Atheros AR9285 - Mint 14 KDE 64

[Rudemeister]

I checked everywhere here and elsewhere and I'm baffled. I built a little Atom based PC with an Atheros mini-PCIe AR9285 wifi chip. I first installed Win7 on it. The wifi works great there. Then I installed Mint 14 KDE 64. I could not get the wifi working. So I plugged in the Ethernet cable and did all the updates. Then I unplugged the cable. It only saw 1 wireless network once. Then never saw another one and won't link to anything. I'm determined to get to the answer for this problem. But nothing has worked. As a matter of fact, win7 didn't work till I downloaded a new set of drivers. I'm thinking of using ndiswrapper with those drivers if I can't find another solution. I know these little cards are cheap too. So if somebody has a recommendation for another mini-PCIe wireless-n card, let me now. I can't afford to pull out anymore hair.

[karlchen]

Hello, Rudemaster.

I know this is not really an answer to your question. Yet, my Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) works perfectly well using the ath9k driver that comes with Ubuntu (which the Mint main editions are based on).
This is true for
+ Mint 13 32-bit, xfce desktop
+ Mint 14 32-bit, Cinnamon desktop
So am a bit undecided as to why the same wlan adapter should successfully fail for you ...

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inxi -Fx
System:    Host: unimatrix0 Kernel: 3.5.0-27-generic i686 (32 bit, gcc: 4.7.2) Desktop: Gnome Distro: Linux Mint 14 Nadia
Machine:   Mobo: N/A model: N/A Bios: American Megatrends version: 080015 date: 10/09/2009
CPU:       Dual core Intel Atom CPU 330 (-HT-MCP-) cache: 512 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 ssse3) bmips: 6399.6 
           Clock Speeds: 1: 1599.903 MHz 2: 1599.903 MHz 3: 1599.903 MHz 4: 1599.903 MHz
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA ION VGA bus-ID: 03:00.0 
           X.Org: 1.13.0 drivers: (unloaded: fbdev,vesa,nouveau) FAILED: nvidia Resolution: 1280x1024@60.0hz 
           GLX Renderer: ION/integrated/SSE2 GLX Version: 3.3.0 NVIDIA 304.88 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card: NVIDIA MCP79 High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:08.0 Sound: ALSA ver: 1.0.25
Network:   Card-1: Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) driver: ath9k bus-ID: 04:00.0
           IF: wlan0 state: up mac: 00:25:d3:eb:5e:c8
           Card-2: NVIDIA MCP79 Ethernet driver: forcedeth port: d080 bus-ID: 00:0a.0
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: 00:01:2e:2b:26:c2
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 167.8GB (6.4% used) 1: id: /dev/sda model: SAMSUNG_HM160HI size: 160.0GB 
           2: USB id: /dev/sdb model: Premium size: 7.8GB 
Partition: ID: / size: 48G used: 5.6G (13%) fs: ext4 ID: swap-1 size: 5.42GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap 
RAID:      No RAID devices detected - /proc/mdstat and md_mod kernel raid module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 81.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 0.0:58C 
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A 
Info:      Processes: 163 Uptime: 4 min Memory: 303.0/1761.4MB Runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.7.2 Client: Shell inxi: 1.8.4

As you can tell from the inxi output this a an Atom quadcore system.
Hm, it never occurred to me to try any 64-bit OS on this atomic power machine: 4 cores, but only 1.7 GB of RAM. Not sure whether 64-bit vs 32-bit makes the difference why my AR9285 works on Mint and yours does not.

Kind regards,
Karl

[paxri01]

I am also "successfully" using the AR9285 with ath9k on a netbook. I did have some initial issues with it detecting the wireless adapter until I rebooted after updates via wired Ethernet, with the wired interface unplugged. I am also running the 64bit distro, on this system. Performance via this wifi is a bit lackluster IMO.

I'm still reading up on the drivers from wireless kernel and may attempt the latest from here to hopefully improve performance: http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Dri ... h9k_driver

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System:    Host: netbook-01 Kernel: 3.5.0-17-generic x86_64 (64 bit, gcc: 4.7.2) Desktop: N/A Distro: Linux Mint 14 Nadia
Machine:   Mobo: Acer model: AO532h version: V1.17 Bios: Acer version: V1.17 date: 01/30/2010
CPU:       Single core Intel Atom CPU N450 (-HT-) cache: 512 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 ssse3) bmips: 3325.31 
           Clock Speeds: 1: 1666.00 MHz 2: 1000.00 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Atom Processor D4xx/D5xx/N4xx/N5xx Integrated Graphics Controller bus-ID: 00:02.0 
           X.Org: 1.13.0 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1024x600@60.1hz 
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel IGD GLX Version: 1.4 Mesa 9.0.3 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card: Intel NM10/ICH7 Family High Definition Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ver: 1.0.25
Network:   Card-1: Atheros AR8132 Fast Ethernet driver: atl1c ver: 1.0.1.0-NAPI port: 5000 bus-ID: 01:00.0
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: 70:5a:b6:32:75:9b
           Card-2: Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) driver: ath9k bus-ID: 02:00.0
           IF: wlan0 state: up mac: f0:7b:cb:03:af:16
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 80.0GB (10.1% used) 1: id: /dev/sda model: INTEL_SSDSA2M080 size: 80.0GB 
Partition: ID: / size: 73G used: 7.6G (11%) fs: ext4 ID: swap-1 size: 1.06GB used: 0.09GB (8%) fs: swap 
RAID:      No RAID devices detected - /proc/mdstat and md_mod kernel raid module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 49.0C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A 
Info:      Processes: 157 Uptime: 4:00 Memory: 561.9/984.6MB Runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.7.2 Client: Shell inxi: 1.8.4

Good luck!

