Just now getting around to trying to get wireless working.
Can someone please advise if Debian 5 has drivers for rtl8187?

lsmod shows "rtl8187 37120 0"

lspci shows the ethernet controller (marvell technology) but not realtek / rtl8187

iwconfig shows
lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

wmaster0 no wireless extensions.

wlan0 IEEE 802.11 ESSID:""
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.412 GHz Access Point: Not-Associated
Tx-Power=20 dBm
Retry min limit:7 RTS thrff Fragment thr=2352 B
Link Quality:0 Signal level:0 Noise level:0
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

vboxnet0 no wireless extensions.

vmnet8 no wireless extensions.

vmnet1 no wireless extensions.

thank you

Hi Nomad..
I have an rtl8187 in my MSI Wind. (Fn-F11 to turn on wireless)
In Debian 5 with the gnome interface (default)
use network manager
add a new wireless connection
put in the SSID
set up the security (in my case none because I filter MAC addresses in my router)
connect automatically (probably)
available to all users (maybe)
Apply
now watch the little icon grind away and hopefully connect you


happy roaming

Hi coltree
thanks for the reply.
I have used network manager previously to set up wireless (I think it was either Etch or Lenny 32bit) and I had no difficulty.
On debian 5 64bit it is just not working for me.

When I go system/administration/network it shows a wireless and a wired network. Even tho I configured the wireless network there (DHCP, key etc) nothing happens.

When I right-click the NM applet and select "edit wireless networks" I get a "wireless networks" template which has no wireless network listed and there is no facility on the template to create one.

I'm not an expert by any means but I think I have either a kernel-related issue or a driver issue.

That's why I was wondering if Deb5 64bit supported rtl8187

eamnomadic

Hey!

Well, first off, rtl8187 should show up on "lsusb", it normally (always?) is connected through USB. Also, I have bad news for you. I had to get an rtl8187b (where the "B" is important) working in a Toshiba, and I tried for more than half a year: it worked sometimes, but connection died after some half an hour, or less, then it needed to get restarted, etc. In other words: experimental driver, beware! I couldn't get it working even with ndiswrapper, though I installed correct driver and ndiswrapper recognised&loaded the driver, wlan0 was up, but didn't work. I finally bought an ugly USB stick, but that at least has a normal chipset, not this useless Realtek 8187b.

In any case, if you have problems, I suggest the following:

1) check if you have rtl8187 module loaded: use lsmod and also dmesg to see if they are loaded, etc.

2) check which version of rtl8187 is in your computer: lsusb

3) try to get the thing working manually (all these commands must be executed as root):
3.0) disable networkmanager: "/etc/init.d/network-manager stop"
3.1) remove and re-add the module: "rmmod rtl8187" then "modprobe rtl8187". Check that all is well in "dmesg"
3.2) set up a WLAN with only WEP or without any encryption
3.3) reset wlan0: execute "ifconfig wlan0 down'" then "ifconfig wlan0 up"
3.4) set the essid: "iwconfig wlan0 essid MYESSID"
3.5a) set the WEP password (hexadecimal version is needed here!): "iwconfig wlan0 key BLAHBLAH" - BLAHBLAH is without the 0x preceding it
3.5b) if you didn't set the encryption in the WLAN, then execute "iwconfig wlan0 enc off"
3.6) execute "dhclient wlan0" and watch if you get a DHCP lease. If you do, all is well.
3.7) You should now have connection & internet (if all is well). Now, if the connection goes off-in-out-etc. then you need to restart this procedure again... I used to use a script. But it's a pain. I had packet loss in the 20% area with rtl8187, even though the router was 2 meters away... :O If you dont' have the 8187b, where the "B" is the important part, then you should not encounter this sort of mess.

I hope this helps!

msoos
thanks for the reply.

lsmod output = rtl8187 37120 0
dmesg output = vendor 0bda product 8187
lsusb output = 0bda 8187

I followed your instructions without success.

With regard to your instruction 3.2 set up WLAN....
at this stage network-manager is stopped. Showing my lack of knowledge here but how do I set up WLAN? What I did was to go system/administration/network, and used the Properties tab to set the wlan settings, then followed the rest of the instructions.

No lease.

eamnomadic

http://wiki.debian.org/rtl818x

wiki says you might have to install a newer kernel for that wireless card..

I also a newbie and had a similar issue with my dell GX270 with a D-link 520 WLAN. I used the GUI configuration manager without success, I was getting the same messages “eth0 no wireless extensions”. I finally used the GUI to look at the service and find the web/wireless service was not enabled. I enabled it and everything started working. Try it and good luck.

Dear nomadic,

What I meant with "set up the WLAN" is to set up the wireless router! I meant: set up the possibility of connection in the air, not in the computer So, just set up the wireless router correctly. Usually it has an interface through 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1, which of course for the moment you cannot reach, since you don't have connection. If the WiFi router is correctly set up, though, and it has a WEP or no encryption, then all is OK, you don't need to touch it! If not, and you need to touch it, then ask your friend to come around with a working WiFi card, and then you can connect and set the router up - have a look at the router's User's Guide, it should have all in it.

As for the 8187, I think you have a "normal" 8187, so no worries! It would have a B at the end, if it was the "bad" type, so all is OK. As for the comment from "farslayer" about "you need a new kernel" - I don't think so! the 8187 works since a looong time ago, AND you have the wlan0 up, it showed on your "iwconfig" output you pasted. As for the comments from "mbaraka", the "ifconfig wlan0 up" is in the list that I wrote, so the WiFi will be enabled, and you will not have to do what he said (i.e. enable the WiFI, as you will do it anyway).

