Feb 8, 2013

openSUSE Forums: RT2573 "Wireless disabled by Hardware" --- but it's not

openSUSE Forums
openSUSE Forums
RT2573 "Wireless disabled by Hardware" --- but it's not
Feb 8th 2013, 23:40

I recently installed openSUSE 12.2 on an MSI VR420 laptop (model MS-1422). Since it is a laptop, I elected to go with the Network Manager applet rather than using ifup/ifdown. Fortunately I configured it as a dual-boot machine and left the existing Winows Vista Home Premium OS in place.

The problem is that frequently on bootup after a reboot or powerdown Network Manager will report "Wireless disabled by hardware" even though the LED for the radio is illuminated. Indeed, the Wireless LED will toggle by repeatedly depressing the wireless switch. The only way I've found to get the WiFi to work when this happens is to reboot into Vista and login so that the WiFi connects to an AP, then reboot into openSUSE. The WiFi will then work and connect to the AP.

Interestingly, I can get the same message when Wifi is working by pressing the wireless switch and extinguishing the WiFi LED.

I have tested the memory extensively using Memtest86+ and the memory test portion of the Vista System Recovery S/W, No errors have been found.

Still, SOMETHING is causing a bit to flip somewhere on openSUSE reboot/shutdown and that bit stays flipped through multiple reboots and removal of the battery and power cable.

If there's some way to re-enable the WiFi in software (preferably from the command line) I'd like to know it.

Here is the output of "hwinfo --netcard" when WiFi is working and when it's not. In both cases I cut out the portion that relates to the onboard Gb wired NIC.

hwinfo --netcard (when WiFi is disabled)
Code:

11: PCI 19.0: 0200 Ethernet controller
  [ Deleted]

53: USB 00.0: 0282 WLAN controller
  [Created at usb.122]
  Unique ID: hSuP.kMYwghKIXz8
  Parent ID: pBe4.9T1GDCLyFd9
  SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.7/usb2/2-2/2-2:1.0
  SysFS BusID: 2-2:1.0
  Hardware Class: network
  Model: "Micro Star International 802.11 bg WLAN"
  Hotplug: USB
  Vendor: usb 0x0db0 "Micro Star International"
  Device: usb 0x6877 "802.11 bg WLAN"
  Revision: "0.01"
  Driver: "rt73usb"
  Driver Modules: "rt73usb"
  Device File: wlan0
  Features: WLAN
  Speed: 480 Mbps
  HW Address: 00:24:21:42:8f:6c
  Link detected: no
  WLAN channels: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
  WLAN frequencies: 2.412 2.417 2.422 2.427 2.432 2.437 2.442 2.447 2.452 2.457 2.462 2.467 2.472 2.484
  WLAN encryption modes: WEP40 WEP104 TKIP CCMP
  WLAN authentication modes: open sharedkey wpa-psk wpa-eap
  Module Alias: "usb:v0DB0p6877d0001dc00dsc00dp00icFFiscFFipFF"
  Driver Info #0:
    Driver Status: rt73usb is active
    Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe rt73usb"
  Config Status: cfg=no, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
  Attached to: #52 (Hub)

hwinfo --netcard (when WiFi is working)
Code:

11: PCI 19.0: 0200 Ethernet controller
  [ Deleted]

53: USB 00.0: 0282 WLAN controller
  [Created at usb.122]
  Unique ID: hSuP.kMYwghKIXz8
  Parent ID: pBe4.9T1GDCLyFd9
  SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.7/usb2/2-2/2-2:1.0
  SysFS BusID: 2-2:1.0
  Hardware Class: network
  Model: "Micro Star International 802.11 bg WLAN"
  Hotplug: USB
  Vendor: usb 0x0db0 "Micro Star International"
  Device: usb 0x6877 "802.11 bg WLAN"
  Revision: "0.01"
  Driver: "rt73usb"
  Driver Modules: "rt73usb"
  Device File: wlan0
  Features: WLAN
  Speed: 480 Mbps
  HW Address: 00:24:21:42:8f:6c
  Link detected: no
  WLAN channels: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
  WLAN frequencies: 2.412 2.417 2.422 2.427 2.432 2.437 2.442 2.447 2.452 2.457 2.462 2.467 2.472 2.484
  WLAN encryption modes: WEP40 WEP104 TKIP CCMP
  WLAN authentication modes: open sharedkey wpa-psk wpa-eap
  Module Alias: "usb:v0DB0p6877d0001dc00dsc00dp00icFFiscFFipFF"
  Driver Info #0:
    Driver Status: rt73usb is active
    Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe rt73usb"
  Config Status: cfg=no, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
  Attached to: #52 (Hub)

I'm beginning to think that this is a bug in the rt73usb module, as it seems that the same thing happens when booting a LiveCD (like PartedMagic).

I appreciate any help you can offer. If you need more info let me know.

Thanks,
ron

You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com.

If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

No comments: