If you are a Linux user and you've encountered the error message "ls: cannot access '/sys/class/ieee80211': No such file or directory", you may feel overwhelmed and confused. Fortunately, this issue can be solved easily.
Background Information
This error message is caused by a configuration issue in the network driver. The issue is more often encountered with older versions of Linux, such as Ubuntu 9.10.
Solution
The steps below should help you debug and troubleshoot "ls: cannot access '/sys/class/ieee80211': No such file or directory" error message.
Check if your wireless device is detected by Linux.
- To do that, run the command
lspci | grep Wireless - If your device is detected, you should get a response that looks like
12:00.0 Network controller: Qualcomm Atheros AR9287 Wireless Network Adapter (rev 01).
If your device is detected, you need to install the appropriate drivers
- You can do that by first downloading the package
linux-backports-modules-wireless-2.6.32-24-generic. - Once you have downloaded the package, type
sudo dpkg -iand then the path to the package you just downloaded, such asdpkg -i /desktop/linux-backports-modules-wireless-2.6.32-24-generic.deb.
Install the new driver
- You can do that with the following command
sudo apt-get install --reinstall - Then specify the driver you need to install with the following command
firmware-ralink.
Reboot your computer
- Now that you've installed the new driver, you need to reboot your computer.
FAQ
What is the cause of this issue?
The issue is caused by a configuration issue in the network driver. The issue is more often encountered with older versions of Linux, such as Ubuntu 9.10.
How can I check if my wireless device is detected?
You can check if your wireless device is being detected by running the command lspci | grep Wireless in the terminal. If your device is detected, you should get a response that looks like 12:00.0 Network controller: Qualcomm Atheros AR9287 Wireless Network Adapter (rev 01).
What driver do I need to install?
You need to install the firmware-ralink driver.
Do I need to reboot my computer after installing the new driver?
Yes, after you have installed the new driver you should reboot your computer for the changes to take effect.
What other potential solutions exist for this issue?
If the solution offered in this doc does not solve the issue, you could try reinstalling your current driver or manually installing the driver with modprobe. You could also try resetting network interfaces or using a connection manager such as Network Manager to try and connect to the wireless network.
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