no wireless networks detected; slow to connect when forced

[Ben Liblit <liblit acm org>]

NetworkManager fails to detect any wireless networks on its own, even 
though there are several well within range that do advertise their 
SSIDs.  When I use "Other Wireless Networks..." to explicitly tell 
NetworkManager about my own wireless network, it takes a full minute to 
associate and get an IP address.

Once I have forced a connection like this, my wireless network's SSID 
("Luminiferous") does appear in the NetworkManager panel applet's menu. 
 However, it shows an empty bar for signal strength, suggesting that 
NetworkManager is trusting me when I say there is a network but doesn't 
really see the signal on its own.

This laptop runs Fedora Core 3.  By way of sanity checking, the standard 
FC3 tools have no problem associating with various visible wireless 
networks in roaming mode, and are able to join to my own wireless 
network in a matter of seconds.

The laptop's wireless interface is an "Intersil Corporation Prism 2.5 
Wavelan chipset" which has always worked just fine using the orinoco_pci 
kernel module.  I'm using Fedora's prebuilt kernel-2.6.10-1.741_FC3 as 
well as NetworkManager-0.3.3-1.cvs20050112.1.fc3.

Attached below is an excerpt of the system log showing NetworkManager 
trying to associate with my Luminiferous wireless network.  This excerpt 
begins when I used "Other Wireless Networks..." to force the connection. 
 You can see that just about one minute goes by from start to finish, 
which is much slower than one would like.  It is worth pointing out that 
This excerpt doesn't cover the preceding period where NetworkManager was 
scanning for wireless networks but failing to find any on its own.

Any suggestions?  One suggestion I've already tried is to use newer 
orinoco driver releases from <http://orinoco.sf.net/>.  Unfortunately 
their latest 0.15rc2 release doesn't even compile on my 2.6.10 kernel.

Any *other* suggestions?

Thank you!

