What's wrong with my wireless connection (Ubuntu Linux Q)?

Asked by DominicX (28808

) June 28th, 2010

So I just downloaded the latest version of Ubuntu Linux and installed it on my old Dell Inspiron E1505. But I can’t seem to get a wireless connection going.

In the upper right corner, there’s a red exclamation mark over the wireless network icon. It just says “Wireless Networks: disconnected”. The wireless network is not showing up and neither are any other ones that usually show up from neighbors.

I clicked “connect to hidden network” and typed in all the correct information, but it won’t connect. It just says “Wireless Networks: disconnected” again when I try to connect.

I also noticed that the WiFi light on my laptop is not lit up.

I’m sure this will become an orphan, but I know there are some Linux geeks on here. Any help? :(

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8 Answers

I’m sorry, this is a simple-minded answer, but I have more than once left my wi-fi- switch on my computer off. Are you sure it’s enabled?

dpworkin (27085

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Try typing in terminal “iwconfig” see if you can see your wireless device

Also try restarting your network devices with “sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart” see if that will restart anything for you.

wgallios (1768

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@dpworkin

The only way to switch it off with this laptop is to enter the setup in the beginning, which I just did. (I thought of that too). I’ve never disabled it before and it was enabled. Didn’t seem to make a difference.

DominicX (28808

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@wgallios

I typed in “iwconfig” and it says “no wireless extensions”.

DominicX (28808

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Perhaps your wireless drivers are not properly installed.

Try going under System->Administration->Hardware Drivers. Check if there are any wireless drivers it may want to install. This also applies to any graphics drivers that need to get installed as well.

wgallios (1768

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@wgallios

Thanks! It works now. :)

I hooked it up to my wired ethernet and there were two wireless drivers that it needed to install and I did and now it connects to the wireless internet. :)

DominicX (28808

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