HP EliteBook 8530w

[x1SHOTx3KILLSx]

Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 (2.53 GHz)
4GB RAM
Intel WiFi Link 5300 AGN (Toggle WiFi Touch Sensor)

Wouldn't say it is the best or easiest install but it runs in an acceptable manner once you get the kinks worked out.

Installed to HDD via the Ubiquity installer. Dynamic partitioning was fine, Win 7 has yet to complain about the missing 30 GB's of HDD space.

5300 Supports Injection, Monitor Mode, etc. but is a COMPLETE pain to get working on this model. By default it boots into what I'd call a passive-active mode. BT4 can find and configure the card just fine (shows correct drivers and all), but it won't actively do anything. I think it is because of the touch active sensor to turn on/off the WiFi card which isn't noticed. The switch boots up in an off state by default and BT4 doesn't have the hardware driver to sense being turned on. I must say, I much prefer the solid and primitive hardware switch over these new fancy touch buttons. I got it to work by opening up Gerix and speed toggling my card (wlan0) in and out of monitor mode until the little sensor lit up blue. I wouldn't say this was a legitimate fix, but once that happened I just saved the networking settings to the default boot and now it boots up correctly (on by default). It connects fine to networks and works fine to crack your old school WEPs. It doesn't like to run perfectly though at extreme ranges with programs like Gerix and Grimwepa but if you use the old school command line aircrack-ng suite it still works great.

Overall, I infinitely prefer my old Toshiba Satellite (even if it as heavy as a cinder block and as large as a TV) but since the Satellite can't do much else besides run BT4 (thing is like 8 years old now) this isn't a bad substitute since it can dual boot has some nice processing power. The Atheros card in the Toshiba is still one of the best I have found and blows these Intels out of the water. Gonna try next time with an Alfa external and see how that works.

-x1

[voidnecron]

Hi,

Sry to reopen such an old post, but I've got the same laptop with a slightly different problem.
Mine boots (from HDD) with the WiFi enabled (blue icon in the touchbar), and I can sniff/detect networks, but can't connect to any.
And what do you mean you ran Gerix? I've checked and there is no such program default in BT.

Greets.

[x1SHOTx3KILLSx]

Gerix is one of the GUI WEP Crackers that comes by default with Backtrack 4. The actual program name is longer, I forget what since I don't use it, but it should be in the 80211 tools under Gerix-*****. It is similar to GrimWEPA, however, I have never managed to get it (Gerix) to work and instead use GW or console commands.

As for connectivity, I would have to ask what type of network you are trying to connect to. I know if you're trying to connect to WPA or a certificate authentication based network you may have to do some guess work as to what type of WPA protocol to use, but if you put in the details correctly, you should be able to connect eventually. I know my school uses a WPA2 Enterprise which I have managed to connect to on occassion, but for the most part, it is simply not worth the effort since I can never tell if it's me or the network that doesn't want to work.

I would suggest testing it on an open network, then a WEP, then WPA. If it fails on the open then maybe replace the 5300AGN driver. Googling "Intel WiFi Linux Driver" should get you some hits.

-x1