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I'm running Ubuntu 12.04 on a Lenova ThinkPad. I updated a few days ago, and my wireless interface has basically disappeared. I can see where they should be when I click on my internet icon, but they're ghosted out.

I've tried the /etc/init.d/networking start and the 'service networking start' but I wasn't getting anywhere with either of them.

I found this question: Unable to connect to WiFi network after updates

and tried it out:

cordelia@bug:~$ rfkill list wlan

0: phy0: Wireless LAN                                                                
        Soft blocked: yes                                                             
        Hard blocked: yes
cordelia@bug:~$ rfkill unblock wlan
Can't open RFKILL control device: Permission denied
cordelia@bug:~$ sudo rfkill unblock wlan
cordelia@bug:~$ sudo service network-manager restart
network-manager stop/waiting                                                           
network-manager start/running, process 6814

That fixed his wireless, but I still can't get mine to work. And I really don't know why.

My ifconfig looks like this:

eth0                                                                                   
          Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:1f:16:0b:5b:b3                               
          inet6 addr: fe80::21f:16ff:fe0b:5bb3/64 Scope:Link                           
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1                          
          RX packets:3892 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0                        
          TX packets:4116 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0                       
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000                                                   
          RX bytes:3528991 (3.5 MB)  TX bytes:582490 (582.4 KB)                          
          Interrupt:20 Memory:f2600000-f2620000                                       

lo                                                                                  
          Link encap:Local Loopback                                                
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0                                            
          inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host                                                
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1                                      
          RX packets:4835 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0                         
          TX packets:4835 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0                       
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0                                                     
          RX bytes:390732 (390.7 KB)  TX bytes:390732 (390.7 KB)                        

And my lspci:                                                                         
03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 5100 AGN [Shiloh] Network Connection

My dad poked around but couldn't find a solution. When I click on the wireless interface it gives me this list of data:

Type: Wireless 802.11
Connection State: Unavailable
IP Address: No IP address.
Connection Speed: Unknown
System Name: wlan0
MAC Address: 00:21:5D:91:28:DA
Driver: iwlwifi

I don't know what I'm doing wrong or not doing right. Is there anything else I need to try or tell you?

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1 Answer 1

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"Hard blocked: yes" strongly suggests that the hardware switch and/or key combination, Fn+F5 on my Lenovo, is set to turn the wireless radio off. Please find the switch and turn the radio on. In some countries, including the USA, there is a key combination as well as a separate wireless slide switch.enter image description here

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  • And that was it! Thank you so much, that was driving me crazy!
    – Cordelia
    Apr 19, 2013 at 15:49
  • Glad it's working!
    – chili555
    Apr 19, 2013 at 18:32

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