[gentoo-user] Getting WiFi to work

[Peter Humphrey]

Hello list,

I want to move my Intel i5 NUC box to a place where Ethernet is not available,
nor like to become so. That means I have to get WiFi working, but I've had no
success so far. The wiki pages are many, confusing and contradictory, so I'd
like the panel's advice on the way to proceed.

The first thing I tried was the traditional wpa_supplicant, which seemed to go
well - except that I couldn't get the link out of the DOWN state.

Then I tried NetworkManager, and failed with that too.

This is the hardware:
# lspci -v -s 00:14.3
00:14.3 Network controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake PCH CNVi WiFi (rev
01)
--->8
Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
Kernel modules: iwlwifi

And this is dmesg:

$ dmesg | grep -i wifi
[ 1.622343] Intel(R) Wireless WiFi driver for Linux
[ 1.622432] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
[ 1.625069] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected crf-id 0x400410, cnv-id 0x80400
wfpm id 0x80000020
[ 1.625121] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: PCI dev 51f1/0094, rev=0x370,
rfid=0x2010d000
[ 1.625313] Loading firmware: iwlwifi-so-a0-gf-a0-86.ucode
[ 1.626644] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: TLV_FW_FSEQ_VERSION: FSEQ Version:
0.0.2.41
[ 1.626902] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: loaded firmware version 86.fb5c9aeb.0 so-
a0-gf-a0-86.ucode op_mode iwlmvm
[ 1.643426] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6E AX211 160MHz,
REV=0x370
[ 1.651382] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Invalid buffer destination
[ 1.809375] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_UMAC_PD_NOTIFICATION: 0x20
[ 1.809385] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_LMAC2_PD_NOTIFICATION: 0x1f
[ 1.809394] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_AUTH_KEY_0: 0x90
[ 1.809401] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: CNVI_SCU_SEQ_DATA_DW9: 0x0
[ 1.809403] Loading firmware: iwlwifi-so-a0-gf-a0.pnvm
[ 1.810724] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: loaded PNVM version e28bb9d7
[ 1.810817] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: RFIm is deactivated, reason = 4
[ 1.825831] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected RF GF, rfid=0x2010d000
[ 1.897387] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: base HW address: f4:6d:3f:2a:33:3e

Would net-wireless/iwd get me a bit further?

Meanwhile, I'll keep on exploring with the results of sys-apps/hw-probe.

[Paul Sopka]

Post by Peter Humphrey
Hello list,
I want to move my Intel i5 NUC box to a place where Ethernet is not available,
nor like to become so. That means I have to get WiFi working, but I've had no
success so far. The wiki pages are many, confusing and contradictory, so I'd
like the panel's advice on the way to proceed.
The first thing I tried was the traditional wpa_supplicant, which seemed to go
well - except that I couldn't get the link out of the DOWN state.
Then I tried NetworkManager, and failed with that too.
# lspci -v -s 00:14.3
00:14.3 Network controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake PCH CNVi WiFi (rev
01)
--->8
Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
Kernel modules: iwlwifi
$ dmesg | grep -i wifi
[ 1.622343] Intel(R) Wireless WiFi driver for Linux
[ 1.622432] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
[ 1.625069] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected crf-id 0x400410, cnv-id 0x80400
wfpm id 0x80000020
[ 1.625121] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: PCI dev 51f1/0094, rev=0x370,
rfid=0x2010d000
[ 1.625313] Loading firmware: iwlwifi-so-a0-gf-a0-86.ucode
0.0.2.41
[ 1.626902] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: loaded firmware version 86.fb5c9aeb.0 so-
a0-gf-a0-86.ucode op_mode iwlmvm
[ 1.643426] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6E AX211 160MHz,
REV=0x370
[ 1.651382] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Invalid buffer destination
[ 1.809375] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_UMAC_PD_NOTIFICATION: 0x20
[ 1.809385] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_LMAC2_PD_NOTIFICATION: 0x1f
[ 1.809394] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_AUTH_KEY_0: 0x90
[ 1.809401] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: CNVI_SCU_SEQ_DATA_DW9: 0x0
[ 1.809403] Loading firmware: iwlwifi-so-a0-gf-a0.pnvm
[ 1.810724] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: loaded PNVM version e28bb9d7
[ 1.810817] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: RFIm is deactivated, reason = 4
[ 1.825831] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected RF GF, rfid=0x2010d000
[ 1.897387] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: base HW address: f4:6d:3f:2a:33:3e
Would net-wireless/iwd get me a bit further?
Meanwhile, I'll keep on exploring with the results of sys-apps/hw-probe.

