[SOLVED] WiFi USB dongle not seen

Changes · 05-10-2010, 10:01 AM

I'm running Debian Squeeze on my desktop computer. I have a USB dongle of italian brand Dikom (they just re-brand Chinese products). It has a Zydas ZD1211B chip.
Now, according to this, drivers for that chip have been included in all distros for a while. And yet, Debian doesn't want to know about my dongle.
Wicd can't connect, the system doesn't seem to do anything with hotplugging when it's inserted, and lspci doesn't list it.

What to do (short of threading Ethernet cable from one end of my home to the other)?

Thanks.

mrshanim · 05-10-2010, 04:06 PM

try "lspci" will show all devices connected to it

Changes · 05-10-2010, 04:58 PM

Er... I just said that lspci doesn't list it...

brucehinrichs · 05-10-2010, 06:08 PM

What's the output of lsusb?

Changes · 05-11-2010, 08:55 AM

Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 008 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 0ace:1215 ZyDAS WLA-54L 802.11bg
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 04fc:0801 Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 2001:f103 D-Link Corp. [hex] DUB-H7 7-port USB 2.0 hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

sycamorex · 05-11-2010, 09:04 AM

What's the output of ifconfig/iwconfig?

You need to load zd1211rw.
Here's a debian wiki
http://wiki.debian.org/zd1211rw

Steviepower · 05-11-2010, 12:25 PM

lspci doesn't show it because it's a usb device, lsubs shows the device as it should. so I agree with sycamorex, and suggest you follow his link!

Changes · 05-12-2010, 08:55 AM

I hadn't realized I had to install the zd1211 firmware. I did, and now it works. Thanks!

Changes · 05-14-2010, 07:40 PM

A minor issue: when I boot the system the wifi dongle won't work, and if I give "ifconfig wlan0 up" it complains wlan0 doesn't exist (or something). In order to make it work I have to unplug the dongle from the hub and plug it back in, then ifconfig stops complaining and I can connect.

Any way to make this automatic? I won't die if it can't be done, but it'd still be better if I didn't have to unplug/replug it every time.

Thanks.