# FreeBSD 10.1 AR9287 - Cannot Connect to Wireless Network



## cenu (May 14, 2015)

I'm having trouble figuring out how I can connect my FreeBSD 10.1 machine to my wireless network via my Qualcomm Atheros AR9287 wireless NIC, and I've been having this problem since I first installed FreeBSD 10.0, where it didn't seem to be a problem in 9.2 or below.

Here are the relevant error messages I could gather from dmesg:

```
ath0: <Atheros 9287> mem 0xfd4f0000-0xfd4fffff irq 17 at device 0.0 on pci8
ath0: [HT] enabling HT modes
ath0: [HT] enabling short-GI in 20MHz mode
ath0: [HT] 1 stream STBC receive enabled
ath0: [HT] 1 stream STBC transmit enabled
ath0: [HT] 2 RX streams; 2 TX streams
ath0: AR9287 mac 384.2 RF5133 phy 15.15
ath0: 2GHz radio: 0x0000; 5GHz radio: 0x00c0

wlan0: Ethernet address: 64:66:b3:2b:d5:c1

ath0: ath_reset_grablock: didn't finish after 10 iterations
ath0: ath_reset_grablock: warning, recursive reset path!
ath0: ath_chan_set: concurrent reset! Danger!
```

Any advice on fixing this problem will be greatly appreciated.
I enjoy any time spent away from Windows, even if it means that I will be tinkering around to fix certain issues with my installation of FreeBSD.

PS: I would also like to know which Atheros chipset you are using if you are not experiencing any wireless networking problems.


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## woodsb02 (May 20, 2015)

I am pretty sure this question has been answered on the freebsd-wireless@freebsd.org mailing list here:
https://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-stable/2014-November/081131.html

In summary, try setting the following:
`# sysctl dev.ath.0.hal.force_full_reset=1`

If this works for you, save it to occur automatically on each boot by adding the following to /etc/sysctl.conf:

```
dev.ath.0.hal.force_full_reset=1
```


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## cenu (May 20, 2015)

Sorry, to say that didn't work. Besides, I've already placed an order for an Atheros chipset which I know will work. It's an AR9285, and I have it running perfectly with FreeBSD 10.1 on my netbook. Plus I ordered a couple of antennae to go with it to make sure it can work with my tower. On top of that, the orders just shipped, so I can't cancel them.

So I think I'll just abandon this topic.

I also don't have to deal with Windows anymore, I just bought a Mac Mini as a second workstation, and so far I'm loving it. I even successfully migrated one of my SDL2 programming projects.


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## woodsb02 (May 24, 2015)

For my benefit, can you please let me know which make and model of device you have ordered that uses the AR9285 and you know works with FreeBSD?
A link to where you bought it might also be helpful.


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## cenu (May 29, 2015)

The model number is AR5B95. The exact same model as the one on my netbook.
But the weird thing is, my tower still doesn't want to connect to the local network, but my netbook can do it no problem.
I think this might have something to do with the motherboard or the configuration of FreeBSD on the tower.
I guess I'd like to know about the networking configuration on the installer, because both chipsets seemed to work just fine on that.
And yea, I think I may have just wasted money.


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## woodsb02 (May 30, 2015)

Make sure you have had a read of the relevant chapter from the FreeBSD handbook:
https://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/network-wireless.html

Perhaps provide the contents of the following files on you tower:

/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf (obscure your wifi password if you like)

/etc/rc.conf


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