Hey Peter

This might be the wrong firmware being loaded.

Are you building your the iwlwifi driver not as a module but directly
into the kernel?

Are you including your firmware into the kernel?

If you do the above, try loading the driver as a module. Also enable
both DVM and MVM Firmware support.

Then emerge  sys-kernel/linux-firmware without USE=savedconfig.

Finally reboot and check wther it works. If it works, check which
firmware is loaded in your dmesg.

[Peter Humphrey]

Post by Paul Sopka

Post by Peter Humphrey
Hello list,
I want to move my Intel i5 NUC box to a place where Ethernet is not
available, nor like to become so. That means I have to get WiFi working,
but I've had no success so far. The wiki pages are many, confusing and
contradictory, so I'd like the panel's advice on the way to proceed.
The first thing I tried was the traditional wpa_supplicant, which seemed
to go well - except that I couldn't get the link out of the DOWN state.
Then I tried NetworkManager, and failed with that too.
# lspci -v -s 00:14.3
00:14.3 Network controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake PCH CNVi WiFi
(rev 01)
--->8
Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
Kernel modules: iwlwifi
$ dmesg | grep -i wifi
[ 1.622343] Intel(R) Wireless WiFi driver for Linux
[ 1.622432] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
[ 1.625069] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected crf-id 0x400410, cnv-id
0x80400 wfpm id 0x80000020
[ 1.625121] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: PCI dev 51f1/0094, rev=0x370,
rfid=0x2010d000
[ 1.625313] Loading firmware: iwlwifi-so-a0-gf-a0-86.ucode
0.0.2.41
[ 1.626902] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: loaded firmware version 86.fb5c9aeb.0
so- a0-gf-a0-86.ucode op_mode iwlmvm
[ 1.643426] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6E AX211
160MHz, REV=0x370
[ 1.651382] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Invalid buffer destination
[ 1.809375] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_UMAC_PD_NOTIFICATION: 0x20
[ 1.809385] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_LMAC2_PD_NOTIFICATION: 0x1f
[ 1.809394] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_AUTH_KEY_0: 0x90
[ 1.809401] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: CNVI_SCU_SEQ_DATA_DW9: 0x0
[ 1.809403] Loading firmware: iwlwifi-so-a0-gf-a0.pnvm
[ 1.810724] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: loaded PNVM version e28bb9d7
[ 1.810817] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: RFIm is deactivated, reason = 4
[ 1.825831] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected RF GF, rfid=0x2010d000
[ 1.897387] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: base HW address: f4:6d:3f:2a:33:3e
Would net-wireless/iwd get me a bit further?
Meanwhile, I'll keep on exploring with the results of sys-apps/hw-probe.

Hey Peter
This might be the wrong firmware being loaded.
Are you building your the iwlwifi driver not as a module but directly
into the kernel?
Are you including your firmware into the kernel?
If you do the above, try loading the driver as a module. Also enable
both DVM and MVM Firmware support.
Then emerge sys-kernel/linux-firmware without USE=savedconfig.
Finally reboot and check wther it works. If it works, check which
firmware is loaded in your dmesg.

I decided to establish a firm, clean system to fall back to after messing about
with the various wifi packages, so I built a fresh system building on the
merged-usr stage-3. I was surprised to find that kde-plasma/powerdevil now
insists on installing Network Manager unless I set USE=-wireless against it.

Why has this happened? Can't the poor power devil cope with any other way of
running WiFi?

