lenovo N586 Ideapad questions

[sledgehammer]

So I bought a new computer, a Lenovo N586 "ideapad."

Here are the problems so far.

1. Won't connect to wireless wep.  Works fine on wpa.  My Samsung, running VL7 didn't have this problem.
2. Won't display second (dual) monitor.  Directions say fn f3 should do it, but no luck.  My samsung running VL7 didn't have this problem.  Looked in bios but no way to enable a second display. 

Everything else seems fine on VL 7 Standard.  But perhaps I economized a bit too much ($370 from Best Buy compared to about $800 a year ago for the samsung).  Probably should have bought a Lenovo Thinkpad.

Any comments are welcome.

Here's the ideapad's stuff:

vector:/~
johwhi:$ lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1410
00:01.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Device 9990
00:01.1 Audio device: ATI Technologies Inc Device 9902
00:04.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1414
00:05.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1415
00:10.0 USB Controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Hudson USB XHCI Controller (rev 03)
00:11.0 SATA controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Hudson SATA Controller [AHCI mode]
00:12.0 USB Controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Hudson USB OHCI Controller (rev 11)
00:12.2 USB Controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Hudson USB EHCI Controller (rev 11)
00:13.0 USB Controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Hudson USB OHCI Controller (rev 11)
00:13.2 USB Controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Hudson USB EHCI Controller (rev 11)
00:14.0 SMBus: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Hudson SMBus Controller (rev 14)
00:14.2 Audio device: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Hudson Azalia Controller (rev 01)
00:14.3 ISA bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Hudson LPC Bridge (rev 11)
00:14.4 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Hudson PCI Bridge (rev 40)
00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1400
00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1401
00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1402
00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1403
00:18.4 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1404
00:18.5 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Device 1405
01:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 07)
02:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4313 802.11b/g/n Wireless LAN Controller (rev 01)
vector:/~

[bigpaws]

Nice machine. I have the W520. Which module is your wireless
card using? Apparently there are two modules for that card.

Bigpaws

[stretchedthin]

when you have the second monitor attached what is the output in the terminal when you type
xrandr       

[sledgehammer]

Not sure (yet) how to answer bigpaws' question.

Here is output of xrandr on reboot with second monitor on and connected:

vector:/~
johwhi:$ xrandr
xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default
Screen 0: minimum 1366 x 768, current 1366 x 768, maximum 1368 x 768
default connected 1366x768+0+0 0mm x 0mm
   1366x768        0.0*
   1368x768        0.0 
vector:/~

[stretchedthin]

Hi sledgehammer,
I was hoping for something that looked a little more like this...

Code:

ken:$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 8 x 8, current 3840 x 1080, maximum 16384 x 16384
DVI-I-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
VGA-0 connected 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 509mm x 286mm
   1920x1080      60.0*+
   1680x1050      60.0 
   1600x1200      60.0 
   1440x900       59.9 
   1400x1050      60.0 
   1280x1024      75.0     60.0 
   1280x960       60.0 
   1152x864       75.0 
   1024x768       75.0     70.1     60.0 
   800x600        75.0     72.2     60.3     56.2 
   640x480        75.0     72.8     59.9 
DVI-I-1 connected 1920x1080+1920+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 521mm x 293mm
   1920x1080      60.0*+
   1680x1050      60.0 
   1600x1200      60.0 
   1440x900       59.9 
   1400x1050      61.0 
   1280x1024      75.0     60.0 
   1280x960       60.0 
   1152x864       75.0 
   1024x768       75.0     70.1     60.0 
   800x600        75.0     72.2     60.3     56.2 
   640x480        75.0     72.8     59.9 
HDMI-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

xrandr has been pretty dependable for me to give info on both screens attached.

[bigpaws]

module = driver

Output lsmod.

The Broadcom card you have can use one
of two modules (drivers). More than likely
it is using the sta that is in the kernel.

That card does not show a good history
with WEP from the little I have checked on it.

Bigpaws

[sledgehammer]

Stretchedthin,

I agree re xrandr.  It showed a lot more on my samsung laptop and I could use both screens with that laptop.  The fn key works.  However, when I push Fn F3 terminal shows a "p".  Root or not.  So perhaps the F3 key is broken or not mapped correctly.  I just used the default keyboard setup. 

BTW, since first posting I find that suspend doesn't work, though it did work on the Samsung.  Hibernate didn't work on either machine.  However, dosemu still works (with the low memory fix), so, until Glom or something like it comes along, I can still use my old foxpro 2.6 dos files. 

John

[sledgehammer]

Bigpaws,

I still am uncertain what to do about the wep problem.  I suspect your comment to the effect that I am out of luck applies. I'l probably have to join the wpa world, which won't be all that difficult once I figure out how to program the routers.

