My wireless adapter stopped working a few hours ago. I've waited, hoping it would come back on (it failed once or twice before, and revived); then I saw this message for it in the system messages: "invalid chipset [whatever the name is--I think it's rt2561] detected." Am I correct in supposing that means the adapter is probably dead as death this time and I need a new one? [Sorry, I can't display the dmesg output now--this is another computer.]

I went to the Ralink website to try to help. It appears that the rt2561 is a driver and Ralink makes adapters as well.
I found this information about the 2561 but it's associated with Red Hat and firmware of some sort-

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=230161
One of the members here made a post about his rt2561 and how he fixed it.

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...02-11g-706394/

http://www.ralinktech.com/en/04_supp...ort.php?sn=501

In the past when my adapter didn't work I shut down my computer waited a few seconds and removed it. Plugged it back in to the usb and rebooted. That helped.

Doing my best to help you with the websites I found. Hope this helps.

It could be done for but before that there might be a way to test.
About how old is your adapter?

1 members found this post helpful.

The adapter is about four years old. I wasn't getting anywhere with it, so I broke down and bought a new one--Linksys AE2100. My network is behaving oddly, but I'm online again.

A long time ago. I edited a kernel line in my Ubuntu Netbook install on my Acer Aspire One ZG5 so I could automount sd cards on my inbuilt sd card reader.

This edit (from ubuntus site I may add) caused my internal wireless chip too over heat and drop out. I'd get the same invalid chipset error you did. If I waited a few hours to let things cool down. It would start working again.

I bought a wireless usb and turned off wireless in bios. It took me awhile to trouble shoot because I had forgot about the kernel edit and did not even think it would have affected the wireless card. But it did. After I deleted the edit and turned internal wireless in bios back on. No problems.

So I gave up on Ubuntu and just go with AntiX now on my Netbooks and Laptops. It runs better anyways.

Have you tried the new kernels yet newbiesforever?