No, actually you're almost ready to compile, do this:
ln -s /usr/src/kernel-source-2.4.20 /lib/modules/2.4.20/build
that should do it, beware typos in the above command won't generate an error since you're allowed to symlink to non-existant directories. To test this, do ls /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build/include/linux/version.h, again, one line should be returned, then go into your acx100 directory and make clean, then make. Although, there's a newer version of the source out now: version 0.2.0pre2, so I suggest you cd to the acx100 source dir, then do cvs update, then do make clean, make.

shitty, make failed, it returned:
wtf.

All-righty then...(this is me giving up on compiling this module on libranet...)

and yet all may not be lost...

Let's re-visit using my already-compiled module for slackware 9.0 that you downloaded (or go download the newest version 0.2.0pre2 for slack9), the kernel version matches yours.

if you're game:
after you tar zxf the module to /lib/modules/2.4.20/kernel/drivers/net/pcmcia and tar zxf the firmware to the same directory
add this line to your /etc/modules.conf file:
options acx100_pci use_eth_name=1 debug=0x01 firmware_dir=/lib/modules/2.4.20/kernel/drivers/net/pcmcia

do an insmod acx100_pci, if errors use insmod -f, if more errors, post 'em.
do iwconfig, if you get some kind of output for the wireless card, continue.
do iwconfig ethX mode managed rate 11M channel X essid <essid name of your access point> key xxxx-xxxx-xx (if you're using WEP) substitute your channel in there for "X".
do dhcpcd -d ethX, using the device name for the wireless card.
see what happens...

dam, this is ugly. I tried insmod and w/ the -f option. I checked my modules.conf file, added the line you specified and i get lots of errors. Here is what is returned when i do and insmod -f and insmod:
huh?

I just got some email from a guy who downloaded the slack 9 module and the firmware from the howto (of course, he's using slack 9) and has his dwl-650+ working. Don't give up.

I'm wondering how the module ends up being named "acx100.o" instead of "acx100_pci.o", any ideas? The problem with the module being acx100.o is that the options line in /etc/modules.conf will be ignored since it's for acx100_pci.o, meaning no firmware will be found, which is probably causing those errors. I'm not sure how the module got that name, but if you're sure that acx100.o module is the same slack9 module you downloaded, then "cd /lib/modules/2.4.20/kernel/drivers/net/pcmcia", then "mv acx100.o acx100_pci.o". I'm assuming by all those errors that the module did not get loaded, make sure: "lsmod", and if you see acx100 in the list, "rmmod acx100", if your card is in at the time, "cardctl eject" first, or the machine may hang, then "rmmod acx100". After the "mv", do "depmod -a", then "cardctl insert". At no time should you physically remove the card from the machine.

Hi guys, I'm trying to get my D-Link DWL650+ card to work with RedHat 9. I also installed the acx100 driver from acx100.sf.net. After successful compilation and installation, i get wlan0 up running, but the mode is default to Ad-Hoc. Even though i set the mode to be Managed in the start_net scripts, it still comes up to be Ad-Hoc. So i tried to use "iwconfig wlan0 mode managed" to force it to change mode. I also tried "iwconfig wlan0 retry" and "iwconfig wlan0 commit". but they both gave me an error saying the operation is not supported. I'm using iwconfig version 25. No matter what i do, i can't get the mode to change to managed. I know i need managed mode to talk to the AP. Does anyone know why mode is not changing? Do i need to install a new iwconfig rpm?
Thanks alot!

mybad. I must have posted wrong or sumthing b/c after a reboot it is listing "acx100_pci.o", w/ all the same errors. And no, the module obviously doesn't load. What would an "Unresolved symbols" error mean. When I do a "depmod -a" it gives me unresolved symbols messages like the ones when i try to insmod.

Unresolved symbols are the result of C function calls in the source code that are supposed to exist in other files outside the acx100 source directory, the *.h files in the kernel-source directory define how to make the function call and the parameters for it, but the actual compiled code is another file on the system, or it's *supposed* to be. "Unresolved" means the already-compiled-code (object code) for these external function calls was not found for all those function calls you listed, it suggests a library or two that the acx100 source code links to was not found, or the *.h files point to locations that were not found, etc.. Unlike the atmelwlandriver or the admtek source, the acx100 source never gives me unresolved symbol errors. Not on 6 different machines running mdk8.2, mdk9, mdk9.1, rh9, and slack9.

I truly wish I knew what was wrong, tomorrow I will install debian 3.0 on one of my machines, and yet I don't know how close libranet is to debian, so maybe this will give a clue, maybe not.

It is pretty close from what I know, Plus, I have posted on Libranet's official forum to see what they have to say. I linked it to this post too, so that maybe help can go from here. Thanks a TON for your help!

highartboi,
check your /var/log/messages for lines with "/etc/hotplug/pci.agent...setup....for PCI slot...." in them, start at the end of the file and work backwards, does any other module appear on that line besides acx100_pci?

bige,
this chipset gave me fits, it took over 2 months for me to find out what it was and find a driver and get it working, at the time the open source project had just begun and nothing was released, I finally found and used the leaked binaries, they worked but were very touchy. I would like nothing more than for every linux-er who owns a card w/this chipset in it to get it working with the open source driver. Helping linux people get this chipset to work is my ultimate revenge on Texas Instruments and the US military who would both probably prefer users of the chipset be limited to a closed-source driver, so...you're welcome, and please don't give up.

hi akaBea Vis, I'm using a D-Link PCMCIA card on my laptop, so there is no messages about pci.agent related to acx100. Any idea it's telling me the following?

[root@chris scripts]# iwconfig wlan0 ap any
Error for wireless request "Set AP Address" (8B14) :
SET failed on device wlan0 ; Operation not supported.

I'm using iwconfig version 26. Thanks alot

high, (and may I call you "high"?, heh)
we need to see your /etc/modules.conf, output from lsmod, ifconfig -a, and iwconfig wlan0, additionally, please check and see what's in the acx100/firmware directory, It should be a few files ending in ".BIN", which were copied there from either your windows installation or from the driver disk, or from the downloaded driver from d-link. We will get this working, it's just a matter of time...

nope, just says:
pci.agent: .. can't load module acx100_pci
pci.agent: missing kernel or user mode driver acx100_pci

hi aka (may I call you "aka"? ^_^),
Thank you very much for your reply. I do not have access to my Linux box right now, but I will post the output of the commands you mentioned earlier asap. I however did a thourough RedHat 9 RPM update through redhat network. I have make sure that I have all three BIN files in the /usr/acx100/firmware directory. I was able to successfully recompile the acx driver, but i still can't change the mode of wlan0. I will also post the output of dmesg later on today. I figure i should just give you guys a heads-up. Thanks alot

high