Cisco 350 wireless PCI card in linux 2.6.x to work?

Kstone113 · 01-26-2005, 11:12 PM

I have fedora 2(linux 2.6.x) installed on a PC and I have been trying to get my cisco aironet series 350 card to hook up to my network with no success. On cisco's site it says compatability with 2.4.x but not 2.6, does anyone know how I can get it to work with 2.6? I got my card configured and everything but when I try to activate it says the card seems not be present, delaying initilization. Could anyone out there get me some help on this or any advice. I would greatly appreciate it, thanks.

TomaCzar · 02-02-2005, 01:17 PM

I run a cisco 350 on my IBM T30 with Slackware and a 2.6.X kernel. All I have to do is choose the kernel option:

Device Drivers --> Networking Support --> Wireless LAN (non-hamradio) --> Cisco/Aironet 34X/35X/4500/4800 PCMCIA cards

and fit it into the kernel somehow (I module it in) and then go on about my business. Now since I don't use fedora I don' t know if you use special kernels or not, however if you do use a vanilla that should be all it takes. One thing you want to make sure of is that whne you're trying to ge tnetworking up that you remove all the security implements first, then once you can connect, bring them back up one at a time reconnecting and troubleshooting (if necessary) along the way. Hope this helps

mindg4m3 · 06-26-2006, 11:30 AM

I am having the same issue, i have everything set up but i cant get my wireless working, how did you do it? I am trying to install the Cisco 350 MPCI card in slackware 10.2, but alas i am a noob. I have looked all over but i still have no clue what is going on.

TomaCzar · 06-26-2006, 12:27 PM

First, thank you for posting again in this thread instead of creating a new one. It's nice to see a noob following the rules. Second, Linux on a T30 is pretty easy and awesome and you're position is aided by the fact your running the greatest distro known to mankind!!

Since you've installed linux I'm going to assume you've already modified the BIOS to accept non-standard MPCI 802.11x NICs. If not read this page http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Proble...I_network_card
and choose one of the options available there. I used the no-1802.com approach.

However, in order to assist you I (or anyone else) would need more information. We need to know what kernel you're running. Slackware comes default with 2.4.X but you can install 2.6.X off the installation CDs so that is an important fact that needs clarification.

Another questions is, what is 'everything' in "I have everything set up"? To put it another way, what steps have you taken to install and configure wireless netowrking support on your T30? One more question, what exactly isn't working? OBVIOUSLY you're not able to surf the internet wirelessly, however there are several steps between booting the computer and surfing the net. Do you have a firewall/proxy server/wireless encryption? Do you have an IP/Gateway/DNS? Do you have a wireless interface?

Once you've provided this information myself and others we be better capable to assist you further. Remember to look through /var/log/messages for clues to system problems and answers!! Good luck!!

-TomaCzar

mindg4m3 · 06-26-2006, 09:37 PM

I am running kernel 2.4.31, what is the advantage to using the newer kernel?

By everything i meant that slackware is running fine other than that, video, sound, etc. is working. My wifi network is already up and running, and i am sure that it works.

The wireless card i am trying to use is the integrated one that comes with the T30. I am not exactly understanding the no-1802. I have not yet received an error message.

I am not getting the wireless interface, or the Ethernet one, but at the same time I do not know how to install nor configure the wireless.

I tried to follow some guides at hpl.hp.com/personal/Jean_Tourrilhes/Linux/ and i discovered that the drivers were already included in the distro. I then did not know where to go as far as using them. The guide mentioned uncommenting lines in the aironet and aironet_cs files, so i did, and nothing happened / changed.

Thanks for at the help, and even more the encouragement, I was starting to get frustrated at my lack of knowledge. My slack install feels like play-dough.

TomaCzar · 06-27-2006, 02:19 AM

Old kernel versus new, there are more difference than I'm qualified to expound upon however if you're truly interested you can go here http://www.2cpu.com/articles/98_1.html.

