Sounds like an USB problem to me. Here is what you might try : build you own kernel with a modified hid.h value (usb2.0 driver), to allow the USB 2.0 to be more permissive. I used to do that until kernel 3.11 was out for my Perixx gaming mouse.

Building a new kernel with modifier hid.h value :

1) Open a terminal (ctrl-alt-T)

2) Launch the command :

• sudo apt-get install fakeroot kernel-wedge build-essential makedumpfile kernel-package libncurses5 libncurses5-dev

It installs the requiered packages for the kernel building. You can apt-get remove <packages> afterwards to uninstall them if you wish.

3) Enter the following commands to create a directory for the kernel sources :

• mkdir ~/source
• cd ~/source
• apt-get source linux-image-$(uname -r)

4) Type :

• cd linux

Press Tab to auto-fill the name, then press Enter.

5) Launch :

• gedit include/linux/hid.h

Find (Ctrl + F) the line #define HID_MAX_USAGES and change it's value to '64000'.

6) Launch :

cp -vi /boot/config-`uname -r` .config

To copy the configuration file of your current system.

7) (Optionnal) To speed up the building process, you can adjust the concurrency level. Launch :

• export CONCURRENCY_LEVEL=#

Replace # by the number of your CPU's cores + 1 (Dual-core will be "3", Quad-core "5", …)

8) Launch :

• make-kpkg clean

To prepare the directory needed by the building process.

9) Launch :

• fakeroot make-kpkg --initrd --append-to-version=-sk kernel-image kernel-headers

This will start the kernel building process. It can take a while (between 1h and 8h following your hardware). If the process is interrupted for some reason, you should launch the command rm ~/source and start over from step 3. The kernel binaries .deb will be placed in ~/source.

To install the new kernel :

1) Open nautilus (file explorer) and go to /lib/modules.

2) Open a Terminal and launch :

• cd ~/source

3) Type the following commands and press **Tab to auto-fill the version of kernel, named here (KERNEL_VERSION) :**

• sudo dpkg -i linux-image-
• sudo dpkg -i linux-headers-

Both commands (once filled by Tab) must end by .deb

4) Launch :

• sudo update-initramfs -c -k KERNEL_NAME

You have to replace KERNEL_NAME by the name used by the directory containing the modifier kernel (should end with "-sk" in nautilus).

5) Launch :

• sudo update-grub

(and also sudo update-burg if you use BURG).

6) Restart the computer.

You now run a custom kernel ! Congrats'

If that doesn't work, the problem is NOT caused by HID (usb2.0 driver) and I have no idea how to help you :)

So, maybe I'll get to delete my answer in deference to someone more knowledgeable, but my understanding...

You can't remap the fn key

2. open a terminal and run xev
3. mash on your fn key

My understanding is that fn's signal is never sent to the os. Rather, it modifies the signals that other keys send. I'm wrong if xev shows anything in response to your mashing.

With this premise, I'll guess that fn+wifi sends a signal directly to your hardware to toggle your wifi card off and on. Running windows or linux or whatever isn't ever going to affect this cause and effect relationship.

However, you may be able to remap an fn combo like fn+wifi.

Enable disabled hardware from the OS layer

I don't have a clue on this part of your question. If you could do it windows (mind, without using the keyboard..), then theoretically it's possible in linux. You just need to hope the kernel module supporting your wifi card supports this, and then that someone has written ui software to take advantage of the feature.

If this is the core of your question, then it might be a duplicate of this one: Unblocking hardware switch Wifi