For the last two months or so, my MythTV box has been network-connected via an Airlink AWLL3026 802.11g USB Dongle.  I discussed my configuration in my AWLL3026 Review, and again when I configured WPA on Linux.  It’s been working perfectly, until this Saturday morning when I woke up to find the network not working.  When I checked my syslog, I found the following repeated over and over again.

Sep 22 11:27:58 mythtv kernel: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth3: link is not ready
Sep 22 11:31:01 mythtv kernel: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth3: link is not ready
Sep 22 11:32:02 mythtv kernel: SoftMAC: Authentication timed out with <REDACTED>
Sep 22 11:33:07 mythtv kernel: SoftMAC: Authentication timed out with <REDACTED>
Sep 22 11:34:18 mythtv kernel: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth3: link is not ready
Sep 22 11:35:19 mythtv kernel: SoftMAC: Authentication timed out with <REDACTED>
Sep 22 11:36:23 mythtv kernel: SoftMAC: Authentication timed out with <REDACTED>
Sep 22 11:37:22 mythtv kernel: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth3: link is not ready
Sep 22 11:38:23 mythtv kernel: SoftMAC: Authentication timed out with <REDACTED>
Sep 22 11:39:27 mythtv kernel: SoftMAC: Authentication timed out with <REDACTED>
Sep 22 11:40:10 mythtv kernel: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth3: link is not ready
Sep 22 11:41:03 mythtv kernel: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): eth3: link is not ready
Sep 22 11:41:42 mythtv last message repeated 2 times
Sep 22 11:42:06 mythtv kernel: SoftMAC: Open Authentication completed with <REDACTED>

I tried the usual "ifdown eth3", "ifup eth3", but the DHCP client was never able to obtain an address.  I tried using static addresses, I tried using WEP, I even tried switching out my Airlink with the one from my Windows PC, but nothing worked.  When I resorted to digging around the internet, I finally found someone talking about how they solved the problem by removing their unpowered USB hub from the equation.

Sure enough, I moved my USB key from the rear USB port it was on to the front USB port on the case, and it came up almost immediately.  It seems that, for some unknown reason, the USB port of the back of my case is no longer supplying enough power for the device.  It’s obviously providing some power, since Linux was able to recognize the device and the LED and such worked, but apparently not enough to make it work properly.  On the front of the case it seems to be working fine, although I’m not entirely certain I want to leave it there (too easy to get accidentally bumped/broken).

When I get the time (and resources), I’m going to install a powered USB hub and see if the USB key will work on the back of the case through that (to supply the lacking power).  In the meantime, hopefully this will save someone the 2 hours it took me to figure it out.
[tag:linux][tag:wifi][tag:usb]

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