I don't know enough to respond to your request.  Sorry. Here is what lsmod shows:

vector:/~
johwhi:$ lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
fuse                   51559  3
ipt_REJECT              1622  1
ipt_LOG                 5161  1
xt_limit                1116  2
xt_tcpudp               1734  8
xt_addrtype             1397  4
xt_state                 867  6
nf_conntrack_pptp       3325  0
nf_conntrack_proto_gre     2654  1 nf_conntrack_pptp
nf_conntrack_netbios_ns      705  0
nf_conntrack_broadcast      833  1 nf_conntrack_netbios_ns
nf_nat_irc               966  0
nf_conntrack_irc        2399  1 nf_nat_irc
nf_nat_ftp              1148  0
nf_nat                 10655  2 nf_nat_irc,nf_nat_ftp
nf_conntrack_ipv4       8132  8 nf_nat
nf_defrag_ipv4           931  1 nf_conntrack_ipv4
nf_conntrack_ftp        4113  1 nf_nat_ftp
nf_conntrack           37076  11 xt_state,nf_conntrack_pptp,nf_conntrack_proto_gre,nf_conntrack_netbios_ns,nf_conntrack_broadcast,nf_nat_irc,nf_conntrack_irc,nf_nat_ftp,nf_nat,nf_conntrack_ipv4,nf_conntrack_ftp
iptable_filter          1020  1
ip_tables               7949  1 iptable_filter
x_tables                9772  8 ipt_REJECT,ipt_LOG,xt_limit,xt_tcpudp,xt_addrtype,xt_state,iptable_filter,ip_tables
snd_seq_dummy           1035  0
snd_seq_oss            21907  0
snd_seq_midi_event      3924  1 snd_seq_oss
snd_seq                36499  5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_seq_device          3853  3 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq
snd_pcm_oss            28741  0
snd_mixer_oss          10545  2 snd_pcm_oss
powernow_k8            11009  0
speedstep_lib           2558  0
freq_table              1763  1 powernow_k8
mperf                    937  1 powernow_k8
snd_hda_codec_conexant    33246  1
snd_hda_codec_hdmi     17445  1
bcma                    9622  0
brcmsmac              494185  0
brcmutil                4627  1 brcmsmac
mac80211              160102  1 brcmsmac
cfg80211              110051  2 brcmsmac,mac80211
snd_hda_intel          16321  6
snd_hda_codec          51458  3 snd_hda_codec_conexant,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel
uvcvideo               48352  0
crc_ccitt               1051  1 brcmsmac
snd_hwdep               4128  1 snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm                48666  4 snd_pcm_oss,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec
snd_timer              12858  2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
snd                    36298  22 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_hda_codec_conexant,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm,snd_timer
lib80211_crypt_tkip     6490  0
soundcore               3736  2 snd
videodev               55338  1 uvcvideo
snd_page_alloc          5143  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
wl                   2399509  0
r8169                  31046  0
ideapad_laptop          3410  0
i2c_piix4               6644  0
rtc_cmos                6673  0
video                   9731  0
processor              21842  3 powernow_k8
button                  3510  0
sg                     18020  0
thermal_sys             9985  2 video,processor
rfkill                 10898  2 cfg80211,ideapad_laptop
i2c_core               13898  2 videodev,i2c_piix4
mii                     2883  1 r8169
ac                      2477  0
battery                 8607  0
lib80211                2838  2 lib80211_crypt_tkip,wl
joydev                  7017  0
evdev                   6626  23
hwmon                   1093  1 thermal_sys
vector:/~

[bigpaws]

Changing to WPA is an easy process.

Apparently there is more than one module (driver)
for this card.

As root can you post the output of:

lsmod  | grep "b43\|ssb\|bcma\|wl"

Bigpaws

[sledgehammer]

vector://home/johwhi
root:# lsmod  | grep "b43\|ssb\|bcma\|wl"
bcma                    9622  0
wl                   2399509  0
lib80211                2838  2 lib80211_crypt_tkip,wl
vector://home/johwhi

BTW,

On the unrelated keymapping issue, I tried several keyboards in vasm (kmapset) but all gave me a "p" when typing Fn F3.  So I guess I need to learn how to keymap the F3 key.  I think it is working as when I do cntrl F3 the cursor blinks.

[bigpaws]

Can you try as root

rmmod  wl

Then try the wireless. If that does not work reboot try

rmmod bcma

Test again

Bigpaws

[sledgehammer]

I tried them both quickly (I have to leave office now) and neither worked.  I will try again tomorrow.  For some reason the only wireless interface that works on my home wpa is eth1.  wlan0 and wlan 1 don't work for some reason.  I think this is the first time I have had to use eth anything on a wireless.  Tomorrow, I will try it at wep office with the wlan interface.

[sledgehammer]

I loaded kernel 3.3.4 yesterday (used stretchedthin's great video) and it seems to have fixed the problem with the wep wireless.  Also I no longer get a low memory error in dosemu.

Only problem remaining (I think) is that I can't get the second display to work.   Have to somehow figure out how to remap f3, for fn-f3 still just prints "p.".

Thanks to everyone for their help.  Paraphrasing bigpaws, the ideapad is a sweet machine.

[bigpaws]

Glad to hear the wireless is solved.

On to the video. From the specs I see the notebook
has an ATI video card.

Are you using the ATI driver?

If so you maybe able to configure the external monitor.

You can also try this from thinkwiki:

http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Simple_Display_Switcher_Script

Bigpaws

[sledgehammer]

Thanks bigpaws,

lsmod lspci shows:

00:01.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Device 9990

so I guess I am using the ati video driver. However, I don't know where it is and I don't see an aticonf or fglrxconf and even if I did would probably not know how to configure it.  I see nothing about it in vasm.  

So when time permits I will download disper and see what I can get it to do about my display problem.