ipw2200 install on kernel 2.6.17?

Mix9 · 07-04-2006, 11:01 AM

Recently bought an Intel PRO 2200BG Mini PCI card for my notebook (old Thinkpad 240), on which I've been running Debian Sarge for a month or two. Very new to Linux so pls be kind!

I can't get it working (which, obviously, is the reason I'm posting here).

I've upgraded to (& configured etc) kernel 2.6.17.3, as ipw2200 doesn't support the default 2.4.x...elected to install support for this card during menuconfig (although not as a module, if I recall correctly).

Anyway, it's not working and I'm starting to get sick of reading how easy it's supposed to be to install this thing...

What I've done:

Installed ieee80211-source (v.1.1.6-4) from a .deb package.

I've put the firmware (from ipw2200-fw-3.0.tgz) into /usr/lib/hotplug/firmware/

I tried running modprobe ipw2200 and I get:

Code:

modprobe: Can't locate module ipw2200

Fair enough...but when I try and make fresh ipw2200-source drivers from ipw2200.sourceforge.net, I get the same damn error.

lspci lists:

Code:

0000:00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corp. 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX Host bridge (AGP disabled) (rev 03)
0000:00:07.0 Bridge: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ISA (rev 02)
0000:00:07.1 IDE interface: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 IDE (rev 01)
0000:00:07.2 USB Controller: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 USB (rev 01)
0000:00:07.3 Bridge: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ACPI (rev 02)
0000:00:09.0 VGA compatible controller: Neomagic Corporation NM2160 [MagicGraph 128XD] (rev 01)
0000:00:0a.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI1211
0000:00:0b.0 Multimedia audio controller: ESS Technology ES1969 Solo-1 Audiodrive (rev 02)
0000:00:0c.0 Network controller: Intel Corp. PRO/Wireless 2200BG (rev 05)

My questions:

1.
Is the problem something to do with the fact that 2.6.17 has older, tried and tested ipw2200 drivers built in (perhaps a conflict with the newer ieee80211 or firmware versions I'm using)?

2.
Does the fact that it's detailed in lspci mean that drivers are already installed and ready to go?

3.
Is there something incredibly obvious that I'm forgetting to do - or a final set of commands I need to run in order to use this card?

Sorry for the barrage of questions - been doing my best to figure it out for myself up until now, and any help anyone can give will be greatly appreciated!

nx5000 · 07-04-2006, 03:04 PM

There are two ways:
You use the stock driver included in the kernel (you could even get a binary kernel image if you have problems) and you just have to put the firmware. You will get a 1.0.8 driver I think. [1]
Or
You do it yourself but then , you have to take care.

Did you read the readme in ipw2200?
The part on what you enabled in the config.

cd ~
wget last ieee80211
tar xvzf last ieee80211
wget last ipw2200
tar xvzf last ipw2200
cd ipw2200..
. remove-old
find /lib/modules/`uname -r` -name "ieee80211*" , you should'nt have any more files, only directories.
cd ..
cd ieee80211
make
su
make install
ctrl D (exit su)
cd ../ipw2200
make
su
make install

Put the firmware.
Try to understand how to switch on the Wireless Led (rf switch)

Should work.

If you do modprobe ipw2200 and you have enable ipw2200 in the kernel (not as a module) it won't work. Modprobe is for loading modules.

[1]
The best/easiest to start would be to read the part (building in the kernel): take linux source kernel 2.6.17.2, enable ipw2200 as a module (it should be the case by default..) , put all the options you need in menuconfig (should also be by default) and put the firmware (not GPLed, can't be). If it doesn't work, use give us whats showing with a : tail /var/log/message when you modprobe ipw2200

Sorry if I'm straightforward, tell me where I'm not clear.

Good luck..

neo24 · 07-26-2006, 05:44 AM

hi guys .. i'm also facing a same problem . after upgrading my centos 4 kernel to 2.6.17 , i cannot use my wireless card . i've tried to modprobe and the error come out

ipw2200: Detected Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network Connection
ipw2200: ipw2200-bss.fw request_firmware failed: Reason -2
ipw2200: Unable to load firmware: -2
ipw2200: failed to register network device
ACPI: PCI interrupt for device 0000:03:03.0 disabled
ipw2200: probe of 0000:03:03.0 failed with error -5

there is many suggestion in internet about this problem . i've try most of it but so far i'm still stuck . i also have upgrade my mod util to module-init-tools-3.2-0.pre9.0.FC4.4.i386.rpm .

nx5000 · 07-26-2006, 06:55 AM

What version of the firmware have you installed?
you have to install the one corresponding to the version of ipw2200 that you have.

Code:

modinfo ipw2200

neo24 · 07-27-2006, 07:45 AM

hi guys . i just solve the firmware this morning . actually i make mistake to install firmware for version 2.4 . actually it needs version 2.2 . so i just download , unzip and put all the firmware files in the appropriate folder and it works!! pheww.. after a days try to solve . but unfortunately ipw2200 driver 1.0.0 not supporting monitor mode i think . now i'm trying to upgrade my ipw2200 drivers to version 1.1.13 . but need a lot of things to upgrade such as dkms , ieee , hostap and the drivers itself . unlucky i can't connect my notebook to internet because of college policy .