[Michael]

Post by Peter Humphrey

Post by Paul Sopka

Post by Peter Humphrey
Hello list,
I want to move my Intel i5 NUC box to a place where Ethernet is not
available, nor like to become so. That means I have to get WiFi working,
but I've had no success so far. The wiki pages are many, confusing and
contradictory, so I'd like the panel's advice on the way to proceed.
The first thing I tried was the traditional wpa_supplicant, which seemed
to go well - except that I couldn't get the link out of the DOWN state.
Then I tried NetworkManager, and failed with that too.
# lspci -v -s 00:14.3
00:14.3 Network controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake PCH CNVi WiFi
(rev 01)
--->8
Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
Kernel modules: iwlwifi
$ dmesg | grep -i wifi
[ 1.622343] Intel(R) Wireless WiFi driver for Linux
[ 1.622432] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
[ 1.625069] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected crf-id 0x400410, cnv-id
0x80400 wfpm id 0x80000020
[ 1.625121] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: PCI dev 51f1/0094, rev=0x370,
rfid=0x2010d000
[ 1.625313] Loading firmware: iwlwifi-so-a0-gf-a0-86.ucode
0.0.2.41
[ 1.626902] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: loaded firmware version 86.fb5c9aeb.0
so- a0-gf-a0-86.ucode op_mode iwlmvm
[ 1.643426] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6E AX211
160MHz, REV=0x370
[ 1.651382] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Invalid buffer destination
[ 1.809375] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_UMAC_PD_NOTIFICATION: 0x20
[ 1.809385] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_LMAC2_PD_NOTIFICATION: 0x1f
[ 1.809394] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_AUTH_KEY_0: 0x90
[ 1.809401] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: CNVI_SCU_SEQ_DATA_DW9: 0x0
[ 1.809403] Loading firmware: iwlwifi-so-a0-gf-a0.pnvm
[ 1.810724] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: loaded PNVM version e28bb9d7
[ 1.810817] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: RFIm is deactivated, reason = 4
[ 1.825831] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected RF GF, rfid=0x2010d000
[ 1.897387] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: base HW address: f4:6d:3f:2a:33:3e
Would net-wireless/iwd get me a bit further?
Meanwhile, I'll keep on exploring with the results of sys-apps/hw-probe.

Hey Peter
This might be the wrong firmware being loaded.
Are you building your the iwlwifi driver not as a module but directly
into the kernel?
Are you including your firmware into the kernel?
If you do the above, try loading the driver as a module. Also enable
both DVM and MVM Firmware support.
Then emerge sys-kernel/linux-firmware without USE=savedconfig.
Finally reboot and check wther it works. If it works, check which
firmware is loaded in your dmesg.

I decided to establish a firm, clean system to fall back to after messing
about with the various wifi packages, so I built a fresh system building on
the merged-usr stage-3. I was surprised to find that kde-plasma/powerdevil
now insists on installing Network Manager unless I set USE=-wireless
against it.
Why has this happened? Can't the poor power devil cope with any other way of
running WiFi?

The USE="wireless" flag on powerdevil is needed to save energy when the
bluetooth/wireless chip is idle. This function could be useful with laptops
running on battery.

If you set USE="-networkmanager" in make.conf and USE="-wireless" for the
powerdevil package you won't be bothered by this again.

[Michael]

--->8

Post by Michael

Post by Peter Humphrey
I decided to establish a firm, clean system to fall back to after messing
about with the various wifi packages, so I built a fresh system building
on the merged-usr stage-3. I was surprised to find that kde-plasma/
powerdevil now insists on installing Network Manager unless I set USE=-
wireless against it.
Why has this happened? Can't the poor power devil cope with any other
way
of running WiFi?

The USE="wireless" flag on powerdevil is needed to save energy when the
bluetooth/wireless chip is idle. This function could be useful with
laptops running on battery.
If you set USE="-networkmanager" in make.conf and USE="-wireless" for the
powerdevil package you won't be bothered by this again.

I already had USE="-networkmanager" in make.conf.
This is not a laptop and it has no battery. Nowhere on the system is there
any hint to the contrary, so I still think this has not been thought
through. The logic should have included alternatives to Network Manager.

Yes, I agree wholeheartedly. However, these decisions are taken upstream,
where there is a tendency of convergence to monoculture.

[Peter Humphrey]

Post by Michael

--->8

Post by Michael

Post by Peter Humphrey
I decided to establish a firm, clean system to fall back to after messing
about with the various wifi packages, so I built a fresh system building
on the merged-usr stage-3. I was surprised to find that kde-plasma/
powerdevil now insists on installing Network Manager unless I set USE=-
wireless against it.
Why has this happened? Can't the poor power devil cope with any other way
of running WiFi?

