USB wireless adapter - help please.

September 11th, 2011 - 05:38 pm ET by Alfonso | Report spam

I have a USB wireless adapter. I have a BT home hub.
The home hub has "SSID - BTHomeHub-XXXX" and "Wireless key xxxxxxxxxx"
on a label on the back and "Security type WEP 64-bit Hexidecimal"

It works under Windows XP to talk to the internet via my BT wireless
home hub. It also picks up a local wifi signal (not tried under windows).

Ubuntu 10.10 - same hardware

I have used ndiswrapper to install the same windows XP driver.

System>admin> has added windows "wireless drivers" to its list and
clicking on that shows the driver installed and the message "Hardware
present YES"

I have played around with various things including
system>preferences>network_connections and have the following settings
Wireless -
SSID BTHomeHub-XXXX
Mode infrastructure
BSSID -blank
Device MAC address - blank
Cloned MAC address - blank
MTU automatic
Wireless security
Security "WEP40/128 bit (hex or ASCII)"
Key - wireless key as written on the back of the homehub
WEP index 1(default)
Authentication "Open System"
IPv4 Settings
Method Automatic (DHCP)
IPv6 Settings
Method ignore

I don't know what a lot of it means. XP only asked me for the wireless
key. I have tried variations on the above but above is where I have
ended up.

I can't remember what else I have tried but now if I click on the
network icon on the panel it shows that it is receiving a strong signal
from the local wifi and an even stronger signal from home hub. If I
select the wifi I can access the internet. If I select the home hub I
get a spinning thingy which continues spinning indefinitely but every
few minutes it throws up a window. "Authentication required by wireless
network" "Password or encryption keys required by wireless network". If
I click on "show key" the correct key is displayed. I have checked it;
double checked it; and re-typed it but the spinning thingy continues to
spin and a connection is never established.

Visiting computers have made access through my home hub using the
wireless key.

Summery
The hardware is OK - it works on XP. It works on Ubuntu to a WiFi
The driver is OK in XP should be the same via ndiswrapper and works
under Ubuntu with WiFi connection.
The wireless key is correct it works with windows and with visiting
computers.
Settings?

Suggestions please.

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#1 Thomas Boehm

September 11th, 2011 - 06:19 pm ET | Report spam

Alfonso wrote:

I have a USB wireless adapter. I have a BT home hub.
The home hub has "SSID - BTHomeHub-XXXX" and "Wireless key xxxxxxxxxx"
on a label on the back and "Security type WEP 64-bit Hexidecimal"

WEP shouldn't be used anymore. It can be hacked within seconds. Try to
change it to WPA/WPA2.

...
I can't remember what else I have tried but now if I click on the
network icon on the panel it shows that it is receiving a strong signal
from the local wifi and an even stronger signal from home hub. If I
select the wifi I can access the internet. If I select the home hub I
get a spinning thingy which continues spinning indefinitely but every
few minutes it throws up a window. "Authentication required by wireless
network" "Password or encryption keys required by wireless network". If
I click on "show key" the correct key is displayed. I have checked it;
double checked it; and re-typed it but the spinning thingy continues to
spin and a connection is never established.

Maybe Ubuntu expects the key as ASCII, so convert the key (google for a
converter) and try it again.

HTH
Thomas

Reply to this message

#2 default

September 11th, 2011 - 06:47 pm ET | Report spam

On Sun, 11 Sep 2011 22:38:52 +0100, Alfonso wrote:

I have a USB wireless adapter. I have a BT home hub. The home hub has
"SSID - BTHomeHub-XXXX" and "Wireless key xxxxxxxxxx" on a label on the
back and "Security type WEP 64-bit Hexidecimal"

It works under Windows XP to talk to the internet via my BT wireless
home hub. It also picks up a local wifi signal (not tried under
windows).

Ubuntu 10.10 - same hardware

I have used ndiswrapper to install the same windows XP driver.

System>admin> has added windows "wireless drivers" to its list and
clicking on that shows the driver installed and the message "Hardware
present YES"

I have played around with various things including
system>preferences>network_connections and have the following settings
Wireless -
SSID BTHomeHub-XXXX
Mode infrastructure
BSSID -blank
Device MAC address - blank
Cloned MAC address - blank
MTU automatic
Wireless security
Security "WEP40/128 bit (hex or ASCII)" Key - wireless key as

written

on the back of the homehub WEP index 1(default)
Authentication "Open System"
IPv4 Settings
Method Automatic (DHCP)
IPv6 Settings
Method ignore

I don't know what a lot of it means. XP only asked me for the wireless
key. I have tried variations on the above but above is where I have
ended up.

I can't remember what else I have tried but now if I click on the
network icon on the panel it shows that it is receiving a strong signal
from the local wifi and an even stronger signal from home hub. If I
select the wifi I can access the internet. If I select the home hub I
get a spinning thingy which continues spinning indefinitely but every
few minutes it throws up a window. "Authentication required by wireless
network" "Password or encryption keys required by wireless network". If
I click on "show key" the correct key is displayed. I have checked it;
double checked it; and re-typed it but the spinning thingy continues to
spin and a connection is never established.

Visiting computers have made access through my home hub using the
wireless key.

Summery
The hardware is OK - it works on XP. It works on Ubuntu to a WiFi The
driver is OK in XP should be the same via ndiswrapper and works under
Ubuntu with WiFi connection.
The wireless key is correct it works with windows and with visiting
computers.
Settings?

