Hi, this is my first post here, I've been using debian for a couple of months and I'm trying to get the dreaded wireless up.

I have a BlueNext USB dongle that I've sucessfully got to run on one of my Debian Etch boxes using the ZD1211 driver.

However, when I try to install and use it on my main machine I get the following:

Output from /var/log/messages when plugging in:

May 25 23:13:44 lester kernel: usb 1-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 5
May 25 23:13:44 lester kernel: usb 1-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
May 25 23:13:44 lester kernel: usb 1-1: reset full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 5
May 25 23:13:44 lester kernel: zd1211rw: probe of 1-1:1.0 failed with error -2

gareth@lester:~$ lsusb
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 0ace:1215 ZyDAS
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 09da:0018 A4 Tech Co., Ltd
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

and finally, when starting with the dongle plugged in:
lester:~# dmesg | grep zd
usb 1-1: Could not load firmware file zd1211/zd1211b_ub. Error number -2
zd1211rw 1-1:1.0: couldn't load firmware. Error number -2
zd1211rw: probe of 1-1:1.0 failed with error -2
usbcore: registered new driver zd1211rw
zd1211:bulk out: wMaxPacketSize = 40
zd1211:bulk in: wMaxPacketSize = 40
zd1211:interrupt in: wMaxPacketSize = 40
zd1211:interrupt in: int_interval = 1
zd1211:bulk out: wMaxPacketSize = 40
zd1211:USB Download Boot code success
zd1211: failed intr_urb
zd1211:USB ST Code = -22
zd1211b: probe of 1-1:1.0 failed with error -5
usbcore: registered new driver zd1211b

I've tried the ZD1211 and the ZD1211B drivers and have had no luck with either.

Very grateful if anyone can help at all.

Hi Mallangong,

I bought a ZD1211 based USB dongle last week - a Safecom SWMULZ-5400. I've got it to work as far as picking up a a network, but I cannot get it to connect to the network, even without WEP or WPA on. When trying to connect I simply get an error message through wlassistant.

Anyhow, it looks like you need the firmware installed - I'm at wotk at the moment, and can't remember where I found it, but if you google for "zd1211 firmware linux" or similar you should find it. I think the firmware has to be unpacked into the /lib/firmware directory - I'll check when I get home.

Hope this is helpful - now can someone help me with my connection please?

Kev.

OK, I've sat down with my system tonight and gone through all the variables, and now have a working wireless connection

First thing was to assign the wireless card a different IP address to the wired network (yes, I know, obvious to me now). This didn't make any odds though. Second thing was that the Safecom USB card comes with a short extension cable - removed this, and plugged the card direct into the USB port. This did the trick and the connection has been working flawlessly since.

On the subject of firmware, it's extracted to \lib\firmware\zd1211 . A .deb file is available at http://ftp.debian.org/debian/pool/no...1211-firmware/ - hope this helps.

Kev.

Thanks Kev. I've successfully installed the firmware and re-compiled the driver but I still get the following when I plug the dongle in:

messages output:

May 30 22:01:16 lester kernel: usb 1-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 3
May 30 22:01:16 lester kernel: usb 1-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
May 30 22:01:16 lester kernel: Release Ver = 4810
May 30 22:01:16 lester kernel: EEPORM Ver = 4810
May 30 22:01:16 lester kernel: zd1211b: probe of 1-1:1.0 failed with error -5
May 30 22:01:16 lester kernel: ieee80211: 802.11 data/management/control stack, git-1.1.13
May 30 22:01:16 lester kernel: ieee80211: Copyright (C) 2004-2005 Intel Corporation <jketreno@linux.intel.com>
May 30 22:01:19 lester kernel: usb 1-1: reset full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 3
May 30 22:01:56 lester last message repeated 2 times
May 30 22:02:07 lester kernel: usb 1-1: reset full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 3
May 30 22:02:17 lester kernel: zd1211rw: probe of 1-1:1.0 failed with error -110May 30 22:02:17 lester kernel: usbcore: registered new driver zd1211rw
May 30 22:02:17 lester kernel: usb 1-1: USB disconnect, address 3
May 30 22:02:17 lester kernel: usb 1-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 4

Thanks in advance,

Gareth.

Hi Gareth,

it looks like you've two drivers installed which may be conflicting (I'm not an expert I hasten to add, I may be wrong on this). Here's the message output when I plug my card in: -

usb 1-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 3
usb 1-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
zd1211rw 1-1:1.0: firmware version 4725
zd1211rw 1-1:1.0: zd1211b chip 0ace:1215 v4810 full 00-02-72 AL2230_RF pa0 g--
zd1211rw 1-1:1.0: eth1

Rather than compiling the driver by hand and modprobing etc I installed the zd1211rw driver from the Debian repository with apt-get.

I'd suggest removing the drivers you have and trying the Debian packages. Packages you need are zd1211-source and zd1211-firmware, non-free will have to be included in your sources.list. Once apt-get has installed the packages, run module-assistant to set up and install the drivers, I think I had to reboot to get things running as well.

Let us know how you get on.

Kev.

Thanks Kev. I plugged the dongle in via my USB 2.0 hub and it seems to be working fine now that I have the firmware.

All that remains is to get my rt2500 PCI going as an Access Point!
Grr! Wish me luck!

And thanks again for the pointers.