The USE="wireless" flag on powerdevil is needed to save energy when the
bluetooth/wireless chip is idle. This function could be useful with
laptops running on battery.
If you set USE="-networkmanager" in make.conf and USE="-wireless" for the
powerdevil package you won't be bothered by this again.

I already had USE="-networkmanager" in make.conf.
This is not a laptop and it has no battery. Nowhere on the system is there
any hint to the contrary, so I still think this has not been thought
through. The logic should have included alternatives to Network Manager.

Yes, I agree wholeheartedly. However, these decisions are taken upstream,
where there is a tendency of convergence to monoculture.

Sorry, but I disagree with that last. The ebuild could have contained suitable
logic, and it still could.

[Peter Humphrey]

--->8

Post by Michael

Post by Peter Humphrey
I decided to establish a firm, clean system to fall back to after messing
about with the various wifi packages, so I built a fresh system building
on the merged-usr stage-3. I was surprised to find that kde-plasma/
powerdevil now insists on installing Network Manager unless I set USE=-
wireless against it.
Why has this happened? Can't the poor power devil cope with any other way
of running WiFi?

The USE="wireless" flag on powerdevil is needed to save energy when the
bluetooth/wireless chip is idle. This function could be useful with laptops
running on battery.
If you set USE="-networkmanager" in make.conf and USE="-wireless" for the
powerdevil package you won't be bothered by this again.

I already had USE="-networkmanager" in make.conf.

This is not a laptop and it has no battery. Nowhere on the system is there any
hint to the contrary, so I still think this has not been thought through. The
logic should have included alternatives to Network Manager.

[Wojciech Kuzyszyn]

On Tue, 09 Apr 2024 14:23:31 +0100

Post by Peter Humphrey
Hello list,
I want to move my Intel i5 NUC box to a place where Ethernet is not
available, nor like to become so. That means I have to get WiFi
working, but I've had no success so far. The wiki pages are many,
confusing and contradictory, so I'd like the panel's advice on the
way to proceed.
The first thing I tried was the traditional wpa_supplicant, which
seemed to go well - except that I couldn't get the link out of the
DOWN state.
Then I tried NetworkManager, and failed with that too.
# lspci -v -s 00:14.3
00:14.3 Network controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake PCH CNVi
WiFi (rev 01)
--->8
Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
Kernel modules: iwlwifi
$ dmesg | grep -i wifi
[ 1.622343] Intel(R) Wireless WiFi driver for Linux
[ 1.622432] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
[ 1.625069] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected crf-id 0x400410, cnv-id
0x80400 wfpm id 0x80000020
[ 1.625121] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: PCI dev 51f1/0094, rev=0x370,
rfid=0x2010d000
[ 1.625313] Loading firmware: iwlwifi-so-a0-gf-a0-86.ucode
[ 1.626644] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: TLV_FW_FSEQ_VERSION: FSEQ
Version: 0.0.2.41
[ 1.626902] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: loaded firmware version
86.fb5c9aeb.0 so- a0-gf-a0-86.ucode op_mode iwlmvm
[ 1.643426] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6E AX211
160MHz, REV=0x370
[ 1.651382] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Invalid buffer destination
[ 1.809375] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_UMAC_PD_NOTIFICATION: 0x20
[ 1.809385] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_LMAC2_PD_NOTIFICATION: 0x1f
[ 1.809394] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_AUTH_KEY_0: 0x90
[ 1.809401] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: CNVI_SCU_SEQ_DATA_DW9: 0x0
[ 1.809403] Loading firmware: iwlwifi-so-a0-gf-a0.pnvm
[ 1.810724] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: loaded PNVM version e28bb9d7
[ 1.810817] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: RFIm is deactivated, reason = 4
[ 1.825831] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected RF GF, rfid=0x2010d000
f4:6d:3f:2a:33:3e
Would net-wireless/iwd get me a bit further?
Meanwhile, I'll keep on exploring with the results of
sys-apps/hw-probe.

Hello!

I have never managed to get WiFi working with iwlwifi, but iwd works
great for me. Give it a try!

[Peter Humphrey]

Post by Wojciech Kuzyszyn
I have never managed to get WiFi working with iwlwifi, but iwd works
great for me. Give it a try!

I will - thanks!

