Can't connect with Buffalo WLI-CB-G54HP wireless adapter

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basslord1124
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Joined: Tue 12 Dec 2006, 03:11

Can't connect with Buffalo WLI-CB-G54HP wireless adapter

#1 Post by basslord1124 »

Ok I am on Puppy 2.14 with a Buffalo WLI-CB-G54HP wireless adapter for my laptop and I have had some strange issues trying to get connected via wireless access. Simply put, I have been unable to get on at any place I have tried. I should mention I don't have a wireless router in my home, but I have been testing it with my sister's wireless setup (she lives across the street). The bcm43xx module is the only one that successfully detects my card and I even download the bcm43xx firmware from the dotpups site. With these the card works, but as I said, it tries to connect but is never able to connect. My sister runs her network with WEP security and I have all the necessary passwords and stuff to get on, but it fails each time.

Aside from not connecting I also have another odd related issue. When I run the network wizard to detect any wireless networks it will run, detect the networks, and from there I choose one. I try and connect and it fails like I mentioned above. And then when I go back and rescan the networks again it tells me no networks are found. My only way around this was to to remove the card and then reinsert it before it'd start working again.

So is there anything I am overlooking?
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rarsa
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#2 Post by rarsa »

Is the signal strong enough?
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basslord1124
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#3 Post by basslord1124 »

It should be. I tried it in by our living room window which is basically a direct line of sight to where her wireless router is located. I would say there may be 100 foot distance between the houses....give or take a little bit.
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rarsa
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#4 Post by rarsa »

basslord1124 wrote:It should be.
If you are using the latest network wizard (Which you should be using before any further trouble shooting), when you scan the network, it shows the list of networks found.

Move the mouse over your sister's network and it will show the strength (e.g. 68/100 means 68% strenght)
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basslord1124
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#5 Post by basslord1124 »

rarsa wrote:
basslord1124 wrote:It should be.
If you are using the latest network wizard (Which you should be using before any further trouble shooting), when you scan the network, it shows the list of networks found.

Move the mouse over your sister's network and it will show the strength (e.g. 68/100 means 68% strenght)
Did that....there was no number even listed for strength. I thought for sure though it'd at least pick up my sister's.
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rarsa
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#6 Post by rarsa »

basslord1124 wrote:Did that....there was no number even listed for strength. I thought for sure though it'd at least pick up my sister's.
Then you are not using the latest wizard or you didn't fly the mouse over to show the extra information.
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basslord1124
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#7 Post by basslord1124 »

rarsa wrote:
basslord1124 wrote:Did that....there was no number even listed for strength. I thought for sure though it'd at least pick up my sister's.
Then you are not using the latest wizard or you didn't fly the mouse over to show the extra information.
As I mentioned above I am using Puppy 2.14, so I am using the version of the network wizard that comes with 2.14 by default.

I move the mouse over the the networks it detects in the network wizard and it shows a box that lists the Channel, Frequency, AP MAC, and Strength. Is that what you are talking about? In this box it only lists the MAC for that network and nothing else. Channel, Frequency, etc all have no values listed beside them. It shows only that information for ALL networks it detects.

Now if I use the RutiIT Wireless gadget it usually gives me more information about the networks.

I think here later on I may take a trip down to our local Fazolis (getting hungry anyways) as they are a Wifi hotspot and I'll see if I can get on there.
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basslord1124
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Well nevermind....

#8 Post by basslord1124 »

I'm typing this from Fazolis so all seems well. The wireless networks didn't indicate any signal strength via the wizard like before (maybe it's a bug??) but the Wireless gadget detected plenty of signal here.

Still would've thought the signal would be strong enough from my sister's but apparently not.

And I am the only in here with a laptop...too bad someone else isn't, then I'd be the only here with a Puppy Linux laptop. :D
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basslord1124
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change of mind....

#9 Post by basslord1124 »

Ok, perhaps this was silly of me but I wanted my internet!! Part of the reason I was seeking a wireless adapter was b/c I was gonna be heading outta town and I wanted to make sure I could get on the internet at the hotel via wireless.

Well, this is my 2nd day at the hotel and my first day was hell trying to get the broadcom to work. No matter what, it couldn't connect and if it did it was god-awfully slow. I had faith that the wireless signal at the hotel was very good as there were numerous hotspots around the hotel.

Well today I figured I was gonna take a chance and buy a new wireless adapter. So I ended up buying a USB Linksys one and after dialing in a few different USB wireless modules, I found the right one and boom! she connected without any hesitation.
So, needless to say I am quite happy now that it's working much better. I am a little upset that I made the mistake of buying the broadcom one but eh, live and learn. I dunno, for some reason, it was kinda iffy at times. But perhaps I could still use it in other systems.
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Nym1
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#10 Post by Nym1 »

Basslord 1124,

Did you load the additional modules suggested by Tempestuous on page two of the thread entitled "Additional in-kernel wifi modules"?
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 3&start=15

A laptop I use occasionally ( a Dell D810) bears a Broadcom-based mini-pci wireless adapter that is identified as follows:
pci bus 0x0003 cardnum 0x03 function 0x00: vendor 0x14e4 device 0x4324
Broadcom Corporation BCM4309 802.11a/b/g

Tempestuous' post of Dec. 23, 2006 provides the text for a script I run ( in Puppy 2.13) to use it:

bcm43xx-helper.sh
--------------------------------------------------------
#/bin/sh
# recommended by Tempestuous 12/23/06 to enable bcm43xx adapter

modprobe firmware_class
modprobe ieee80211
modprobe ieee80211softmac

#This should get you a valid network interface.
#Later, if you use WEP encryption, it may be necessary to pre-load (fetch) some more modules -

modprobe ieee80211_crypt
modprobe ieee80211_crypt_wep

#And if you use WPA encryption (with wpa_supplicant) you will need these -

modprobe ieee80211_crypt_ccmp
modprobe ieee80211_crypt_tkip
modprobe michael_mic

modprobe bcm43xx

#creates wireless interface "eth1"

ifconfig eth1 up

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm hoping that you will be willing to let us know if inclusion of the modules listed above will enable your pcmcia adapter as the set does for my mini-pci card.

Thank you in advance,
Nym1

basslord1124
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Joined: Tue 12 Dec 2006, 03:11

#11 Post by basslord1124 »

Thanks for the info Nym1 it will definitely come in handy. Unfortunately, just about every one of those modules is loaded for my bcm card already. All except the WPA modules but I haven't been around any WPA encrypted networks yet. But still thanks for the info as I'll keep it in mind next time I do come across any WPA networks or anytime I might need to have a good list of the required modules needed for wireless adapters.

It doesn't really help the issue I was having though. When I was staying at the hotel I was informed that the wireless internet was open (no security) and that I shouldn't have a problem connecting. With the Broadcom card I tried in my room and down in the lobby but could not get connected. Signal strength was good but it just couldn't connect to their network. I thought it was very odd I'd have these problems. The following day I figured what the hell, and went out and purchased a Linksys USB adapter. I brought it back to the hotel, hooked it up to my laptop, loaded the module (after some trial and error to find the right one), and connected to the hotel wireless internet with no problem. I found it odd one card could connect but the other one couldn't. Especially on an insecure network with very good signal strength.

Still thanks for the info though, I'm saving it on my laptop right now in the event I may need it. ;)
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