How-To: Intel Wireless 4965 AGN with Ad-Hoc network + WEP

The Intel wireless card 4965 AGN does not work properly on ad-hoc networks since hardy and kernel 2.6.24 or around, network-manager can't get it to use the mode ad-hoc and a standard configuration like:

$ sudo iwconfig wlan0 essid myessid mode ad-hoc channel X key s:mykey13charss
$ sudo dhclient wlan0

will fail to get an ip except a long battle at dhclient'ing around.

I managed to get a process to get things working faster.

First of all, you need to deactivate the wireless functionnality of network-manager. Then, use the script attached to this post and edit the variables accordingly to your needs and finally run it.

Please note that by unloading/loading the modules, the module might backtrace and thus you will need to restart your machine. But if you only use the script to connect to your network once, this script is still failsafe.

I usually have to run it only once, but by time, I will not get an ip after the script has completed and will need to run it a second time.

This get me working on a dell xps using the following wireless adapter:

$ lspci -s 0c:00.0
0c:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 4965 AG or AGN Network Connection (rev 61)

Even though it is tested on an intel 4965 using the kernel module iwl4965:

$ modinfo iwl4965
filename: /lib/modules/2.6.24-19-generic/ubuntu/wireless/iwlwifi/iwlwifi/compatible/iwl4965.ko
license: GPL
author: Copyright(c) 2003-2007 Intel Corporation
version: 1.2.0
description: Intel(R) Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN driver for Linux
srcversion: BFF70BD669F5E9D76F2C9C1
alias: pci:v00008086d00004230sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias: pci:v00008086d00004229sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
depends: iwlwifi_mac80211
vermagic: 2.6.24-19-generic SMP mod_unload 586
parm: antenna:select antenna (1=Main, 2=Aux, default 0 [both]) (int)
parm: disable:manually disable the radio (default 0 [radio on]) (int)
parm: hwcrypto:using hardware crypto engine (default 0 [software])
(int)
parm: debug:debug output mask (int)
parm: disable_hw_scan:disable hardware scanning (default 0) (int)
parm: queues_num:number of hw queues. (int)
parm: qos_enable:enable all QoS functionality (int)