iwconfig - Can't Configure Wireless Network

Question

I've beenhaving some trouble getting my wireless network card working on my Slackware 12 box. Currently it identifies the card and can scan for networks, but I can't seem to join a network. Here's some output:

{8:46:29}gibson:/lib/modules/2.6.33.4-smp## iwlist wlan0 scan                  
wlan0     Scan completed :
          Cell 01 - Address: F8:1E:DF:FF:DA:39
                    ESSID:"MasterControl"
                    Protocol:IEEE 802.11g
                    Mode:Managed
                    Frequency:2.412 GHz (Channel 1)
                    Quality:100/100  Signal level:-22 dBm  Noise level:-96 dBm
                    Encryption key:on
                    Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s
                              9 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s
                              48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
                    Extra:bcn_int=100
                    Extra:atim=0
                    IE: IEEE 802.11i/WPA2 Version 1
                        Group Cipher : CCMP
                        Pairwise Ciphers (1) : CCMP
                        Authentication Suites (1) : PSK
          Cell 02 - Address: FA:1E:DF:FF:DA:39
                    ESSID:"David's Guest Network"
                    Protocol:IEEE 802.11g
                    Mode:Managed
                    Frequency:2.412 GHz (Channel 1)
                    Quality:100/100  Signal level:-23 dBm  Noise level:-96 dBm
                    Encryption key:on
                    Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s
                              9 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s
                              48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
                    Extra:bcn_int=100
                    Extra:atim=0
                    IE: IEEE 802.11i/WPA2 Version 1
                        Group Cipher : CCMP
                        Pairwise Ciphers (1) : CCMP
                        Authentication Suites (1) : PSK

{8:49:23}gibson:/lib/modules/2.6.33.4-smp## iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11g  ESSID:off/any  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.462 GHz  Access Point: Not-Associated   
          Bit Rate:300 Mb/s   Tx-Power:32 dBm   
          RTS thr:2347 B   Fragment thr:2346 B   
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality:0  Signal level:0  Noise level:0
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

{8:49:48}gibson:/lib/modules/2.6.33.4-smp## iwconfig wlan0 essid "MasterControl"
{8:50:02}gibson:/lib/modules/2.6.33.4-smp## iwconfig wlan0 key s:thisisafakepassword
Error for wireless request "Set Encode" (8B2A) :
    SET failed on device wlan0 ; Invalid argument.
{8:50:17}gibson:/lib/modules/2.6.33.4-smp## iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11g  ESSID:off/any  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.462 GHz  Access Point: Not-Associated   
          Bit Rate:300 Mb/s   Tx-Power:32 dBm   
          RTS thr:2347 B   Fragment thr:2346 B   
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality:0  Signal level:0  Noise level:0
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

It doesn't seem to be accepting the essid setting, and it's giving an error for the key setting.

Also, I'm noticing an inconsistency in the wireless protocols. The AP claims that it's 802.11g with rates up to 54 Mb/s. But it should be 802.11n. It's an Apple Airport Extreme and the Radio Mode is set to Automatic and displays "802.11a/n - 802.11b/g/n" on the Airport Utility. The interface also claims that it's 802.11g, though shows a rate of 300 Mb/s. It's a Belkin "Play" Wireless USB Adapter (F7D4101).

(Note: I'm using ndiswrapper and the WinXP drivers which were installed from the Belkin software.)

Can anybody advise me on this? Am I just missing a step somewhere?

Answer 1

If you're using anything more secure that WEP (which you are) you will have to use wpa_supplicant to handle the encryption.

I'm not sure how slakware handles its network configuration these days (I haven't used slakware since version 1.3) but reading the man page for wpa_supplicant and associated network configuration man pages should give you some clues.