Enabling wireless hardware switch

Question

I am running Ubuntu 11.10 on a Compaq Presario CQ57 and I need to enable my wireless hardware switch to use it. I have a wireless key (F12) which shows a light when the switch is active (it is now red). How would I go about enabling in Ubuntu? I've tried pressing F12 normally and with Fn, none work.

score 0 · Accepted Answer · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:23

0

This a common problem with that model.

Here is solution

http://www.techytalk.info/ubuntu-ppas/ralink-wireless/

Linked question :

Wireless not recognised on a Compaq Presario CQ57

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:23

Community

1

answered Apr 06 '12 at 19:21

Web-E

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I received an error on the second command saying no such package. – Harris6310 Apr 06 '12 at 20:30
I have found out that pressing F12 does switch the switch, but wireless is disabled anyway. Am I missing a driver? – Harris6310 Apr 06 '12 at 21:56
There is a step missing in that instruction.Run `sudo apt-get update` after adding ppa – Web-E Apr 07 '12 at 06:22
Whilst this may theoretically answer the question, [it would be preferable](http://meta.stackexchange.com/q/8259) to include the essential parts of the answer here, and provide the link for reference. – fossfreedom Apr 07 '12 at 08:12
Okay, I have fully solved the hardware switch problem. But it is still displaying that it is disabled. – Harris6310 Apr 07 '12 at 13:54
is it connecting after enabling from network manager? Now what is the problem? – Web-E Apr 07 '12 at 17:17
I can not enable it from the network manager. – Harris6310 Apr 07 '12 at 18:07
run `rfkill list` and post result – Web-E Apr 07 '12 at 18:39
0: hp-wifi: Wireless LAN Soft blocked: yes Hard blocked: no 1: phy0: Wireless LAN Soft blocked: no Hard blocked: yes – Harris6310 Apr 07 '12 at 19:44
try with `rfkill unblock wi-fi`. Though I am not sure as wireless lan still showing hard block. Did you black listed modules as told in that tutorial. – Web-E Apr 07 '12 at 19:48
>Bogus unblock argument 'wi-fi'. This error is thrown. – Harris6310 Apr 07 '12 at 19:50
let us [continue this discussion in chat](http://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/3035/discussion-between-web-e-and-harris6310) – Web-E Apr 07 '12 at 19:53

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited May 10 '17 at 19:59

This might help: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?pid=1413379#p1413379

Try to unload the wmi module.

For example, this worked for me on HP Mini 100e:

sudo rmmod hp-wmi    
sudo rmmod wmi

after which I could immediately connect to wi-fi.

(Find your corresponding module using lsmod)

If this works for you, you might want to blacklist the wmi module from /etc/modprobe.d/ -- see link for instructions.

Enabling wireless hardware switch

2 Answers2