The "system/administration/network" is something in GNOME, I am not a GNOME guy, but: that thing in GNOME is orthogonal to what I have written down, you should try not to mix the two (i.e. what I wrote and that thing in "system/administration/network"). So simply try to do what I have written step by step, and the "set up the WiFi" means simply to set up the router, so don't worry, you don't have to touch your computer at all If you still don't get a DHCP lease, then the best would be to try to remove WEP entirely from the router. What usually happens is that you don't really know the HEX key of the router, so you set the key wrongly and then the DHCP will not give a lease. So, try again, and if it fails, remove the WEP and simply have an open router. Then once that works, you can try to set a HEX key in the configuration of your router through the WEB interface (on 192.168.0.1 or somesuch - see User's Guide), and THEN you will really know the HEX key, and then all will work fine.

Good luck! (and report back - I will read and reply)

I've had various problems with 64 bit in the past.
my Wind only blows 32 bit
I use 32 bit in my server to save any grief until it really does all work
how much performance improvement do you get
or are there any other advantages with 64 bit
its no good if its only so you can say "I use a 64 bit OS, nya nya nya"

thanks to all for replying - still no joy.
I have set up wireless previously on other distros and I dont believe I am doing anything silly here.
I listed the following outputs after following the instructions to set up wireless

Dmesg output
[ 2.188022] usb 4-3: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice

[ 2.188056] usb 4-3: New USB device found, idVendor=0bda, idProduct=8187

[ 2.188056] usb 4-3: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3

[ 2.188056] usb 4-3: Product: RTL8187_Wireless

[ 2.188056] usb 4-3: Manufacturer: Manufacturer_Realtek_RTL8187_

[ 2.188056] usb 4-3: SerialNumber: 0015AF1A5FE2

[

lsusb output
Bus 004 Device 002: ID 0bda:8187 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL8187 Wireless Adapter


iwconfig output
wmaster0 no wireless extensions.



wlan0 IEEE 802.11 ESSID:"eircom1677 5410"

Mode:Managed Frequency:2.412 GHz Access Point: Not-Associated

Tx-Power=20 dBm

Retry min limit:7 RTS thrff Fragment thr=2352 B

Encryption keythis was correct)

Link Quality:0 Signal level:0 Noise level:0

Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0

Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0




Ifconfig output
lo Link encap:Local Loopback

inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0

inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host

UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1

RX packets:7271 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:7271 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:0

RX bytes:438011 (427.7 KiB) TX bytes:438011 (427.7 KiB)



vmnet1 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:50:56:c0:00:01

inet addr:192.168.107.1 Bcast:192.168.107.255 Mask:255.255.255.0

inet6 addr: fe80::250:56ff:fec0:1/64 Scope:Link

UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:57 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000

RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)



vmnet8 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:50:56:c0:00:08

inet addr:172.16.9.1 Bcast:172.16.9.255 Mask:255.255.255.0

inet6 addr: fe80::250:56ff:fec0:8/64 Scope:Link

UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:57 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000

RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)



wlan0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:15:af:1a:5f:e2

UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000

RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)



wmaster0 Link encap:UNSPEC HWaddr 00-15-AF-1A-5F-E2-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00

UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1

RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0

TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0

collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000

RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

Other points raised
might need a new kernel?
- WIKI says 8187 was supported since kernel 2.6.23, and I'm using 2.6.26

why using 64bit?
- Only because going to 64bit will happen inevitably and I decided to start now. No current performance requirement for it and I dont see it as a status thing.

Summary
there is a limit to how much more time I can give this. I do have a working ethernet connection so it is not a critical item.
That said, I do want to thank all of you for taking the time to respond on this item. The support coming from the forums is one of the great features of linux.

eamnomadic

I rolled back to an image of Debian 5 32bit (I moved from 32bit to 64bit) and the issue is exactly the same and the instructions given for stopping the network, setting it up again etc did not work on 32bit either. So it seems not to be a 64bit issue.

Something I had not attached any significance to but maybe...... (maybe this is where I start to feel really foolish)

The FIRST time in each session that I click on System/Administration/Network, after entering the root password I get a "unsupported platform" window - attached. This happens in both the 32bit and 64bit versions of debian 5.

???????????????????????????????

Attached Images

Screenshot-Unsupported platform.png (28.9 KB, 6 views)

Dear Nomadic,

Well, this is the point where I throw my hands in the air. As you said, rtl8187 has been supported since a long time ago, so this is not a kernel issue. The driver is loaded. The device should be a well-supported one. iwconfig shows no errors. I would try without encryption if I were you but then I would really give up. Later I would give a try with a LiveCD, just to test if it really is a system or a hardware issue. Sorry for this, I am kind of lost, all seems OK to me... (are you close enough to the router? - or is this too silly of a question? )

See if this helps you in case if this issue is still not resolved.

Hi folks
I've spent the past 15 minutes accessing various online sites USING MY RTL8187 WIRELESS CONNECTION.
AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHY IT NOW WORKS WHEN I COULD NOT GET IT TO WORK FOR THE PAST WEEK OR SO!!!!!!!
I simply went thru the process of setting it up again (System/Administration/Network etc) - which I have done at least a dozen times over the past week - but this time it worked. And I removed my ethernet cable to make sure it was the wireless working !

I want to thank you for replying to my post. I have learned various things from those replies which will come in useful.
Once again, thank you

eamnomadic