[AlbertP]

You could try installing a newer driver version.

Please download a package with newer drivers here: https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel ... 3-2.tar.xz
After extracting the XZ file, go to the folder where you extracted it, right-click > Open in Terminal, then run these commands to install it:

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./scripts/driver-select ath9k
make
sudo make install

This is also worth a try on Atheros wifi (it mainly fixes slow connection speeds, but can also fix other issues):

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gksudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/ath9k.conf

(replace gedit by pluma on MATE)

In that text file please put:

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options ath9k nohwcrypt

Then save and reboot.

[bigj231]

I too use multiple AR9285's without any issues. I did have one that did not work under Linux, but I replaced it under warranty (it was constantly dropping connections and was excruciatingly slow when it did work in Windows.) The replacement still works fine 3 years later. It does seem to max out at about 2.7 MB/s (~22 Mbit/s) download speed though. I'm not sure if that's a limitation of my card or the network it's conected to.

I'm also currently running Mint 14 KDE 64-bit, but I installed a different kernel so I could get the BFQ scheduler.

My inxi -Sn in case you were wondering

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System:    Host: bigj231 Kernel: 3.8.2-pf x86_64 (64 bit) Desktop: KDE 4.10.2 Distro: Linux Mint 14 Nadia
Network:   Card-1: Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) driver: ath9k 
           IF: wlan0 state: up mac: xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
           Card-2: Atheros AR8151 v2.0 Gigabit Ethernet driver: atl1c 
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx

[Osquillar279]

You could try installing a newer driver version.

Please download a package with newer drivers here: https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel ... 3-2.tar.xz
After extracting the XZ file, go to the folder where you extracted it, right-click > Open in Terminal, then run these commands to install it:

Code: Select all

./scripts/driver-select ath9k
make
sudo make install

This is also worth a try on Atheros wifi (it mainly fixes slow connection speeds, but can also fix other issues):

Code: Select all

gksudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/ath9k.conf

(replace gedit by pluma on MATE)

In that text file please put:

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options ath9k nohwcrypt

Then save and reboot.

Hey Albert im having some problems with my wifi connection (wifi disconnects from time to time) , i have another laptop with windows installed and that one its not having any problems. One question, how do i know what compat drivers version i have? im using a 32bit linux mint 15 xfce

i checked the commands you post to install the latest version of compat wireless, i downloaded it but the file was save to a tmp carpet or something like that , in that place is where i should right-click the xz file and open terminal?? do i nedd more dependencies or programs intalled to make this process succesful?? could yo u post a more step by step explanation or maybe a link to a video that shows the process please??? im kinda new on linux , and a fan of linux mint , never had problems before just this that appeared recently

[prespic]

You could try installing a newer driver version.

Please download a package with newer drivers here: https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel ... 3-2.tar.xz
After extracting the XZ file, go to the folder where you extracted it, right-click > Open in Terminal, then run these commands to install it:

Code: Select all

./scripts/driver-select ath9k
make
sudo make install

This is also worth a try on Atheros wifi (it mainly fixes slow connection speeds, but can also fix other issues):

Code: Select all

gksudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/ath9k.conf

(replace gedit by pluma on MATE)

In that text file please put:

Code: Select all

options ath9k nohwcrypt

Then save and reboot.

Hello, i have tried this and now my wirelles adapter dissapeared.
Before this, i saw the the avalible connections, but i couldn't connect. Now the there is no option how to connect. I do not see my wireless adapter even in ifconfig, even in UI.

Could somebody help me how to resolve this? My card is atheros ar9285.
Thanks.

[karlchen]

Hello, prespic.

In order to diagnose and hopefully solve your issue, could you, please, execute the following steps:

• On the machine affected by the problem, open a terminal window. Execute the command

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  inxi -Fx

  Camouflage the MAC address(es) in the screen output. Then post the screen output here.
• On the machine affected by the problem, follow the steps given in [url=http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=145660&hilit=+wireless_script_xtd.sh]this message[/url], please. - Ignore the intro-remark on Broadcom. The important part is the text in blue letters.
  After you have run wireless_script_xtd.sh, please, post the link to the resulting logfile here in this thread.

The output of "inxi -Fx" and of "wireless_script_xtd.sh" should provide sufficient details in order to find out why your Atheros AR9285 wifi adapter is currently not functional.

Kind regards,
Karl

[AlbertP]

prespic, it would have been better if you opened a new topic for your question. This was a topic opened by somebody else whose problem might well have a different cause.

[karlchen]

[...] problem might well have a different cause.

Exactly. This is the idea behind asking for the output of

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inxi -Fx

and of the script [url=http://pastebin.ubuntu.com/6039498/]wireless_script_xtd.sh[/url]. Cf. [url=http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?p=766779#p766779]wireless_script_xtd.sh explained[/url]
Karl