[Novalug] speaking of wireless ...

Alex Smith (K4RNT) shadowhunter@gmail.com
Sat Dec 14 20:56:10 EST 2013


The Function keys on your laptop keyboard act as both function keys (A1,
A2, etc.) or a system function that you want to be able to change after
you've started the way.

Are you able to read the icons on the keyboard function keys? Your laptop
may use a different icon, but the secret is that it resembles a dot with
three radiating arcs. Press the function key plus the one with the wifi
icon on it, and it'll enable the wireless radio.


On Thu, Dec 12, 2013 at 2:58 PM, Beartooth <beartooth@beartooth.info> wrote:

> On Wed, 11 Dec 2013, greg pryzby wrote:
>
> > Is there a visual light on the machine to show if the wifi is turned
> > on? There could be a hard switch and it is turned off.
>
>         I didn't see one.
>
> > From a terminal (alt-f2 then xterm or gnome-terminal usually works if
> > you don't know how to get one)
> >   iwconfig
> > and you should see something to help you figure out if the device is
> there
> >   netstat -n -r
> > while show networking info that can be helpful
>
>         I tried those, and followed my nose, and eventually got
> to a point where the network icon showed me two messages saying
> "Realtek .... Wifi is disabled by hardware switch." (The stuff
> represented by .... is different for each.)
>
>         Then I looked closer at the blue marks on various keys
> (this is a System76 netbook, called Starling iirc); these are all
> but invisible to me, and when I do get one turned on (by
> unintentionally pressing the fn key), I have an awful time
> blundering around trying to get it off again. But I managed to
> make out that F12 has something that might be a wireless symbol,
> and F11 has a very strange one that I suppose might be somebody's
> idea of an antenna.
>
>         Trying one permutation and combination after another, I
> did eventually get it to connect. Many many thanks!
>
> > Right clicking on the WiFi icon in NetworkManager allows you to turn
> > device on/off which could help.
>
> > But I would check that the computer has turned on the wifi, that tends
> > to be the issue.
>
>         I had already gotten into DD-WRT with my main PC and made
> sure wireless was on.
>
> --
> Beartooth Staffwright, Not Quite Clueless Power User
> Remember I know little (precious little!) of where up is.
>
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>



-- 
" ' With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured,
the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all
irrevocably.' Those words were uttered by Judge Aaron Satie as wisdom and
warning... The first time any man's freedom is trodden on we’re all
damaged." - Jean-Luc Picard, quoting Judge Aaron Satie, Star Trek: TNG
episode "The Drumhead"
- Alex Smith (K4RNT)
- Dulles Technology Corridor (Chantilly/Ashburn/Dulles), Virginia USA
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