speed unbearably slow using Ubuntu heron, RTL-8139 wireless

dombrowsky · 12-02-2008, 08:39 PM

After a debian upgrade lost my wireless driver for the Nth time, I decided to try Ubuntu on this old 2Ghz Dell machine. Everything works fine except for the fact that my MAXIMUM throughput on the wireless card is a total of 7 KB/sec (!) upload or download. I have full signal strength and a valid connection, but simply transferring data within my own LAN has a max of 7KB/sec from that machine. All other machines one the wireless operate at full capacity.

Where's the configuration? I try the Ubuntu config and it says nothing except "98% signal strength". Obviously its set in some crazy-slow mode and all I need is to get it out. The card worked fine before.... Any hints? The intrawebs aren't helping me out here.

here's the dirt:

Code:

% uname -a
Linux seven 2.6.24-22-generic #1 SMP Mon Nov 24 18:32:42 UTC 2008 i686 GNU/Linux

% lspci | grep RTL
01:05.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)

% lsmod | grep -i rt
parport_pc             36260  1
parport                37832  3 ppdev,lp,parport_pc
rt2500pci              20352  0
rt2x00pci              11264  1 rt2500pci
rt2x00lib              22528  2 rt2500pci,rt2x00pci
rfkill                  8596  1 rt2x00lib
input_polldev           5896  1 rt2x00lib
crc_itu_t               3072  1 rt2x00lib
mac80211              165652  3 rt2500pci,rt2x00pci,rt2x00lib
eeprom_93cx6            3200  1 rt2500pci
iTCO_vendor_support     4868  1 iTCO_wdt
agpgart                34760  3 drm,intel_agp

% ping 192.168.1.2
PING 192.168.1.2 (192.168.1.2) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 192.168.1.2: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=4371 ms (!!!)
64 bytes from 192.168.1.2: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=4345 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.2: icmp_seq=3 ttl=64 time=3999 ms
...

michaelk · 12-03-2008, 01:31 PM

RTL-8139 is a wired NIC not wireless.

It appears that the ubuntu included wireless modules might be buggy. http://ubuntu-utah.ubuntuforums.org/....php?p=6187170

Try this:
http://rt2x00.serialmonkey.com/wiki/...itle=Downloads

dombrowsky · 12-03-2008, 11:18 PM

I give props to Ubuntu for giving at least limited connectivity, but this was exactly the problem I was trying to avoid by switching from stock Debian. Going directly to serialmonkey is not an option.

I tried using module-assistant to install the drivers... no dice.

The only option is to build my own kernel and drivers, which totally defeats the purpose of me trying to use any specific linux distro in the first place.. Moral of the story: AVOID REALTEK WIRELESS DRIVERS IN LINUX AT ALL COSTS. I'll let y'all know if I find a better solution.

peace.