Jan 20 00:23:26 localhost NetworkManager: FORCE: device '/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/dev4430', network 'Luminiferous'
Jan 20 00:23:26 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Disconnected (0002)
Jan 20 00:23:27 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Connected (0001)
Jan 20 00:23:27 localhost NetworkManager: nm_device_wireless_network_exists () looking for network 'Luminiferous'...
Jan 20 00:23:31 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Disconnected (0002)
Jan 20 00:23:32 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Connected (0001)
Jan 20 00:23:36 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Disconnected (0002)
Jan 20 00:23:37 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Connected (0001)
Jan 20 00:23:41 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Disconnected (0002)
Jan 20 00:23:42 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Connected (0001)
Jan 20 00:23:46 localhost NetworkManager:   found! (unencrypted) 
Jan 20 00:23:46 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Disconnected (0002)
Jan 20 00:23:47 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Connected (0001)
Jan 20 00:23:51 localhost NetworkManager: dev4430: setting AP 'Luminiferous' best
Jan 20 00:23:51 localhost NetworkManager:     SWITCH: need to get an IP address.
Jan 20 00:23:51 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Disconnected (0002)
Jan 20 00:23:51 localhost NetworkManager: nm_state_modification_monitor(): beginning activation for device 'dev4430'
Jan 20 00:23:52 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Connected (0001)
Jan 20 00:23:56 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Disconnected (0002)
Jan 20 00:23:57 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Connected (0001)
Jan 20 00:24:00 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Disconnected (0002)
Jan 20 00:24:00 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Connected (0001)
Jan 20 00:24:05 localhost NetworkManager: dev4430: setting AP 'Luminiferous' best
Jan 20 00:24:09 localhost kernel: dev4430: Error -110 setting multicast list.
Jan 20 00:24:09 localhost last message repeated 2 times
Jan 20 00:24:09 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Connected (0001)
Jan 20 00:24:11 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Disconnected (0002)
Jan 20 00:24:11 localhost NetworkManager: nm_device_set_wireless_config (dev4430) using essid 'Luminiferous', with no authentication.
Jan 20 00:24:11 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Connected (0001)
Jan 20 00:24:16 localhost NetworkManager: HAVELINK: card appears to have a link to the access point.
Jan 20 00:24:16 localhost NetworkManager: dhcp_interface_init: MAC address = 00:20:e0:8e:7e:20 
Jan 20 00:24:16 localhost NetworkManager: Broadcasting DHCP_DISCOVER 
Jan 20 00:24:16 localhost NetworkManager: DHCP: Starting request loop
Jan 20 00:24:16 localhost NetworkManager: DHCP: Sending request packet...
Jan 20 00:24:16 localhost NetworkManager: DHCP: Sent request packet.
Jan 20 00:24:16 localhost NetworkManager: DHCP: Waiting for reply...
Jan 20 00:24:16 localhost NetworkManager: DHCP waiting for data, overall end_time = {1106202262s, -715320us} 
Jan 20 00:24:16 localhost NetworkManager: DHCP waiting for data of minimum size 28, remaining timeout = {5s, 89645us} 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: DHCP waiting for data of minimum size 28, remaining timeout = {4s, 89884us} 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: DHCP: Got some data to check for reply packet.
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: DHCP: actual data length was 576
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: debug_dump_dhcp_options: 6 options received: 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: i=1  (subnetMask)  len=4   option = 255.255.255.0 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: i=3  (routersOnSubnet)  len=4   option = 192.168.1.1 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: i=6  (dns)  len=8   option = 65.43.19.26 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: i=6  (dns)  len=8   option = 206.141.192.60 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: i=51 (dhcpMessageType)  len=4   option = 86400 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: i=53 (dhcpParamRequest)  len=1   option = 2 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: i=54 (dhcpMsg)  len=4   option = 192.168.1.1 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: dhcp_msg->yiaddr  = 192.168.1.101
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: dhcp_msg->siaddr  = 192.168.1.1
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: dhcp_msg->giaddr  = 0.0.0.0
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: dhcp_msg->sname   = ""
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: Server Hardware Address   = 00.0C.41.51.11.76 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: DHCP_OFFER received from  (192.168.1.1) 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: Broadcasting DHCP_REQUEST for 192.168.1.101 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: DHCP: Starting request loop
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: DHCP: Sending request packet...
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: DHCP: Sent request packet.
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: DHCP: Waiting for reply...
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: DHCP waiting for data, overall end_time = {1106202263s, -663952us} 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: DHCP waiting for data of minimum size 28, remaining timeout = {5s, 25766us} 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: DHCP: Got some data to check for reply packet.
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: DHCP: actual data length was 576
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: debug_dump_dhcp_options: 9 options received: 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: i=1  (subnetMask)  len=4   option = 255.255.255.0 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: i=3  (routersOnSubnet)  len=4   option = 192.168.1.1 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: i=6  (dns)  len=8   option = 65.43.19.26 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: i=6  (dns)  len=8   option = 206.141.192.60 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: i=28 (broadcastAddr)  len=4   option = 192.168.1.255 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: i=51 (dhcpMessageType)  len=4   option = 86400 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: i=53 (dhcpParamRequest)  len=1   option = 5 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: i=54 (dhcpMsg)  len=4   option = 192.168.1.1 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: i=58 (dhcpClassIdentifier)  len=4   option = 0 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: i=59 (dhcpClientIdentifier)  len=4   option = 0 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: dhcp_msg->yiaddr  = 192.168.1.101
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: dhcp_msg->siaddr  = 192.168.1.1
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: dhcp_msg->giaddr  = 0.0.0.0
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: dhcp_msg->sname   = ""
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: Server Hardware Address   = 00.0C.41.51.11.76 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: DHCP_ACK received from  (192.168.1.1) 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: Your IP address = 192.168.1.101 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: : Couldn't remove nameserver: Invalid nameserver id 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: : Couldn't remove nameserver: Invalid nameserver id 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost named[4730]: loading configuration from '/tmp/NetworkManager-named.conf-QxO7v4'
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: : Adding nameserver: 65.43.19.26 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost named[4730]: /tmp/NetworkManager-named.conf-QxO7v4:7: no forwarders seen; disabling forwarding
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: : Adding nameserver: 206.141.192.60 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: Restarting mDNSResponder. 
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost named[4730]: loading configuration from '/tmp/NetworkManager-named.conf-QxO7v4'
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: nm_device_activation_worker(dev4430): device activated
Jan 20 00:24:17 localhost NetworkManager: nm_state_modification_monitor() activated device dev4430
Jan 20 00:24:20 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Disconnected (0002)
Jan 20 00:24:21 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Connected (0001)
Jan 20 00:24:25 localhost NetworkManager: dev4430: setting AP 'Luminiferous' best
Jan 20 00:24:40 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Disconnected (0002)
Jan 20 00:24:40 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Connected (0001)
Jan 20 00:24:45 localhost NetworkManager: dev4430: setting AP 'Luminiferous' best
Jan 20 00:25:00 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Disconnected (0002)
Jan 20 00:25:01 localhost kernel: dev4430: New link status: Connected (0001)