[Peter Humphrey]

Post by Wojciech Kuzyszyn
On Tue, 09 Apr 2024 14:23:31 +0100

Post by Peter Humphrey
Hello list,
I want to move my Intel i5 NUC box to a place where Ethernet is not
available, nor like to become so. That means I have to get WiFi
working, but I've had no success so far. The wiki pages are many,
confusing and contradictory, so I'd like the panel's advice on the
way to proceed.
The first thing I tried was the traditional wpa_supplicant, which
seemed to go well - except that I couldn't get the link out of the
DOWN state.
Then I tried NetworkManager, and failed with that too.
# lspci -v -s 00:14.3
00:14.3 Network controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake PCH CNVi
WiFi (rev 01)
--->8
Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
Kernel modules: iwlwifi
$ dmesg | grep -i wifi
[ 1.622343] Intel(R) Wireless WiFi driver for Linux
[ 1.622432] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
[ 1.625069] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected crf-id 0x400410, cnv-id
0x80400 wfpm id 0x80000020
[ 1.625121] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: PCI dev 51f1/0094, rev=0x370,
rfid=0x2010d000
[ 1.625313] Loading firmware: iwlwifi-so-a0-gf-a0-86.ucode
[ 1.626644] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: TLV_FW_FSEQ_VERSION: FSEQ
Version: 0.0.2.41
[ 1.626902] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: loaded firmware version
86.fb5c9aeb.0 so- a0-gf-a0-86.ucode op_mode iwlmvm
[ 1.643426] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6E AX211
160MHz, REV=0x370
[ 1.651382] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Invalid buffer destination
[ 1.809375] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_UMAC_PD_NOTIFICATION: 0x20
[ 1.809385] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_LMAC2_PD_NOTIFICATION: 0x1f
[ 1.809394] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_AUTH_KEY_0: 0x90
[ 1.809401] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: CNVI_SCU_SEQ_DATA_DW9: 0x0
[ 1.809403] Loading firmware: iwlwifi-so-a0-gf-a0.pnvm
[ 1.810724] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: loaded PNVM version e28bb9d7
[ 1.810817] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: RFIm is deactivated, reason = 4
[ 1.825831] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected RF GF, rfid=0x2010d000
f4:6d:3f:2a:33:3e
Would net-wireless/iwd get me a bit further?
Meanwhile, I'll keep on exploring with the results of
sys-apps/hw-probe.

Hello!
I have never managed to get WiFi working with iwlwifi, but iwd works
great for me. Give it a try!

According to https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Handbook:AMD64/Networking/Wireless,
"the net-wireless/iw software...cannot connect to WPA-only Access Points."

I think my Fritz!Box 7530 router has that limitation, but It's hard to know.

[Michael]

Post by Peter Humphrey

Post by Wojciech Kuzyszyn
On Tue, 09 Apr 2024 14:23:31 +0100

Post by Peter Humphrey
Hello list,
I want to move my Intel i5 NUC box to a place where Ethernet is not
available, nor like to become so. That means I have to get WiFi
working, but I've had no success so far. The wiki pages are many,
confusing and contradictory, so I'd like the panel's advice on the
way to proceed.
The first thing I tried was the traditional wpa_supplicant, which
seemed to go well - except that I couldn't get the link out of the
DOWN state.
Then I tried NetworkManager, and failed with that too.
# lspci -v -s 00:14.3
00:14.3 Network controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake PCH CNVi
WiFi (rev 01)
--->8
Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
Kernel modules: iwlwifi
$ dmesg | grep -i wifi
[ 1.622343] Intel(R) Wireless WiFi driver for Linux
[ 1.622432] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
[ 1.625069] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected crf-id 0x400410, cnv-id
0x80400 wfpm id 0x80000020
[ 1.625121] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: PCI dev 51f1/0094, rev=0x370,
rfid=0x2010d000
[ 1.625313] Loading firmware: iwlwifi-so-a0-gf-a0-86.ucode
[ 1.626644] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: TLV_FW_FSEQ_VERSION: FSEQ
Version: 0.0.2.41
[ 1.626902] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: loaded firmware version
86.fb5c9aeb.0 so- a0-gf-a0-86.ucode op_mode iwlmvm
[ 1.643426] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6E AX211
160MHz, REV=0x370
[ 1.651382] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Invalid buffer destination
[ 1.809375] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_UMAC_PD_NOTIFICATION: 0x20
[ 1.809385] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_LMAC2_PD_NOTIFICATION: 0x1f
[ 1.809394] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WFPM_AUTH_KEY_0: 0x90
[ 1.809401] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: CNVI_SCU_SEQ_DATA_DW9: 0x0
[ 1.809403] Loading firmware: iwlwifi-so-a0-gf-a0.pnvm
[ 1.810724] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: loaded PNVM version e28bb9d7
[ 1.810817] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: RFIm is deactivated, reason = 4
[ 1.825831] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected RF GF, rfid=0x2010d000
f4:6d:3f:2a:33:3e
Would net-wireless/iwd get me a bit further?
Meanwhile, I'll keep on exploring with the results of
sys-apps/hw-probe.

