Wlan radio-toggle key works half-way

Stefan Monnier · External Since: Mar 31, 2005 Posts: 79

My machine (MSI Wind) has a wlan-toggle key (Fn-F11) which
enables/disables the wifi's radio (this is done apparently directly by
the BIOS so Linux isn't really told about it), and it also sends some
key event (which by default causes some "setkeycodes" kernel messages).

So the key formally works, but not ideally: when I turn the radio off,
the wifi communication is indeed interrupted, but the driver keeps on
trying to connect, wasting energy.

And when I turn the radio on, if the driver was stopped before it is not
automatically re-started.

I've added a file /etc/hal/fdi/information/msi-wind.fdi which maps the
key code to the "wlan" key, but it doesn't seem to make much difference
(other than getting rid of the harmless kernel messages).

Could anyone help me figure out how it's supposed to work and/or how to
make it work better (e.g. somehow make it that the key event causes
network-manager/wicd/ifupdown to start/stop using the interface)?

Stefan

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s. keeling · External Since: Jul 07, 2007 Posts: 79

Stefan Monnier <monnier RemoveThis @iro.umontreal.ca>:
>
> My machine (MSI Wind) has a wlan-toggle key (Fn-F11) which
> enables/disables the wifi's radio (this is done apparently directly by
> the BIOS so Linux isn't really told about it), and it also sends some

Er, if you see it, the kernel must be telling you about it, yes?
Linux generally ignores the lies spat out by BIOS, et al, from what I
know. Of course, I could be deluded, ...

> key event (which by default causes some "setkeycodes" kernel messages).
>
> So the key formally works, but not ideally: when I turn the radio off,
> the wifi communication is indeed interrupted, but the driver keeps on
> trying to connect, wasting energy.

That sounds like software hasn't been told how to react. As in
config? Have you $GOOGLED setkeycodes?

Install "hotkeys" for a start.

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Stefan Monnier · External Since: Mar 31, 2005 Posts: 79

>> My machine (MSI Wind) has a wlan-toggle key (Fn-F11) which
>> enables/disables the wifi's radio (this is done apparently directly by
>> the BIOS so Linux isn't really told about it), and it also sends some

> Er, if you see it, the kernel must be telling you about it, yes?
> Linux generally ignores the lies spat out by BIOS, et al, from what I
> know. Of course, I could be deluded, ...

>> key event (which by default causes some "setkeycodes" kernel messages).
>>
>> So the key formally works, but not ideally: when I turn the radio off,
>> the wifi communication is indeed interrupted, but the driver keeps on
>> trying to connect, wasting energy.

> That sounds like software hasn't been told how to react. As in
> config? Have you $GOOGLED setkeycodes?

> Install "hotkeys" for a start.

If you google enough for setkeycodes, you'll discover that the
/etc/hal/fdi/information/msi-wind.fdi I alluded to, does exactly use
setkeycodes, just "in the HAL way".
So, no, sadly, setkeycodes is not itself a solution.
The worst part is that I can't even find info about how it is *supposed*
to work.

Stefan

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