This is my first attempt at Linux, you can probably tell.

OK, it appears the problem is that Debian Lenny thinks my wireless card is a wired card?

The wireless network extends to my computer, that is certain.

I have a Dell PIII desktop computer, with both a 3COM wired card, and a D-Link WD2320 wireless card. The install was completed using a wired connection to a Linksys router for internet access to run apt.

The installer recognized NIC: wlan0: Atheros AR5212/AR5213, atheros is the chipset for the D-Link card. does this mean that the card itself is working? From what I have read this card and/or chipset is supported by the kernel so installing a driver shouldn't be necessary.

From my Debian desktop I can go System/Administration/Network and get a dialog with title "Network Settings". The first thing I notice is that wlan0 shows as a wired connection with roaming mode enabled. There is another line called eth0 which shows the same. I tried to turn off roaming and configure for DHCP, but that configuration did not stick after reboot.

At the "taskbar" next to the time is a network connections icon that shows a red&white x with no connections.

when I look at dmesg I see the following, I am unable to copy the log to this post.

ath5k_pci 0000:01:0d.0: registered as 'phy0'
phy0: Selected rate control algorithm 'pid'
ath5k phy0: Atheros AR2414 chip found (MAC: 0x79, PHY: 0x45)

then there was a few lines about PCI interrupt link at IRQ 11, but it did not specifical refer to the NIC.

a few lines later problems start with eth0: link not ready and wlan0: link not ready, but I can't tie this to the D-Link for sure.

The first problem line that specifically refers to the Atheros is ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC chip. after that a lot of failures realting to failure to set frequency and noise floor calibration failed.

are you using wpa/wpa2? what desktop environment did you install (Gnome, KDE, XFCE, LXDE)?
could you also post all the messages for the wireless card?
using the following command:
you can open a text editor and open the file "wireless" and copy and paste the messages (or copy directly from xterm without rerouting the output)

OK, To make this easier, I'm gonna lug my computer downstairs later to plug directly into the router, as I haven't yet mastered writing to cd, and my Linux box is the only machine in the house with a floppy drive.

In the meantime, my desktop is Gnome Desktop 2.22.3.
WPA is a wireless encryption standard I believe? The answer is no, There is just a MAC filter for security right now.

Seeing as how i will be wire connected to the router for a while this evening, is there anything else you think I should do at that time?

p.s. my MAC address is programmed into the MAC filter, it worked when I was on Windows with this machine

---------- Post updated at 08:55 PM ---------- Previous update was at 06:41 PM ----------

ok, for what it's worth, I'm doing this using my Linux box and a wired connection to the router from my 3com card. it's about 9PM EST here in Toronto (GMT-5), I'll be online for a few hours yet.

selected segments from dmesg, this is from a previous boot when I did not have the wired connection going.

