Need help installing Alfa AWUS036ACS wifi adapter
 

I purchased this adapter based on a suggestion in the D-link thread (the D-link adapter will not work for current Linux kernels). This one requires going at least into kernel related stuff, and I haven't touched the kernel since 1992. Put simply, I need help to make sure I don't screw up the kernel and end up making a big paperweight out of my laptop.

Some of the data from the D-link thread should be here, so I will be copying that here. I need help getting this adapter running, because, as mentioned above, some steps involve kernel related stuff and, frankly, I'm scared to go there on my own.

Thanks

The above wifi dongle arrived and its drivers complled.

# make install

Went without error.

But the second install bit didn't, and it's the bit that's writing into kernel directories, and I haven't touched any Unix variant's kernel since 1992. So, here's what the text of the instructions I'm looking at said to do next (note that I'm replacing their kernel (5.11.0-25-generic) with mine (as reported by uname -a: 5.15.19)):

# install -p -m 88XXah.ko /lib/modules/5.15.19/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/

I get an error that a destination is required. Also, I noted a lot more beyond wireless/, starting with /realtek/ctlwifi/

and in that directory we find two files, rtleifi.ko (my best guess) and rtlidb.ko.

And the final step before plugging in the dongle to an open usb port on my laptop:

# /sbin/depmod -a 5.15.19

Plug the bugger in and try to remember where the wifi setup is (would appreciate that info).

So, since I haven't touched the kernel since 1992, can someone kindly help me with these last commands to install the drivers, please? The last thing I want to do is screw something up and trash my system.

Thanks

PS: need more information, just ask.

I'm posting the following data from dmesg and iwconfig in hopes that it will help get this adapter working.

[ 4.791470] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Overriding region id 0
[ 4.791704] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Overriding region id 1
[ 4.791954] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Overriding region id 2
[ 4.792206] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Overriding region id 3
[ 4.792465] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Overriding region id 4
[ 4.792699] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Overriding region id 6
[ 4.792950] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Overriding region id 8
[ 4.793194] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Overriding region id 9
[ 4.793460] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Overriding region id 10
[ 4.793756] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Overriding region id 11
[ 4.794059] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Overriding region id 15
[ 4.794372] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Overriding region id 16
[ 4.794644] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Overriding region id 18
[ 4.794913] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Overriding region id 19
[ 4.795183] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Overriding region id 20
[ 4.795455] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Overriding region id 21
[ 4.795727] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: WRT: Overriding region id 28
[ 4.796017] r8169 0000:07:00.0 eth0: RTL8168gu/8111gu, f8:75:a4:66:94:13, XID 509, IRQ 147
[ 4.796335] r8169 0000:07:00.0 eth0: jumbo features [frames: 9194 bytes, tx checksumming: ko]
[ 4.796361] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: loaded firmware version 46.4e1ceb39.0 9000-pu-b0-jf-b0-46.ucode op_mode iwlmvm
[ 4.927729] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: Detected Intel(R) Wireless-AC 9560 160MHz, REV=0x318
[ 4.978507] iwlwifi 0000:00:14.3: base HW address: 24:41:8c:e3:84:ab

--------------------------- CUT HERE ---------------------------

iwconfonfig output:

(1:44) # iwconfig

lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

wlan0 IEEE 802.11 ESSID:off/any
Mode:Managed Access Point: Not-Associated Tx-Power=off
Retry short limit:7 R:wTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:on

wlan1 unassociated ESSID:"" Nickname:"<WIFI@REALTEK>"
Mode:Managed Frequency=2.412 GHz Access Point: Not-Associated
Sensitivity:0/0
Retry:off RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:off
Link Quality:0 Signal level:0 Noise level:0
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

Does that help? I'm lost. I don't understand why this isn't working. I've never worked with this stuff before and the slackware docs aren't helping.

Thanks

Isn't correct. You're trying to give it a "mode" of 88XXah.ko, which of course is not valid. If you build and then install a module, the 'make install' step should do it all for you. Whatever you did, looks like something's there now. At this point, you'd use Network Manager, or edit the network config files under /etc/rc.d. If you are connecting to something, that's wpa_supplicant. If you are making an access point to connect stuff to, that's hostapd (which I don't think Slackware has in its base install).

BTW, you might use 'iw' as iwconfig is old. 'iw phy phy0 channels' for example.

How do I start Network Manager? When I try, it doesn't start Or more to the point, it starts and stops without doing anything. And no network is started.

Thanks for updating me on either the Linux docs or the Slackware docs (can't remember which said to use iwconfig instead of ifconfig). Someone should check that.

Thanks

Would you consider upgrading your running kernel to 6.1.x or even newer?

Had a look at my .config for 6.1.x and I can see:
CONFIG_WLAN_VENDOR_REALTEK=y
---snip---
CONFIG_RTLWIFI=m
CONFIG_RTLWIFI_PCI=m
CONFIG_RTLWIFI_USB=m
CONFIG_RTLWIFI_DEBUG=y
CONFIG_RTL8192C_COMMON=m
CONFIG_RTL8723_COMMON=m
CONFIG_RTLBTCOEXIST=m
CONFIG_RTL8XXXU=m
CONFIG_RTL8XXXU_UNTESTED=y
CONFIG_RTW88=m
CONFIG_RTW88_CORE=m
CONFIG_RTW88_PCI=m
CONFIG_RTW88_8822B=m
CONFIG_RTW88_8822C=m
CONFIG_RTW88_8723D=m
CONFIG_RTW88_8821C=m
CONFIG_RTW88_8822BE=m
CONFIG_RTW88_8822CE=m
CONFIG_RTW88_8723DE=m
CONFIG_RTW88_8821CE=m

I would need two things:

1) Someone to walk me through it

2) A working network, I think

Thanks

Had a look at the latest stable and perhaps go with 6.4.x
https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux...tw88?h=v6.4.12

It is actually very easy :)
Daunting the first time you give it a go, but write down your steps for future upgrades.
Read this excellent howto:
https://docs.slackware.com/howtos:sl...kernelbuilding
Instead of doing "make xconfig", I prefer to use "make menuconfig" as I find it friendlier.

How do I download all of that to my tablet?

Thanks

What sort of tablet is it, make and model?
Can you post:
lspci

lspci? Did you mean lscpu on the laptop?

My tablet is a cheap Walmart ONN brand. No model # in Settings ---> About as I'd normally expect.

To get anything off of the network (using a web browser) I have to download it to my tablet, share it to pcloud, take one of the 4TB USB drives from my laptop and put it on my ancient mint laptop, transfer it from pcloud to that laptop, verify that it's good, then copy it to the 4TB drive, move the drive back to my networkless laptop, and copy it from there. (I left out the obvious mount/umount steps.)

Thanks

Yes, lspci

There's no such command on Slackware 15 (unless it has to be run as root, and I don't have a command line app on my tablet.

I'll check it as root (later...dinner is waiting for me).

Thanks

Sure enough, it needed root. The 4TB USB drive that I use for this, however, is busy doing other transfers, so I'll post it later tonight or tomorrow morning.

Thanks

Just an update: I'd forgotten how slow that old laptop with its ancient USB ports is. The copy process is still going, and interrupting transfers on that old thing has rendered USB drives useless. Not Good. I'm keeping an eye on it, and as soon as it finishes, I'll post that data; and I'm hoping it has some answers.

Thanks