Ad-Hoc network creation not working on Ubuntu 8.10 64bit with Atheros

[Diego Algorta <diego oboxodo com>]

Hi,

Some info about my notebook: Fujitsu Lifebook A Series Model A6120

OS: Ubuntu Itrepid Ibex 8.10 64bit

Kernel:
$ uname -a
Linux ponja 2.6.27-9-generic #1 SMP Thu Nov 20 22:15:32 UTC 2008 x86_64 
GNU/Linux

Wifi card (related output from lspci -vv):
14:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR242x 
802.11abg Wireless PCI Express Adapter (rev 01)
        Subsystem: Fujitsu Limited. Device 139c
        Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- 
ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- DisINTx-
        Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- 
<TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
        Latency: 0, Cache Line Size: 64 bytes
        Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 19
        Region 0: Memory at fe200000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64K]
        Capabilities: <access denied>
        Kernel driver in use: ath_pci
        Kernel modules: ath_pci

I'm wanting to share my 3G connection (via HUAWEI E226 USB modem) as an 
ad-hoc network to other laptops but am unable to do so. I can join to a 
network created by a macbook, but I can't create a network myself. So 
Mac people are laughing at my linux... and I don't like it. >:@

I follow Dan William's example in 
http://www.redhatmagazine.com/2008/10/16/video-fedora-10-connection-sharing/ 
but after I put a name to the new wireless network and click "Create"... 
it keeps trying and finally fails.

Here you have /var/log/daemon.log output while trying to create a 
"joinme" network with no security:

===================
<info>  Activation (ath0) starting connection 'joinme'
<info>  (ath0): device state change: 3 -> 4
<info>  Activation (ath0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) scheduled...
<info>  Activation (ath0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) started...
<info>  Activation (ath0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) scheduled...
<info>  Activation (ath0) Stage 1 of 5 (Device Prepare) complete.
<info>  Activation (ath0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) starting...
<info>  (ath0): device state change: 4 -> 5
<info>  Activation (ath0/wireless): connection 'joinme' requires no 
security.  No secrets needed.
<info>  Config: added 'ssid' value 'joinme'
<info>  Config: added 'mode' value '1'
<info>  Config: added 'frequency' value '2412'
<info>  Config: added 'key_mgmt' value 'NONE'
<info>  Activation (ath0) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) complete.
<info>  Config: set interface ap_scan to 2
<info>  (ath0): supplicant connection state change: 2 -> 0
<info>  (ath0): supplicant connection state change: 0 -> 2
<info>  (ath0): supplicant connection state change: 2 -> 3
<info>  (ath0): supplicant connection state change: 3 -> 0
<info>  (ath0): supplicant connection state change: 0 -> 2
<info>  (ath0): supplicant connection state change: 2 -> 3
<info>  ath0: link timed out.
<info>  (ath0): supplicant connection state change: 3 -> 0
<info>  (ath0): supplicant connection state change: 0 -> 2
<info>  (ath0): supplicant connection state change: 2 -> 3
<info>  (ath0): supplicant connection state change: 3 -> 0
<info>  (ath0): supplicant connection state change: 0 -> 2
<info>  (ath0): supplicant connection state change: 2 -> 3
<info>  ath0: link timed out.
<info>  (ath0): supplicant connection state change: 3 -> 0
<info>  (ath0): supplicant connection state change: 0 -> 2
<info>  (ath0): supplicant connection state change: 2 -> 3
<info>  (ath0): supplicant connection state change: 3 -> 0
<info>  (ath0): supplicant connection state change: 0 -> 2
<info>  (ath0): supplicant connection state change: 2 -> 3
<info>  ath0: link timed out.
<info>  Activation (ath0/wireless): association took too long, failing 
activation.
<info>  (ath0): device state change: 5 -> 9
<info>  Activation (ath0) failed for access point (joinme)
<info>  Marking connection 'joinme' invalid.
<info>  Activation (ath0) failed.
<info>  (ath0): device state change: 9 -> 3
<info>  (ath0): deactivating device (reason: 0).
===================

I'd appreciate any help you can give me to workaround this problem.

Thanks,

Diego Algorta
www.oboxodo.com