Mint 16 & WIFI connection problem

[#1]

Dug out a recent (?) hdd with Mint 16 set up and running.... however... it does not seem to be able to connect to my wifi router, which is only 2 feet away from the top of this laptop screen... WINDOWS VISTA home premium, connected within 30 seconds of booting up... and as soon as the "welcome screen" appeared, so did Firefox with GOOGLE search page.
I get a notification on the MINT 16 screen.... "not connected"... when I click on the ICON bottom right. and get "network connections"... it shows that the wifi is ON... and the neighbour`s ( about 4 different ones) show as "available networks".... although the highest is only 23%...  ( presume that is the neighbour through the wall )...
It does show my Wifi router`s name.... and also  " Out of Range > "
WHY ? 
I tried to connect using the Network connection to hidden networks... where it also lists an AUTO and normal connections... with the security already in the boxes....
it tries to connect, then comes back "Out of Range > "
help please...

[#2]

If it can see your router's name, then basic comms should be working.
Did you enter the correct WPA password?
My router is down the corridor with a brick wall blocking reception.
Click on the wifi icon on the toolbar.

[#3]

Erm.... yeah.... erm... read the o.p. ..... it says    " Out of Range > "    which means.... I am too far away to connect...?  Erm... no... I`m only 2 feet away... and the neighbours are next door, and across the street...
I also stated that I had tried connecting several different ways. in my O.P.... 
Also mentioned that Windows Vista has no problem connecting.... 

[#4]

What does

iwconfig

show?

[#5]

Will log out of windows,... and re-boot on the Mint HDD and see   ....
OK... been there , done that... and back on windows

Quote

lo        No Wireless Extension eth0  No wireless Extensions eth1    IEEE 801.11abg      ESSID: off/any Mode: Managed Access Point:  Not Associated Retry long limit : 7  RTS thr: off    Fragment thr: off Power Management  :  off

[#6]

You probably are going to have to investigate your wireless chipset.
It appears that Linux does not supply drivers for your wireless card.
You can use

lspci | grep -i wireless

to get details of your wireless card.
e.g.

Quote

jeremy@hector:~$ lspci | grep -i wireless 05:08.0 Ethernet controller: Qualcomm Atheros AR5212/AR5213 Wireless Network Adapter (rev 01)

But it gets a bit messy finding or installing appropriate Linux drivers.
I never have to do it because everything is so automated these days.
Sorry.

[#7]

Well, that is a very weird and strange thing to say..... I have 2 hdd`s with Mint on them... Mint 15 and Mint 16..... both were compiled from .iso files downloaded from the Linux website.... Broadcom driver was installed,  from the repository... and the wireless worked.... USING THIS MACHINE... I also have Mint on a USB stick, which boots up. ( I take the windows hdd out first)... and then it connects to the wireless router that is only 2 feet away....
Another "weird" thing.... One of the HDD`s  ( mint 15 ) is on a PATA connection... and will boot up when in a caddy.. ( windows hdd removed )... however, the other hdd ( Mint 16 ) on a SATA connection, on the same caddy, in the same usb socket... will not boot...it shows " no bootable drive.... check connections"... yet this same hdd will boot up when inserted where the windows hdd goes !... neither of them will connect to the wifi router though...

[#8]

Have connected using the yellow ethernet cable,... and downloaded and re-installed all broadcom wireless driver types ( 3 off ).. but still no connection to the router via wireless... it shows a great number of my neighbours on the listing... but doesn`t show mine... unless I go to Network connections... then it shows it at the bottom of the list as "out of range > "
so no further forward...
Just downloading Mint 17 Mate... and bracing myself for another long install session and trying to get wifi to work....
( will be going to lunch at the pub shortly...  )

[#9]

Isn`t Linux FUN ? 
Nope... definitely not..... per previous post... have downloaded the .iso and burned it to a dvd... installed it on one of the hdd`s... as a clean, only one OS on it, install.... and ... as usual... after the initial boot up and doing the settings..... no wireless.... so spent the last 2.5 hours trying to figure out how I did it last time... and eventually.... got a wireless connection of 4 bars on the icon,.... however... when I try to open the google page on firefox.... "Problem loading page"... appears...  tried to connect Thunderbird... and got a message about not being able to connect to the server...
nowt wrong with my connection...as you can see... and I did do some "wired" connection downloads to get the B43 cutter and other Broadcom stuff before managing to get the wifi connected....
What I still can`t understand is... on the wifi... it shows the neighbours connections... some with 80%... and yet it doesn`t see mine... I have to go into Network Connections and set up a new connection with my wifi under original settings..
It is so "hit and miss" and unreliable... and bloody hard work... stumbling about with no hints or help from the network connection. or driver manager sets....
( oh and nowt to do with being in the pub, either..... only had lunch there..... )

[#10]

Since it can "see" the other wifi networks I don't think it is a wifi issue.
Do you have your network hidden, only accessible from certain mac addresses etc?
If it had been unable to see any networks then yes it would have been a driver issue, but you can so it isn't. It is something with YOUR network stopping it connecting.
Since you KNOW you have issues with the wifi why do you INSIST on complaining to US about it? You have been told repeatedly what to do with THAT laptop and you keep coming back asking the SAME questions.
If you want wifi to work OOB get a SUPPORTED adaptor.
I have 2 laptops that Linux Mint just works on, no drivers need to download. A Toshiba Sat pro has no problems with anything on it. An IBM Thinkpad X61 works totally, including the "special" buttons.  I don't have your problems and if I did I would just purchase a wifi dongle that WORKS with LINUX for a few quid from ebay. This eliminates your "2.5 hours" "fixing" it.

