

Any Eee 901 owners out there connecting successfully to WPA2 or WPA APs? This machine has been connecting to open APs all year - last protected one was six months ago when it had Xandros on - I don't know if it was WEP or WPA. For the foreseeable future I'm relying on this WPA2 AP for most of my work.

  • From: UK
  • Registered: 2009-04-07
  • Posts: 31

Re: [solved] WPA2 networks not connecting with Eee 901

@Toolz

Any Eee 901 owners out there connecting successfully to WPA2 or WPA APs

Well as I said above I am successfully connecting using WPA (not tried WPA2) here and I can also connect using WPA at my partner's house. I confirm this is with an eee901 and using Wicd. Apart from installing wicd I have done nothing else to wifi except input the pass-phrase.
It also recognises all the neighbouring wpa, wpa2, wep and even an un-protected AP nearby. Needless to say I have not attempted to connect to any of these.
HTH
Dave

  • From: France, but living in Prague
  • Registered: 2009-04-13
  • Posts: 222

Re: [solved] WPA2 networks not connecting with Eee 901

Hello,

even after having installed wicd, when I use openbox menu and click on network settings, network manager window appears...
second thing in autostart.sh still is active the line asking to activate network manager.

Can these 2 points have an effect to wicd efficency and for example the problem above no connection on securised wireless?

Adrien

  • From: UK
  • Registered: 2009-04-07
  • Posts: 31

Re: [solved] WPA2 networks not connecting with Eee 901

On my working install (see above) the network settings window still exists although I've been recommended to just ignore it.
Also autostart.sh still has the line regarding network manager but whether it is commented out or not makes no difference.
So neither of these two things stops my 901 working with wicd.
I understand that an install of wicd should automatically un-install the nm-applet.
HTH
Dave

  • Kuno
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Re: [solved] WPA2 networks not connecting with Eee 901

Toolz wrote:

Bad news, with Wicd I couldn't even connect to an open AP. And Mandriva couldn't connect to the WPA2 AP ... so far a grand total of one distro, Moblin can get the Eee 901 to connect to the WPA2 AP here. I can't really play with the AP as it isn't mine. [I must stress that of course they have provided me with the login.]

Any Eee 901 owners out there connecting successfully to WPA2 or WPA APs? This machine has been connecting to open APs all year - last protected one was six months ago when it had Xandros on - I don't know if it was WEP or WPA. For the foreseeable future I'm relying on this WPA2 AP for most of my work.

Yes, i´m connected to our Office-WPA2 atm with my EEE901 (9.04) through nm-applet (no wicd) . Though I´m using the array-org kernel and installed elmurato´s scripts. Never had any issues....

  • From: UK
  • Registered: 2009-04-07
  • Posts: 31

Re: [solved] WPA2 networks not connecting with Eee 901

Hello Kuno,
Never been able to get WPA/WPA2 to work on my 901 with nm-applet but don't have array kernel nor elmurato.
One of these may be the missing link. But have you any idea which one of these may be the solution for getting wifi working with nm-applet and not wicd?
Thanks for any help you can give
Dave

Last edited by davesurrey (2009-07-10 14:09:17)

  • Toolz
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Re: [solved] WPA2 networks not connecting with Eee 901

Thanks for the feedback davesurrey and Kuno.

I should mention that yesterday before installing Wicd I installed the array.org kernel - no luck with that so maybe it's the elmurato that's worth checking out. This machine doesn't belong to me and currently it's off doing exams - should get more time to play around tomorrow.

Tried Mandriva KDE and Gnome live USB: both connected on my laptop; both couldn't connect on Eee 901. Should make clear that through all these tests that the 901 can *see* the networks - just cannot connect.

Thanks again.

  • Kuno
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Re: [solved] WPA2 networks not connecting with Eee 901

Sorry, but i fear i can't help so much...  roll

If i remember correctly, it was the array-org-kernel, that did the trick for me, when installing Cruncheee 8.10 first. Updated to 9.04 either via update-manager or by installing the unofficial 9.04-iso without reformatting (thus keeping my old home-directory and settings). Frankly said: I don't know anymore, how i did the upgrade, but as said, not problems with wifi-connections. Only elmuratos scripts don't work completely in 9.04: trayicon is broken and there is no On Screen Display for the volume-keys anymore.

I hope, you get that sorted out, because i know it works for me - and Crunchbang is truely best, that happend to my 901.

  • Toolz
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Re: [solved] WPA2 networks not connecting with Eee 901

There's another with same experiences on a MSI Wind here:
http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/post/27118/

MSI Wind has a Ralink rt2700e; Eee 901 has a Ralink rt2860ste

I just tried CrunchEee 8.10.02 on the Eee 901 and guess what, yes it *can* connect to the WPA2 network.

(Gparted can connect too.)

  • From: Hamburg, Germany
  • Registered: 2009-06-10
  • Posts: 41

Re: [solved] WPA2 networks not connecting with Eee 901

Yes the WPA connect works great, does it with 8.10 and after update to 9.04 too. WEP is forbidden by AP though security reasons, i use the gnome-network-manager by default cause it manages the huawei perfectly. WLAN driver is the ath_5k what runs great in kismet-ng, i use the ubuntu ppa acpi scripts for the eee.

  • Toolz
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Re: [solved] WPA2 networks not connecting with Eee 901

Solution was found by timt in the thread linked above. Looks like most fairly recent distros can't connect to certain WPA networks with Ralink 2700/2800 cards. CrunchEee 8.10 and Ubuntu 9.10 don't have the problem but anything based on Jaunty does. The latest Mandriva, Slitaz and xPud too.

Moblin, Parted Magic and OpenSolaris connect fine on this Eee 901.

The solution is documented well here:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1110957
Problem is documented here:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+sour … bug/339891

It's easy to fix on any Jaunty-based distro with normal kernel. Specifically:

1) Get the driver from:
http://www.array.org/ubuntu/dists/intre … .1_all.deb

2) Find preinstalled driver under:
/lib/modules/<kernel version>/kernel/drivers/staging/rt2860/
and rename - eg: rt2860sta.ko to rt2860sta.bak - so it doesn't get loaded.

3) Make sure you have the following installed: a) build-essential, b) dkms, c) linux-headers-generic

4) Install rt2860-dkms_1.7.1.1_all.deb you downloaded.

5) Restart.

I couldn't get this to work under Eeebuntu. It has the array.org kernel so I installed linux-headers-netbook instead of linux-headers-generic but still no luck.

There's a much more involved looking fix that might be applied more generally here:
http://www.ayetea.com/updating-the-rt82 … ource.html

Crunchbang's now fine though. Thanks all.

Last edited by Toolz (2009-07-16 12:54:16)

  • Registered: 2009-08-18
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Re: [solved] WPA2 networks not connecting with Eee 901

Sadly, Toolz's walkthrough worked for my desktop PCI Encore ENLWI-N running 9.04. Thank you!

  • Toolz
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Re: [solved] WPA2 networks not connecting with Eee 901

^^ Not quite sure how to parse the above. roll

Anyway, I'm very pleased to report that kernel 2.6.30 fixes this. smile

Not sure of any of the newer iterations worked - I'm using the first one - I tried 2.6.31 and that causes the Eee 901 to hang near the end of the boot process.

  • Yogi
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Re: [solved] WPA2 networks not connecting with Eee 901

I used the procedure detailled by Toolz and it worked perfectly on an EeePC 901A with 16GiB with a fresh install of CB9.04.01.

Asus EeePC 901A (16Gb SSD) - Statler Alpha 2-OpenBox