So, since I use a Ethernet cable for my computer, I had never to worry about the wireless, but someday I decided to use the wifi. For my surprise this magnificent wireless card wasn't working, and I was sure this couldn't be a hardware fault. After digging in the internet for a while, I have found the solution.

If during the Debian installation setup, it showed something like couldn't load the following firmware:

And your command outputs indicate this:

• cat "/var/log/messages"
  
  
  Code:

  [   14.239229] iwl3945 0000:02:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode
[   14.304245] iwl3945 0000:02:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode firmware file req failed: -2
[   14.306153] iwl3945 0000:02:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode
[   14.308434] iwl3945 0000:02:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode firmware file req failed: -2
[   14.310254] iwl3945 0000:02:00.0: Could not read microcode: -2
[   14.650954] iwl3945 0000:02:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode
[   14.653331] iwl3945 0000:02:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-2.ucode firmware file req failed: -2
[   14.655173] iwl3945 0000:02:00.0: firmware: requesting iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode
[   14.657535] iwl3945 0000:02:00.0: iwlwifi-3945-1.ucode firmware file req failed: -2
[   14.659288] iwl3945 0000:02:00.0: Could not read microcode: -2
  
  
• cat "/var/log/dmesg"
  
  
  Code:

  Sep  3 14:32:02 debian wpa_supplicant[1387]: Failed to initiate AP scan.
Sep  3 14:33:02 debian wpa_supplicant[1387]: Failed to initiate AP scan.
Sep  3 14:34:02 debian wpa_supplicant[1387]: Failed to initiate AP scan.
Sep  3 14:35:02 debian wpa_supplicant[1387]: Failed to initiate AP scan.
Sep  3 14:36:02 debian wpa_supplicant[1387]: Failed to initiate AP scan.
Sep  3 14:37:02 debian wpa_supplicant[1387]: Failed to initiate AP scan.
Sep  3 14:38:02 debian wpa_supplicant[1387]: Failed to initiate AP scan.
Sep  3 14:39:02 debian wpa_supplicant[1387]: Failed to initiate AP scan.
Sep  3 14:40:02 debian wpa_supplicant[1387]: Failed to initiate AP scan.
  
  
• iwlist scan
  
  
  Code:

  wlan0     Interface doesn't support scanning : Network is down
  
  
• lspci
  
  
  Code:

  Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection (rev 02)

The package you need is firmware-iwlwifi
You will need to do the following:

• Add the following repository to your /etc/apt/sources.list
  
  Code:

  deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian squeeze main contrib non-free
  
  
• Run
  
  Code:

  apt-get update
apt-get install wireless-tools
apt-get install firmware-iwlwifi

Or you can just download the .deb package from http://cur.lv/3lci, then installing it with:

(03-09-2012, 02:04 PM)NeoTerra Wrote: This is awesome! I have an old laptop with an Intel wireless card, I was planning to put linux on it but had trouble with the wireless. Thanks!

You're welcome. One day I was at the point of smashing this goddamn laptop lol. Glad it helped.