Cannot activate WiFi on Thinkpad X201

[Martin Cracauer]

Per olof Ljungmark wrote on Mon, May 26, 2014 at 11:04:17PM +0200: 
> On 05/26/14 16:41, Martin Cracauer wrote:
> > The wifi chip in this x201 always says the switch is off, but the
> > hardwae switch and the BIOS setting are .
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 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 at 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? Are these Thinkpads still locking in their wifi
> > card so that you need a BIOS patch to enable something else?
> > 
> > I also failed to get an Atheros USB stick when I tried, does anybody
> > have a recommendation for a known-Atheros USB stick?
> 
> Hi,
> 
> >From my x201i
> 
> sysctl -a|grep ibm
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.%desc: IBM ThinkPad ACPI Extras
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.%driver: acpi_ibm
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.%location: handle=\_SB_.PCI0.LPC_.EC__.HKEY
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.%pnpinfo: _HID=IBM0068 _UID=0
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.%parent: acpi0
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.initialmask: 2060
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.availmask: 134217727
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.events: 1
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.eventmask: 134217727
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.hotkey: 439
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.lcd_brightness: 0
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.volume: 7
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.mute: 0
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.thinklight: 0
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.bluetooth: 0
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.wlan: 1        <==================
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.fan_speed: 3280
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.fan_level: 0
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.fan: 1
> dev.acpi_ibm.0.handlerevents: NONE
> 
> cat /boot/loader.conf
> acpi_ibm_load="YES"

Yeah, I have it and it shows "1".  It is readonly, I cannot toggle it.

I am not sure how acpi figures it is on and the wifi drive figures the
hardware switch is off.

I noticed a lenovo notice about a similar problem under windows, and
an updated windows driver to fix it, but that is supposed to only
apply to waking up after suspend.

There are also these guys who solder out the hardware switch.  I think
that is what I am going to do next:
https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/X-Series-ThinkPad-Laptops/X201-Faulty-Hardware-Wireless-Radio-Switch/td-p/1063743#

Martin
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Martin Cracauer <cracauer at cons.org>   http://www.cons.org/cracauer/