I've been setting up Ubuntu on my mother's laptop because the Windows XP system that it came with 5 years ago is grinding to a halt. With a 1.5GHz Celeron M processor it's not exactly a supercomputer but with a fresh new Linux system it can still be a decent, useful computer for several more years.
I went for Lubuntu because it's lightweight and easy to use.
The drivers for the wireless card are included “out of the box” with all recent versions of Ubuntu but there is a hardware RF kill switch that stops the card from being turned on and detected properly.
We need to use the modprobe command to load a driver that is capable of interacting with this switch:
sudo modprobe wistron_btns
Loading this module makes the special buttons next to the keyboard operational. Press the wi-fi toggle button and wireless networking should become active.
Now the wireless should work until you next reboot.
If you want the wireless to switch on at system start you need edit the /etc/modules file
sudo nano /etc/modules
and add
wistron_btns
to the bottom of the list.
From now on the driver module will be loaded at boot.
I hope this is of use to someone.
Information gathered from:
http://art.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1336863
http://ubuntu-ky.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1221226
http://odzangba.wordpress.com/2007/05/15/intel-corporation-prowireless-2200bg-amilo-pro-v2000-ubuntu/
http://www.zwobbl.de/2007/11/05/fsam7400-rfsam-are-obsolete/
Comments
It also solves the problem
It also solves the problem with Fujitsu-Siemens AmiloPRO v3505.
Thank you!
Wireless Card
It´s just to thank you. It solve my problem on a fujitsu siemens amilo pro v2000.
WiFi Finally Working
Thank you! I searched the internet for hours to finally find this beautiful solution.
Now my old Amilo M7400 connects perfectly via Wifi.
doesnt work. can someone help?
Hi,
it doesnt work on AMILO Pro Edition V3405, the PC I use.
If i send the command, it returns "modprobe: ERROR: could not insert 'wistron_btns': No such device"
and the wireless card is still hardblocked in rfkill. Can someone please help?
See you on the flipside,
@lasermtv
Re: doesnt work. can someone help?
A quick search suggests that upgrading your BIOS might sort this: https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2196169. However we no longer have the hardware that this article refers to, so I can't test it myself.
You made me happy!
modprobe wistron_btns is the key...
Thanksalot
Vlastimil,
http://www.e-ott.info