Hello!
I have never managed to get WiFi working with iwlwifi, but iwd works
great for me. Give it a try!

According to
https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Handbook:AMD64/Networking/Wireless, "the
net-wireless/iw software...cannot connect to WPA-only Access Points."
I think my Fritz!Box 7530 router has that limitation, but It's hard to know.

For clarity:

The iwlwifi is a kernel driver for Intel wireless chips.

The net-wireless/iw software can be used to manage the wireless association
with an AP if the latter has been configured to offer connections with the
deprecated and insecure WEP, or no encryption.

The net-wireless/wpa_supplicant software can be used to manage the negotiation
for a wireless connection with an AP when this has encryption enabled (WPA,
WPA-2, WPA-3).

The net-wireless/iwd is a more modern software developed by Intel to replace
wpa_supplicant. In addition it will also create wireless interfaces as it
needs to and manage these, as opposed to leaving this function to udev.
Essentially iwd takes over the management of wireless interfaces and their
encrypted communication with an AP in a standalone fashion. I haven't tried
this yet to find out how it behaves, but it is rumoured to be more polished
than wpa_supplicant and can work without netifrc scripts or dhcpcd.

There are GUI front-ends for the above to suit various desktop and user
preferences, some more polished than others.

[Peter Humphrey]

Post by Michael
The iwlwifi is a kernel driver for Intel wireless chips.
The net-wireless/iw software can be used to manage the wireless association
with an AP if the latter has been configured to offer connections with the
deprecated and insecure WEP, or no encryption.
The net-wireless/wpa_supplicant software can be used to manage the
negotiation for a wireless connection with an AP when this has encryption
enabled (WPA, WPA-2, WPA-3).

Yes, I was aware of those.

Post by Michael
The net-wireless/iwd is a more modern software developed by Intel to replace
wpa_supplicant. In addition it will also create wireless interfaces as it
needs to and manage these, as opposed to leaving this function to udev.
Essentially iwd takes over the management of wireless interfaces and their
encrypted communication with an AP in a standalone fashion. I haven't
tried this yet to find out how it behaves, but it is rumoured to be more
polished than wpa_supplicant and can work without netifrc scripts or
dhcpcd.

That's a better explanation than I've seen before - thanks!

Post by Michael
There are GUI front-ends for the above to suit various desktop and user
preferences, some more polished than others.

Hm. I haven't found one for iwd yet...

[Michael]

Post by Peter Humphrey

Post by Michael
There are GUI front-ends for the above to suit various desktop and user
preferences, some more polished than others.

Hm. I haven't found one for iwd yet...

There is net-wireless/iwgtk in portage. Other GUI applications exist (idwgui,
dmenu-iwd-gui), plus the general GUI front ends of networkmanager and connman.

[Peter Humphrey]

Post by Michael

Post by Peter Humphrey

Post by Michael
There are GUI front-ends for the above to suit various desktop and user
preferences, some more polished than others.

Hm. I haven't found one for iwd yet...

There is net-wireless/iwgtk in portage. Other GUI applications exist
(idwgui, dmenu-iwd-gui), plus the general GUI front ends of networkmanager
and connman.

Of course, I found iwgtk a minute after sending that last. Network Manager is
what I'm trying to avoid, mostly because it makes a mess of my existing wired
LAN with its static addresses. I may have to revisit that whole setup.

