Wifi wont connect?

[aubrey]

Hi guys, I'm new here and this is my first post. I hope you can help. I am running Linux Mint with the latest version of Ubuntu 7.04 I think. It is running on an MSI laptop with 1gb of ram and runs smoothly. It has a built-in wireless card which mint seems to detect ok. As far as I can tell the wireless card is working, it can see the wireless lan at home, but whenever I try to connect, it goes though the motions of connecting, but can't. Just says unable to connect.

I have tried to connect to several different wireless networks and always get the same problem. The laptop can see the networks, but can't connect. Any ideas on what I could do please as this is a real problem not being able to connect. If you need any further information to diagonose my problem just let me know. Thank you very much in advance for your help!

Regards, Aubrey.

[Boo]

first checkout this post:
http://www.linuxmint.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2633

BTW this post should be in the wireless section. don't worry husse will move it.
//I will//
quote:
"I am running Linux Mint with the latest version of Ubuntu 7.04 I think"

so did you install mint 3 or ubuntu 7.04 with mint repos?

if you installed mint 3 and applied all updates then the upgraded kernel could have messed up your wireless.

[aubrey]

I installed Mint from a free Live CD with a magazine, then during the system update it prompted me to download and install ubuntu 7.04 (all 700mb of it!). However even before the update, wireless still did not work. Any ideas? Thank you very much for your help.

[Boo]

well that means that you installed Mint 2.2 Bianca.
that upgrade to ubuntu 7.04 may have caused all sorts of problems.

I would recommend reinstalling your Mint.
Do not upgrade to 7.04 and do not apply any kernel upgrades.

the kernel update in Mint 2.2 (ubuntu 6.10) broke lots of peoples wireless devices. one of the lib backport updates also broke usb camera downloads.

[aubrey]

I'm hesitant to re-install mint because I had real problems getting it installed in the first place, kept freezing etc. Are there no other fixes I could try? The other problem I have is that the system will periodically freeze forcing me to re-boot. I have checked the system log and there is never any activity logged for about 20 mins before the frieze. Any ideas? Sometimes it does it after the system has been on for 30 minutes+ and sometimes after only a minute. All help would be gratefully received!
Regards
Aubrey

[Boo]

could we have some system specs.

you have upgraded to 7.04 on the ubuntu repos but the mint ones are still at mint 2.2.

so I would update your /etc/apt/source.lst file to use the mint 3 repos (change bianca to cassandra) and to make sure the all references to edgy now say feisty.

so open a terminal and type:
sudo gedit /etc/apt/source.lst
enter your password
make changes, save and close.

then start synaptic (add/install software in the menu)
use the mark all updates button.
then apply.

I cant post my sources.lst file ATM for you to copy/check.

[aubrey]

Hi, when I type the command you said, it opens the source.lst file but it is blank, nothing in it at all, just a blank white window. Am I doing the right thing? I opened a terminal and typed:

sudo gedit /etc/apt/source.lst

What do I do now? Thanks very much.

[Boo]

try sources.list

you fell for that one.

[aubrey]

Ok, my ignorance I tried that and still got a blank window with nothing in it and the two lines in the terminal window:

ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:864:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:864:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave

I'm really grateful for your support, what next? Thank you.

[Boo]

ill post my sources.list when i get home.

It should not be empty.

those 2 messages were just a coincidence.
something else not working...

[aubrey]

Ok that would be great if you could post your sources list. I assume I just cut and paste the whole lot into my sources list?? Thanks.

[Boo]

my sources.list from mint3

## UBUNTU REPOSITORIES
## -------------------
##
## Feisty (Ubuntu 7.04)
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu feisty main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu feisty main restricted universe multiverse
##
## Proposed Updates
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu feisty-proposed main restricted universe multiverse
##
## Bug Fixes
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu feisty-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu feisty-updates main restricted universe multiverse
##
## Security Updates
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu feisty-security main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu feisty-security main restricted universe multiverse
##
## Backports
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu feisty-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu feisty-backports main restricted universe multiverse

## LINUX MINT REPOSITORIES
## -----------------------
##
## Cassandra (Linux Mint 3.0)
deb http://www.linuxmint.com/repository cassandra/
##
## Romeo (Linux Mint Unstable)
## deb http://www.linuxmint.com/repository romeo/


## OTHER REPOSITORIES
## ------------------
##
## Canonical (RealPlayer10, Opera, DesktopSecure etc...)
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu feisty-commercial main
##
## Medibuntu (Codecs and extra applications)
deb http://packages.medibuntu.org/ feisty free non-free


and there you have it, even medibuntu updated.
so save your old one and replace with this.

sudo cp /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.old

replace, save, and away you go.

[aubrey]

Thats wonderful, thank you very much. So I assume I literally copy all you said straight into the sources list and save and close then re-boot? Or is it a bit more complex? Thank you for your patience, I am quite a novice at this!

[aubrey]

Right, I have managed to do all that and updated and installed upgrades via Synaptec Manager. However my startup screen still says Bianca, should it say Cassandra? I can't see any other changes, and still have my wifi connection problem. I am thinking maybe it is just a small setting that is wrong? Because the laptop can see the wireless network quite happily, but wont connect. Thanks very much.

[Boo]

try the wifi stuff agian.
it could be the new kernel so using the original 7.04 one may be better for you.

the upgrade process may miss the splash screen image file. it probably has the same name so it might have to be downloaded from somewhere.
it may be just a setting though, but i don't know....yet.