Hello. I've installed Mandrake 9.2 from downloaded CDs. It works beautifully (better than XP) in all respects but one. The system hangs when my Compex WLU11A USB Wireless 802.11B Network adaptor is connected.

Firstly, I'm quite sure the device itself isn't faulty. It seems to work well in XP.

If it is connected upon startup of Mandrake, the system will hang just after mounting the usb filesystem (I have a memory key). If I leave it disconnected until after KDE has loaded, and then connect it, it will hang the system.

I did download the drivers from Compex cpx.com for Redhat, but they will not install (error 2(?)(!)).

I did a search and found a page that said modify /etc/modules.conf so the line alias usb-controller usb-uhci read alias usb-controller uhci. When I looked in /etc/modules.conf it had a similar line "probeall usb-controller usb-uhci" so I changed "usb-uhci" to "uhci"

If it matters, I have a VIA chipset (I think its a KT133A, it definitely has a VT82C686B southbridge)

Are there some other drivers I should be using?

Any help would be appreciated, as having wireless networking in Linux would be a godsend!

Upon closer inspection, it hangs at "Finding Module Dependencies" when the adapter is connected for bootup.

Just like to say that this is a fine USB Nic, unfortunately there isn't a lotta reference to it on the Net or even in the forums. I only got it working the past 4 days on 2 different distributions(Fedora, Knoppix) so please bare with me. I have a D-Link DI714 dsl-router-AP and originally I thought getting the D-Link DWL-120 was the best way to stay connected by keeping it in the family, this NIC blew the DWL-120 away. On XP this card is solid. I transferred my 600MB+ Debian CD's across from my other Linux Box without a hitch and with a quickness, it stays connected forever. As far as Linux goes and to your problem. You're not alone, I experienced the WLU11A hanging and locking upon booting with Knoppix. There's some issue with the usb host drivers which you prob already ran into u had to either pull it out of the hub or boot up without USB support until the modules were loaded, on Fedora it worked great, with little/no problems. There's a lotta trial and error using this on Knoppix, I'm replying to your post with the WLU11A plugged in, so I can tell you that when it does get up and running, it's as fast and a pleasure to use as XP. Sorry I haven't used Mandrake, I copied the output of my lsmod, so you can see the modules loaded to get my WLU11A detected:
i'm using kernel 2.4.22-xfs on the Knoppix Live CD.

knoppix@ttyp0[knoppix]$ lsmod
Module Size Used by Not tainted
usbvnetr 76504 3
uhci 24464 0 (unused)
rtl8150 7740 0 (unused)
at76c503 55776 0 (unused)
ext3 64132 0 (autoclean)
jbd 46292 0 (autoclean) [ext3]
autofs4 8756 1 (autoclean)
af_packet 13448 0 (autoclean)
efs 7436 0 (autoclean)
loop 41232 3 (autoclean)
nls_cp437 4380 1 (autoclean)
nls_iso8859-1 2876 1 (autoclean)
ntfs 51168 0 (autoclean)
msdos 4652 0 (autoclean)
agpgart 38296 0 (unused)
es1371 30152 0 (unused)
gameport 1388 0 [es1371]
cs46xx 56464 0
ac97_codec 11916 0 [es1371 cs46xx]
soundcore 3428 7 [es1371 cs46xx]
parport_pc 24840 0
parport 22496 0 [parport_pc]
serial 52004 0 (autoclean)
usbcore 57472 1 [usbvnetr uhci rtl8150 at76c503]

you can see the 4 modules loaded in this last line. I tried em all and stuck with uhci. The at76c503 I compiled from source, since my distribution didn't come with it. The usbvnetr seems to be the key module here.
do an insmod usbvnetr.o and see if your WLU11A is detected. There's a How-To that suggest that uhci.o is a better way to go if you have a kernel-panic. I'll post back in a few days after I experiment with some more settings. BTW: this Nic did not freeze when I used it on Fedora Core.

Thanks ramos. I tried the 'insmod usbvnetr.o' and it said file not found. So then I tried to install the compex driver again. It seems that the X Include files are missing, as the XFree86-Devel package isn't available on Mandrake 9.2 (downloaded). I have Redhat 9 cds handy, I'll try installing that.

Hello Default,

not to insult your knowledge of Linux, just want to be helpfull and let ya know that you can probably find the drivers quick and easy with the
"locate" command just type locate usbvnetr.o or whatever module you're looking for, mine was in /lib/modules/2.4.22-xfs/kernel/drivers/usb all of my wireless drivers were there. Go into this directory and insmod the module you want. When I see my usb port lights flashing, I know I didn't get to try Redhat 9.0 I used all the previous REdhats before then. Last week I tried Fedora(downloaded and installed with the ISO), which is I guess like Redhat 10.0 This WLU11A is a awesome card, that's why I didn't give up on it in Linux, and at least I know it works and works great, when the usb/hotplug kernel things don't act up. I know these driver guru's are eventually gonna lock this down and it'll make it into all the distributions. Take a look at this site as well, they may help.

http://at76c503a.berlios.de/devices.html

If usbvnetr.o doesn't do the trick, compile and install at76c503a.o
this has a very good chance of working with Redhat, and prob my first choice. Good Luck

Thanks mate,

I got it working in Redhat 9, an absolute breeze. I'm new to Linux, so I don't have a good working knowledge of it anyway! -- Sure as sunrise, I'd be the first to admit I have nearly no knowledge of Linux.

What seemed to be happening, was the driver wasn't installing because something was missing from my installation, and the driver wasn't compiling at all. I installed Redhat 9, and the driver just went straight in, no questions asked (once I figured out I needed to be logged in as root)(!) But, anyway, it wouldn't compile with Mandrake, kept whinging about how the 'X include' files were missing. Didn't know about 'locate' though, I just went to the folder with konquerer and looked for a non-existant usbvnetr.o

But yeah, the usbvnetr.o works an absolute treat with Redhat. I've been using the wireless card for a few hours now, it's worked perfectly. I don't really care about hotplug for the WLU11A myself, as it's attached to a desktop machine that's just too impractical to cable to the network.

I might even give Fedora a go: my ADSL provider added an extra 12Gigs to the monthly quota, should be enough to download a few ISO's that don't count as unmetered data, eh!

So, cheers and thanks for the help - buggered if I could have done it on my own!

hi there
i just installed fedora core 5 . and im useing Compex WLU11A .
the problem is that im totaly new to linux .
i downloaded the driver but i dont know how to install it
dont tell me to COMPILE. cause i dont know what that means
i need to know how . i need to learn how to install this driver
pleeeeeeeeaaas
yours
Compex WLU11A