...
[ 0.175361] system 00:0b: iomem range 0x0-0x9ffff could not be reserved
[ 0.175372] system 00:0b: iomem range 0xe0000-0xfffff could not be reserved
[ 0.175381] system 00:0b: iomem range 0x100000-0x1fffffff could not be reserved
...
[ 5.563511] 0000:01:0c.0: 3Com PCI 3c905C Tornado at e0840c00.
...
[ 16.177623] ath5k_pci 0000:01:0d.0: registered as 'phy0'
[ 17.011611] phy0: Selected rate control algorithm 'pid'
[ 17.688166] ath5k phy0: Atheros AR2414 chip found (MAC: 0x79, PHY: 0x45)
[ 17.689630] ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKH] enabled at IRQ 11
[ 17.689642] PCI: setting IRQ 11 as level-triggered
[ 17.689650] ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:01:0b.0[A] -> Link [LNKH] -> GSI 11 (level, low) -> IRQ 11
...
[ 22.829619] eth0: setting half-duplex.
[ 26.243381] NET: Registered protocol family 10
[ 26.244920] lo: Disabled Privacy Extensions
[ 26.246586] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth0: link is not ready
...
[ 31.329128] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready
[ 152.525481] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 152.525502] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2417 Mhz)
[ 152.525511] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2417 MHz for scan
[ 152.890292] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 152.890301] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2422 Mhz)
[ 152.890309] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2422 MHz for scan
[ 153.274793] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 153.274802] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2427 Mhz)
[ 153.274809] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2427 MHz for scan
[ 153.622271] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 153.622279] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2432 Mhz)
[ 153.622287] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2432 MHz for scan
[ 153.990580] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 153.990589] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2437 Mhz)
[ 153.990597] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2437 MHz for scan
[ 154.330758] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2442 MHz for scan
[ 154.663339] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2447 MHz for scan
[ 154.996024] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2452 MHz for scan
[ 155.360609] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2457 MHz for scan
[ 155.689486] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2462 MHz for scan
[ 156.042847] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2467 MHz for scan
[ 156.434894] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2472 MHz for scan
[ 156.779613] wlan0: failed to restore operational channel after scan
[ 161.844027] __ratelimit: 16 messages suppressed
[ 161.844027] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 171.844012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 181.841849] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 191.839876] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 201.844013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 211.844013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 221.844013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 231.844014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 241.844014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 251.844013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 261.844014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 271.836964] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 281.844012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 282.549882] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 282.549902] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2417 Mhz)
[ 282.549911] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2417 MHz for scan
[ 282.902370] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 282.902378] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2422 Mhz)
[ 282.902386] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2422 MHz for scan
[ 283.250545] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 283.250554] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2427 Mhz)
[ 283.250562] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2427 MHz for scan
[ 283.594038] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 283.594047] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2432 Mhz)
[ 283.594055] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2432 MHz for scan
[ 283.934598] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 283.934607] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2437 MHz for scan
[ 284.275354] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2442 MHz for scan
[ 284.614411] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2447 MHz for scan
[ 284.947026] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2452 MHz for scan
[ 285.303711] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2457 MHz for scan
[ 285.636544] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2462 MHz for scan
[ 285.973862] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2467 MHz for scan
[ 286.314460] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2472 MHz for scan
[ 286.647321] wlan0: failed to restore operational channel after scan
[ 291.844013] __ratelimit: 17 messages suppressed
[ 291.844013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 301.868014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 312.004012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 322.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 332.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 342.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 352.028014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 362.004012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 372.031771] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 382.004013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 392.028011] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 402.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 412.028014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 412.522262] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 412.522283] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2417 Mhz)
[ 412.522292] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2417 MHz for scan
[ 412.858891] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 412.858900] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2422 Mhz)
[ 412.858908] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2422 MHz for scan
[ 413.229306] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 413.229314] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2427 Mhz)
[ 413.229322] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2427 MHz for scan
[ 413.570758] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 413.570767] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2432 Mhz)
[ 413.570775] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2432 MHz for scan
[ 413.910369] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 413.910378] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2437 MHz for scan
[ 414.246041] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2442 MHz for scan
[ 414.582668] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2447 MHz for scan
[ 414.920414] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2452 MHz for scan
[ 415.279094] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2457 MHz for scan
[ 415.615890] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2462 MHz for scan
[ 415.966127] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2467 MHz for scan
[ 416.302769] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2472 MHz for scan
[ 416.636625] wlan0: failed to restore operational channel after scan
[ 422.028013] __ratelimit: 17 messages suppressed
[ 422.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 432.028012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 442.028014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 452.028017] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 462.028017] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 472.028017] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 482.028017] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 492.028017] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 502.028024] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 512.028014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 522.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 532.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 542.028014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 542.581827] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 542.581848] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2417 Mhz)
[ 542.581857] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2417 MHz for scan
[ 542.934299] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 542.934308] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2422 Mhz)
[ 542.934316] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2422 MHz for scan
[ 543.282140] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 543.282149] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2427 Mhz)
[ 543.282157] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2427 MHz for scan
[ 543.627058] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 543.627067] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2432 Mhz)
[ 543.627075] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2432 MHz for scan
[ 543.959268] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 543.959277] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2437 MHz for scan
[ 544.299796] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2442 MHz for scan
[ 544.632362] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2447 MHz for scan
[ 544.977034] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2452 MHz for scan
[ 545.325778] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2457 MHz for scan
[ 545.662590] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2462 MHz for scan
[ 545.999712] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2467 MHz for scan
[ 546.344446] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2472 MHz for scan
[ 546.673388] wlan0: failed to restore operational channel after scan
[ 552.028014] __ratelimit: 17 messages suppressed
[ 552.028014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 562.024932] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 572.028014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 582.028019] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 592.027832] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 602.022931] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 612.028017] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 622.004022] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 632.024024] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 642.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 652.028014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 662.028012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 672.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 672.583031] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 672.583051] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2417 Mhz)
[ 672.583060] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2417 MHz for scan
[ 672.921610] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 672.921619] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2422 Mhz)
[ 672.921627] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2422 MHz for scan
[ 673.285151] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 673.285160] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2427 Mhz)
[ 673.285168] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2427 MHz for scan
[ 673.665546] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 673.665555] ath5k phy0: ath5k_chan_set: unable to reset channel (2432 Mhz)
[ 673.665563] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2432 MHz for scan
[ 674.041830] ath5k phy0: failed to reset the MAC Chip
[ 674.041839] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2437 MHz for scan
[ 674.422010] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2442 MHz for scan
[ 674.758561] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2447 MHz for scan
[ 675.099110] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2452 MHz for scan
[ 675.447819] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2457 MHz for scan
[ 675.780690] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2462 MHz for scan
[ 676.125746] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2467 MHz for scan
[ 676.462574] wlan0: failed to set freq to 2472 MHz for scan
[ 676.835143] wlan0: failed to restore operational channel after scan
[ 682.028013] __ratelimit: 17 messages suppressed
[ 682.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 692.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 702.004012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 712.004014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 722.027812] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 732.028014] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 742.028012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 752.028013] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 762.004012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 772.004012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 782.004011] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 792.004012] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
[ 802.004011] ath5k phy0: noise floor calibration failed (2412MHz)
...

---------- Post updated 08-24-09 at 02:55 PM ---------- Previous update was 08-23-09 at 08:55 PM ----------

ok, I pulled out my wired card, and was able to get wireless to work, so the heat is off. However, I can't say for sure that it was the act of removing my 3com card that made the difference, or if it was just something I did differently in one of the Linux network utilities. So later I will pop my 3com card back in and try again so that I can pin down exactly what solved the problem. I'll post back in this thread with the results.

save a copy of dmesg so you can compare it with its output after putting back in the 3com card.

Have tried using Madwifi? Works awesome with atheros-based chipset.

MadWifi.net

No bud, haven't had time to check it out, I'm just getting my feet wet with the bare bones installation. but my initial research has certainly made me aware of its prominence. I'll be sure to look into it. right now wireless is working with only the atheros card in the box, I guess I'll find out if it still works when I pop my wired card back in as well.

If I do manage to get things working with both cards in the box do you see any value in installing the Madwifi anyway?

right now my priority is to get some basic services up and running on the home network, such as ssh and some file and print sharing services.

The driver itself allows for far greater capabilities than NDIS wrapping or even native drivers. Allows you to run in higher modes: Master mode (act as a wireless access point), or Monitor mode (allows for wireless packet sniffing).

Really depends if you need this type of capability as to whether you would install it.