Suggestions please.

More or less a longshot, but try a different wireless driver if you can
find one.

I had your same frustrating experience, although in my case it was very
intermittent. I don't have the problem now, and the only thing that I
think might have changed was the driver. I'm not knocking ndis per se,
but just something to try.

Also, try disabling wifi security, just to make sure it works that way.
It doesn't really solve the problem (unless you want are OK with an open
wifi), but it may narrow down the problem area.

One other thing to try is ask your question on alt.internet.wireless.
There are some Linux-knowledgeable people there.

Reply to this message

#3 Alfonso

September 12th, 2011 - 03:47 am ET | Report spam

On 11/09/11 22:38, Alfonso wrote:

I have a USB wireless adapter. I have a BT home hub.
The home hub has "SSID - BTHomeHub-XXXX" and "Wireless key xxxxxxxxxx"
on a label on the back and "Security type WEP 64-bit Hexidecimal"

It works under Windows XP to talk to the internet via my BT wireless
home hub. It also picks up a local wifi signal (not tried under windows).

Ubuntu 10.10 - same hardware

I have used ndiswrapper to install the same windows XP driver.

System>admin> has added windows "wireless drivers" to its list and
clicking on that shows the driver installed and the message "Hardware
present YES"

I have played around with various things including
system>preferences>network_connections and have the following settings
Wireless -
SSID BTHomeHub-XXXX
Mode infrastructure
BSSID -blank
Device MAC address - blank
Cloned MAC address - blank
MTU automatic
Wireless security
Security "WEP40/128 bit (hex or ASCII)"
Key - wireless key as written on the back of the homehub
WEP index 1(default)
Authentication "Open System"
IPv4 Settings
Method Automatic (DHCP)
IPv6 Settings
Method ignore

I don't know what a lot of it means. XP only asked me for the wireless
key. I have tried variations on the above but above is where I have
ended up.

I can't remember what else I have tried but now if I click on the
network icon on the panel it shows that it is receiving a strong signal
from the local wifi and an even stronger signal from home hub. If I
select the wifi I can access the internet. If I select the home hub I
get a spinning thingy which continues spinning indefinitely but every
few minutes it throws up a window. "Authentication required by wireless
network" "Password or encryption keys required by wireless network". If
I click on "show key" the correct key is displayed. I have checked it;
double checked it; and re-typed it but the spinning thingy continues to
spin and a connection is never established.

Visiting computers have made access through my home hub using the
wireless key.

Summery
The hardware is OK - it works on XP. It works on Ubuntu to a WiFi
The driver is OK in XP should be the same via ndiswrapper and works
under Ubuntu with WiFi connection.
The wireless key is correct it works with windows and with visiting
computers.
Settings?

Suggestions please.

PS Shut down last night. Switched on this morning and the network icon
no longer offers me *any* wireless choices. I'm back to square 1. I
can't seem to get back to where it was when it was at least looking for
signals and trying to connect - and in the case of wifi succeeding.

I can't remember what I was doing when I first got the spinning thingy :o(

Reply to this message

#4 Alfonso

September 12th, 2011 - 03:52 am ET | Report spam

On 11/09/11 23:19, Thomas Boehm wrote:

Alfonso wrote:

I have a USB wireless adapter. I have a BT home hub.
The home hub has "SSID - BTHomeHub-XXXX" and "Wireless key xxxxxxxxxx"
on a label on the back and "Security type WEP 64-bit Hexidecimal"

WEP shouldn't be used anymore. It can be hacked within seconds. Try to
change it to WPA/WPA2.

As far as I am aware that is built into the firmware of the home hub.

...
I can't remember what else I have tried but now if I click on the
network icon on the panel it shows that it is receiving a strong signal
from the local wifi and an even stronger signal from home hub. If I
select the wifi I can access the internet. If I select the home hub I
get a spinning thingy which continues spinning indefinitely but every
few minutes it throws up a window. "Authentication required by wireless
network" "Password or encryption keys required by wireless network". If
I click on "show key" the correct key is displayed. I have checked it;
double checked it; and re-typed it but the spinning thingy continues to
spin and a connection is never established.

Maybe Ubuntu expects the key as ASCII, so convert the key (google for a
converter) and try it again.

?? It would be rather perverse if it did.

Logged off. Logged on this morning and I'm back to square one. Network
icon no longer offers wireless option. I can't remember how I persuaded
it to. :o(

HTH
Thomas

Reply to this message

#5 keith

September 12th, 2011 - 04:00 am ET | Report spam

On Sun, 11 Sep 2011 22:47:45 +0000, default wrote:

I have played around with various things including
system>preferences>network_connections and have the following settings
Wireless -
SSID BTHomeHub-XXXX
Mode infrastructure
BSSID -blank
Device MAC address - blank
Cloned MAC address - blank
MTU automatic
Wireless security
Security "WEP40/128 bit (hex or ASCII)" Key - wireless key as

written

With Home hub, shouldn't this be WPA (probably 2)? WEP is a rather old
fashioned, now deprecated security, which is easy to break. Also, get
someone to read the code back to you and check letter (and number) by
letter! I had an incident where I wasted hours trying to get a computer
talking to a Livebox, swearing at Orange's non-standard modem, when the
only problem was that I had mis-read one letter of the code due to a
scratch on the label making a D look like an O (or was it the other way
around?) 8-).