[#11]

I do not keep coming back "complaining" to you... (US) ... I am just asking for some help....
to put it simply.... when I first set up those earlier versions of Linux Mint.... and the wifi... they were set up on THIS laptop... and... everytime I plugged them in... since setup... THEY WORKED...  to me, that means the wifi card IS SUPPORTED....
Having left them lying around for a few months... I decided to see if they still worked..... and they don`t...(well... the wifi doesn`t)....
Now then... NOTHING has changed SINCE they were set up... so why does it decide that MY wifi is "out of range"... when quite clearly, it isn`t... it is the nearest ANY wifi connection could possibly be.... and it can see other wifi connections aver 200 feet away....
So,. your remark.... " If you want wifi to work OOB get a SUPPORTED adaptor. " just does not correlate with it already working when initially set up... The WIFI adapter on this laptop, IS supported, because it DID work....and I was pleased when it did....  it is just now... that it doesn`t and I need some help to sort it.
Like you said... "if it can "see" other wifi networks."  .. why can`t it see ( and connect ) to mine? no it is not a  hidden network,... well, I haven`t hidden it... and as I said, the connection details were available on the "Network Connections" window... so I can`t understand it being "hidden"... Help on "un hiding" it or any other places to sort out that problem would be useful, as I do not know the next steps to take to solve it...  Also, it connected when I set it up ( on MINT17 hdd as a new connection using the existing security password)..
Wired connection is OK>.. however... I don`t want to have to plug it in... and I also want the flexibilty, of choice of which hdd I use... because.... That is what I want...
My original idea was to get MINT 16 set up with my WIFI connection, so that SHOULD anything happen to my WIndows hdd... then all I had to do was to PLUG IN the Mint 16 hdd, and I could carry on and sort out the windows problems at leisure.... 
Getting MINT to work with WIFI should not be difficult, and should also be reasonably straightforward...  and just because I can`t remember all the exact moves to get it to work, it becomes difficult for ME, therefore , I do what anyone else would do..... ask those that know.... that is not INSISTING , nor complaining. 
So... stop trying to make me feel as though I am some kind of pariah, that keeps poking his nose into somewhere it shouldn`t be... I just wanted some help and understanding kind of response.
As far as I am aware... I have done everything I can to get the wifi connected.. I am not Linux wise, as you already know... and do not understand how/why things work/don`t work

[#12]

Open the wifi, if it connects then, then it is an authentication issue.
Since you keep telling us that you HAVE to connect via cable to installed the B43 cutter stuff, then it is NOT supported OOB.
I have a laptop that I use rarely, an EEE 708. It has NO problems connecting to my network no matter how long it has been left off, so don't blame Linux for that problem.
You keep telling us that Linux is rubbish and M$ is much better, yet you keep coming back to us for help 
Why not just make up a bootable USB disk and not bother with the hdd's? Or will the unit not boot from usb ?

[#13]

You are splitting hairs.... Whether it needed me to add some extra software ( B43 cutter stuff) or not... it WAS working ... ( whIch to me,...means the wifi card is SUPPORTED.) ..  and now it is not working ... .. there is a problem, and I don`t know the answer to it... so I came here to ask for HELP....
All I did was insert a previously working Linux Mint 15 and 16  hard drives.. yet there is a problem...  So I got the latest version of MINT  (17 ) and started afresh....
I am not saying Windows is better than Linux... and this thread has not said that either... the mention that windows finds the wifi and connects simply was to "prove"( if needed) that my wifi IS in range, yet the previously working wifi  is now saying it is NOT in range...  .... as a comparison only...... not as one is better  than the other...
Yes, I do keep coming back for help.... I thought that was what this board was about... not about starting a war of Operating Systems.
The more questions I have, it seems the less help I will get...
If you read my original post properly, you would have noticed the answer to your last line....  the clue is in this line .....

Quote

USING THIS MACHINE... I also have Mint on a USB stick, which boots up. ( I take the windows hdd out first)... and then it connects to the wireless router that is only 2 feet away....

As that is running MINT 14... I feel that I need to update it and was trying to get a working system before doing so... unfortunately,... somewhere along the line, something has gone wrong, and I need some HELP to get it sorted...  If that is too much to ask, then tell me......... and I won`t bother you again....

[#14]

Well if you TRY what we suggest rather then POKING HOLES in the answers we MAYBE able to help you.

Quote from: Hairy

Open the wifi, if it connects then, then it is an authentication issue.

If you can boot from a usb Mint 14 with networking then what is the problem?
IF you need to ADD additional f/w i.e. the Broadcom from M$ then it NOT supported. Use a dongle that IS supported OOB no drivers needed.
You keep thinking that a newer version of a distro will solve YOUR wifi issues, no sorry unless it is on the SUPPORTED list then it is not supported OOB.
Why your existing installs that did work no longer work I have no idea, I don't know your network AT ALL. As I have said when I have installed a distro with a SUPPORTED wifi chip set then I have had NO issues connecting Months later.

[#15]

Having used linux for a few years now, a few things come to mind
1) download an iso, burn it to disk or usb and try it out and it works oob...... but install it and things don't work, especially wifi..... for some reason when installed it doesn't always recognise wifi cards and other hardware, so extra work is needed to get things working properly.
2) linux is always evolving on a daily basis, updates are more frequent than M$ so what worked one day could easily be borked the next day
3) things change, from os updates to router updates, what has changed since the last time you used the hdd........ saying it used to work but doesn't now means nothing where linux is concerned
My advice, be patient and think things thru, it sounds like you need to download the latest drivers for broadcom, connect via ethernet and try ...... sudo apt-get install firmware-b43-installer....... input your password and see if that makes a difference when installed.