If the laptop boots fine then you need not worry about 1802 issues. The 2.4.31 that comes default with the Slackware 10.2 install is usually very good at automagically seeing hardware and loading the appropriate kernel modules (drivers) however this may not be the case in this particular instance. If you type the command 'lsmod' at the command prompt you can see what kernel modules are loaded. The command 'modprobe' will allow you to load modules for hardware not automagically seen.

The module for MY cisco 350 card is called airo using a 2.6.X kernel. I'm sure that in the 2.4 kernel it is called the same or very similar. After you add the module (if it is necessary) you can check to make sure it was loaded properly by looking for entries in /var/log/messages. The command 'dmesg' will also provide you with output along these lines however I personally have found /var/log/messages to be more verbose than dmesg. In summation, look to see if the appropriate module is loaded for your network device and if it isn't load it. Once the module is loaded check /var/log/messages for output regarding the card for in depth information. Finally try configuring the NIC using the 'iwconfig' command.

I don't know how it is that you happened upon LinuxQuestions.org however for all the time I've been here the vast majority of members are extremely knowledgable and encouraging, especially to people who read the rules and do as they're supposed to. While LQ.org is an amazing resource don't forget the very first and second most important tools in your arsenal, documentation (man pages, readme files) and google.com (any search engine will do, but why use just any search engine??).

Take care and good luck!!
-TomaCzar

mindg4m3 · 06-27-2006, 08:54 AM

ok, i added the airo to through modprobe, and i also tried airo_cs.
I then tried the iwconfig and i get this message:

lo no wireless extentions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

This is the same message I was getting before.

When reading through the messages, it says:

airo: probing for PCI adapters
airo: Finished probing for PCI adapters

and then that is all. Am i totally missing something in the linux world?

TomaCzar · 06-27-2006, 01:34 PM

I would definately say one of us is totally missing something or else you would have wireless by now. Let's go back.

Try this, type in 'lspci' and you should get output such as:

Code:

#lspci -vv
..................................
02:02.0 Network controller: AIRONET Wireless Communications Cisco Aironet Wireless 802.11b
        Subsystem: AIRONET Wireless Communications: Unknown device 5000
        Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle+ MemWINV+ VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B-
        Status: Cap+ 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
        Latency: 64 (1000ns min, 1000ns max), cache line size 08
        Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 11
        Region 0: I/O ports at 8000 [size=256]
        Region 1: Memory at d0200000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
        Region 2: Memory at d0400000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4M]
        Expansion ROM at f4000000 [disabled] [size=2M]
        Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 2
                Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-)
                Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=2 PME+
        Capabilities: [48] Vital Product Data
...................................

This shows that my OS sees the NIC and what resources are being allocated to it. Based on what you posted I would guess that your laptop does not see the NIC or it is not a Cisco 350 MPCI. Either way the lspci will be the crytal ball that reveals all.

Addendum: Just fo ryour own personal knowledge the airo_cs is for the PCMCIA Cisco 350 aironet card. Linux support for PCMCIA devices entails userspace software called PCMCIA Card Services which is where the cs in airo_cs comes from. If you do try getting a PCMCIA car up and running (I have a IEEE1394 PCMCIA card for transferring video data) this is one of the first places to start looking.
https://sourceforge.net/projects/pcmcia-cs.

edit: Fixed the broken URL

mindg4m3 · 06-28-2006, 11:57 AM

Alright! I did some more reading and research and found that the 2.6.13 kernel already supports the wifi card. It looks like now it will at least recognize the card. Thanks for your replies and answers. I don't totally have it all figured out yet, but it is going well so far! Now i just need to try to get it online!

immortalis · 08-11-2006, 03:47 AM

Hi,

since I'm totally new to the world of linux I don't know anything about it. I installed debian via webinstall on a T30. And now i'd like to get the wireless device running. but i don't know which is the requested software and how to install it.
waiting for help,

immortalis