[Michael]

Post by Peter Humphrey

Post by Michael

Post by Peter Humphrey

Post by Michael
There are GUI front-ends for the above to suit various desktop and user
preferences, some more polished than others.

Hm. I haven't found one for iwd yet...

There is net-wireless/iwgtk in portage. Other GUI applications exist
(idwgui, dmenu-iwd-gui), plus the general GUI front ends of networkmanager
and connman.

Of course, I found iwgtk a minute after sending that last. Network Manager
is what I'm trying to avoid, mostly because it makes a mess of my existing
wired LAN with its static addresses. I may have to revisit that whole
setup.

If you are using the netifrc script for your wired ethernet, you can add to
your /etc/conf.d/net the wireless part and call upon wpa_supplicant or iwd to
manage association and authentication with your AP.

For a laptop, when using different APs, you can use wpa_supplicant or iwd with
dhcpcd without using netifrc. Then use wpa_gui or iwgtk to select preferred
APs and to enter your credentials.

There are a number of combinations and permutations with the above tools to
try out and see what suits. I have never used networkmanager unless it comes
as the default software with a binary distro. Thankfully Gentoo offers a lot
of choice and flexibility.

[Peter Humphrey]

Post by Peter Humphrey
I want to move my Intel i5 NUC box to a place where Ethernet is not
available, nor like to become so. That means I have to get WiFi working,
but I've had no success so far. The wiki pages are many, confusing and
contradictory, so I'd like the panel's advice on the way to proceed.

Just reporting back.

I built a new system - using NetworkManager (after all I've said about it!) -
now that it's so much quicker using binpkgs.

It all went fairly smoothly, taking one step at a time through changing
several USE flags, installing various tools, and finally, adding the new wlan0
interface to shorewall.

The machine can now boot with either wired or wireless network, or both.

Thank you, all who helped.

[Wol]

Post by Peter Humphrey
Just reporting back.
I built a new system - using NetworkManager (after all I've said about it!) -
now that it's so much quicker using binpkgs.
It all went fairly smoothly, taking one step at a time through changing
several USE flags, installing various tools, and finally, adding the new wlan0
interface to shorewall.
The machine can now boot with either wired or wireless network, or both.
Thank you, all who helped.

Any chance you can document those steps? I'm struggling to get wireless
working on my laptop - the statement in the handbook

Post by Peter Humphrey
Wireless networking on Linux is usually pretty straightforward. There

are three ways of configuring wifi: graphical clients, text-mode
interfaces, and command-line interfaces.

just seems to be complete rubbish :-(

As far as I can tell, my kernel is bringing up the hardware fine - dmesg
tells me my wireless interface has come up fine with iwlwifi, and has
been renamed from wlan0 to wlo1. Network manager detects the ethernet
connection but can't even see the wireless connection.

Ummm ... of course, sod has just struck, I've rebooted, started Network
Manager (which I thought I'd uninstalled) and wonder of wonders I have
internet!

But some documentation would certainly be appreciated.

Cheers,
Wol

[Peter Humphrey]

Post by Wol

Post by Peter Humphrey
Just reporting back.
I built a new system - using NetworkManager (after all I've said about
it!) - now that it's so much quicker using binpkgs.
It all went fairly smoothly, taking one step at a time through changing
several USE flags, installing various tools, and finally, adding the new
wlan0 interface to shorewall.
The machine can now boot with either wired or wireless network, or both.
Thank you, all who helped.

Any chance you can document those steps?

Yes, I ought to do that. I just need to remember... ;-)

Post by Wol
I'm struggling to get wireless working on my laptop - the statement in the
handbook Wireless networking on Linux is usually pretty straightforward.
There are three ways of configuring wifi: graphical clients, text-mode
interfaces, and command-line interfaces.
just seems to be complete rubbish :-(

It does seem that way, indeed. It was certainly no use to me.

Post by Wol
As far as I can tell, my kernel is bringing up the hardware fine - dmesg
tells me my wireless interface has come up fine with iwlwifi, and has
been renamed from wlan0 to wlo1. Network manager detects the ethernet
connection but can't even see the wireless connection.
Ummm ... of course, sod has just struck, I've rebooted, started Network
Manager (which I thought I'd uninstalled) and wonder of wonders I have
internet!
But some documentation would certainly be appreciated.

I'll see what I can do in the next day or two.