# Cannot activate WiFi on Thinkpad X201



## cracauer@ (May 21, 2014)

This WiFi chip refuses to turn on. I continue to get:

```
iwn0: <Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200> mem 0xf2400000-0xf2401fff irq 16 at device 0.0 on pci2
iwn0: radio is disabled by hardware switch

[...]
iwn0@pci0:2:0:0:        class=0x028000 card=0x13118086 chip=0x42398086 rev=0x35 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = 'Centrino Advanced-N 6200'
    class      = network
[...]
sysctl:
dev.acpi_ibm.0.wlan: 1 [readonly]
[...]
if_iwn_load="YES"
acpi_video_load="YES"
legal.intel_iwn.license_ack=1
if_wpi_load="YES"
if_iwn_load="YES"
if_iwnfw_load="YES"
wlan_wep_load="YES"
wlan_ccmp_load="YES"
wlan_tkip_load="YES"
iwn4965fw_load=YES
iwn1000fw_load=YES
iwn5000fw_load=YES
iwn5150fw_load=YES
iwn6000fw_load=YES
iwn6000g2afw_load=YES
iwn6000g2bfw_load=YES
iwn6050fw_load=YES
```

The hardware lights up the WiFi LED during post but then turns the LED off when entering BIOS or bootloader. The hardware switch is on and it makes no difference if I work it. The BIOS setting for WiFi is on. Using Fn-F5 has no effect either way, however I noticed that the Fn switch alone will make the console login cycle, as if return had been pressed.

The thing also refuses to boot from USB on first try after OS reboot or poweron and will do so after a control-alt-del on the boot error message.

This is 10-RELEASE 64 bits.

Am I screwed? Is there hope that I can simulate the Fn-F5 sequence from inside via ACPI?


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## emmex (May 29, 2014)

I do not have a solution, but in your situation I would do:
1) In google search: iwn0 site:freebsd.org, probably this thread has the solution Thread 40700
2) If not works try to install FreeBSD 11-CURRENT.  The CURRENT version of FreeBSD has the latest driver.

Maurizio


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## wblock@ (May 29, 2014)

Are you supposed to load all the firmware modules?  I thought it should only be the one needed.  Might not matter.


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## cracauer@ (May 29, 2014)

@emmex, that thread is about missing the ball on `wpa_supplicant`
https://forums.freebsd.org/viewtopic.php?&t=40700

Loading all firmware shouldn't do harm.

My next step is take the thing apart and physically kill the switch functionality. I found references on the 'net that the switch might not work when it gets old.


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## cracauer@ (Jun 3, 2014)

Allright, got it sorted.

I took it apart to physically disable the switch by isolating pin 19 or whichever that is on the mini-PCI bus, as suggested on the thinkpad forums.  From there I wiggled and worked and isolated the pin and the switch and in the end it worked - even without isolating the pin. So, folks, just wiggle and clean it a lot.

Now it works but unfortunately it seems to have severe problems hanging on to the carrier, although the other laptops right next to it work just fine. Does FreeBSD's driver for the 6200 wifi chip have a couple shortcomings with power management or so?

I also noticed that the X201 refuses to have its touchpad registered as a synaptics pad


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