NM & applet trouble, does not connect

[Sven <sr12 duke edu>]

some observations: 

NM does not connect to network:

 sudo service NetworkManager stop
Stopping NetworkManager daemon:                            [  OK  ]

sudo service NetworkManager start
Setting network parameters... 
Starting NetworkManager daemon:                            [  OK  ]

nmtest
NM Status: 'scanning'
Active device: '/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/ath0'
Active device name: 'ath0'
Devices:
   /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/eth0
       Device type: wired

   /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/ath0
       Device type: wireless
       Strength: 44%
       Active Network:
'/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/ath0/Networks/XXX'
       Networks:
           /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/ath0/Networks/XXX
(XXX)  Strength: 44%

but NM does not connect, applet shows radar :-(
./nmtest
NM Status: 'scanning'
Active device: '/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/ath0'
Active device name: 'ath0'
Devices:
   /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/eth0
       Device type: wired

   /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/ath0
       Device type: wireless
       Strength: 53%
       Active Network: '(null)'
       Networks:
           /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/ath0/Networks/XXX
(XXX)  Strength: 44%

clicking on the network in the applet does not help either. however, a
after "modprobe -r ath_pci" NM actually connects, but still the applet
is radar scanning and nmtest says

NM Status: 'scanning'
Active device: '/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/ath0'
Active device name: 'ath0'
Devices:
   /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/eth0
       Device type: wired

   /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/ath0
       Device type: wireless
       Strength: 44%
       Active Network: '(null)'
       Networks:
           /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/ath0/Networks/XXX
(XXX)  Strength: 44%

but we are connected!! IP address and all...

and: "service NetworkManager restart" seems not to restart NM:
Stopping NetworkManager daemon:                            [  OK  ]
Setting network parameters... 
Starting NetworkManager daemon:                            [  OK  ]

but:

 ./nmtest
nmwa_dbus_call_nm_method():
org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceDoesNotExist raised:
 Service "org.freedesktop.NetworkManager" does not exist

NetworkManager appears not to be running (could not get its status).
Will exit.

now the applet is gone, but: ps auxc|grep Net gives

user     5426  0.0  1.7 30708 8928 ?        Ssl  17:43   0:00
NetworkManagerI
user     5450  0.1  2.1 33356 11040 ?       Sl   17:43   0:01
NetworkManagerN
root     11365  0.1  0.3 24932 1664 ?        Ssl  18:01   0:00
NetworkManager

???
moreover, the device again connects after a "modprobe -r ath_pci", and
there is NM specific periodic scanning...

Sven