how to configure 2wire usb wireless adapter in puppy linux

7trek · 02-09-2008, 10:20 AM

Toshiba Tecra 520CDT laptop
160mb ram
166mhz cpu
2gb hard drive (1gb ext2, 1gb swap)

currently running puppy linux v3.01

Adapter image
2wire 802.11g usb wireless adapter

I've successfully installed the windows drivers for the usb adapter using ndiswrapper. I can also verify that there is a wlan0 interface. However it appears that the pc is not communicating properly with the usb device. I've set up the wpa_supplicant.conf file with my SSID and pass key, but when I issue the wpa_supplicant command it just enters into a continuous loop and never connects. My router uses WPA/TKIP which has also been configured in the wpa_supplicant.conf file. I've tried scanning for available networks through the puppy network wizard, but each time it returns 'no networks found'. There is a light on the usb adapter that I think is supposed to blink when it's communicating with the pc or network. However to this point it's always remained solid.

Can someone walk me through setting up a network connection with a usb adapter using ndiswrapper? And is there any way to verify whether a usb connection is working properly? I've tried issuing the usbview command from the terminal but it hangs every time and I have to close the terminal window. I've listed some additional details about my configuration below.

Code:

iwconfig displays the following:

lo	no wireless extensions.

wlan0	IEEE 802.11g ESSID:off/any
	Mode:Managed Frequency:2.462 Ghz Access Point: Not-Associated
	Bit Rate:2 Mb/s Tx-Power:32dBm
	RTS thr:2347 B Fragment thr:2346 B
	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


ifconfig -a displays the following:

lo	Link encap:Local Loopback
	.......
	.......
	.......
	.......
	.......
	.......

wlan0	Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:60:xx:xx:xx:xx
	BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
	RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
	TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
	collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
	RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)


ndiswrapper -l displays:

wlanuig : driver installed


lsmod displays:

Module		Size	Used by
.......
.......
.......
ndiswrapper	179740	0
.......
.......
.......
usbcore		127128	5 usb_storage,ndiswrapper,usblp,ohci_hcd
.......
.......

Brian1 · 02-09-2008, 10:47 AM

Post your wpa_supplicant file contents.
Also the command you issue to start wpa.

Brian

7trek · 02-09-2008, 10:58 AM

The command below causes retry after retry, but it never ends up connecting.

Code:

wpa_supplicant -i wlan0 -D wext -c /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -dd

Here's the contents of my wpa_supplicant.conf file:

Code:

ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
ap_scan=2
update_config=1

network = {
   ssid="my_ssid"
   scan_ssid=1
   psk="encrypted password here"
   proto=WPA
   key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
   pairwise=TKIP
   group=TKIP
}

EDIT: Accidentally posted eth1 instead of wlan0 in the command above.

7trek · 02-09-2008, 11:11 AM

Ok, apparently the pc and usb device are communicating successfully since the ifconfing -a command displays the correct MAC address for the usb device. However I still can't seem to connect or even locate any networks for that matter.

7trek · 02-09-2008, 11:27 AM

Just noticed a possible problem.

Code:

iwconfig displays the following:

wlan0	IEEE 802.11g ESSID:off/any
	Mode:Managed Frequency:2.462 Ghz Access Point: Not-Associated
	Bit Rate:2 Mb/s Tx-Power:32dBm
	RTS thr:2347 B Fragment thr:2346 B
	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

I went into my router's configuration page and noticed that it's currently using the following setting:

Channel: 9 (2452 MHz)

However, iwconfig lists the Frequency as 2.462. Shouldn't it be 2.452 and how can I change that setting? Also, is there a way to manually set the Access Point in iwconfig to my router's mac address?

7trek · 02-09-2008, 06:55 PM

I tried changing the channel and frequency to no avail. After typing iwconfig wlan0 channel 9 I then tried wpa_supplicant again with the same result. I also tried 'iwlist wlan0 scanning' which returned 'no networks found'. Not sure where to go from here.

Brian1 · 02-09-2008, 06:55 PM

Are you using quotes around the psk key?

I would make a little simply.

Code:

ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant

network = {
   ssid="my_ssid"
   psk=encrypted password here
   proto=WPA
}

Now the wpa_supplicant is wpa_supplicant.conf in /etc or in /etc/wpa_supplicant?
Here is and example of mine.

Code:

 /usr/sbin/wpa_supplicant -w -B -Dmadwifi -iath0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

Also when you generated the wpa passphrase I assumed you used the correct case for the ssid as well as the wpa_passphrase. It must match exact.

Brian

7trek · 02-09-2008, 07:45 PM

Still no luck. I removed the extra entries from the .conf file and tried the -w and -B parameters but still no connection. The psk key does not have quotes around it and it was created with the correct case. The .conf file was located in /etc/ but I have now created one in /etc/wpa_supplicant/. Both locations result in the following statement in the console:

Trying to associate with SSID 'my_SSID'
Authentication with 00:00:00:00:00:00 timed out.

It then repeats that same message over and over. There has to be something wrong with either the drivers or the usb port because the adapter can't find any available networks. I haven't used iwlist before, but I would assume that it should bring up a list of networks in the area when you type 'iwlist wlan0 scanning.' However after entering that command it returns 'no scan results'. I think I'm about ready to give up on this adapter. I guess the next option would be to get a pcmcia adapter. Any suggestions as to which pcmcia adapter would be the easiest to install and setup in linux? Perhaps one with native linux drivers?

Brian1 · 02-09-2008, 08:00 PM

The correct command is ' iwlist wlan0 scan ' for your interface.
Does it show different cells.

Brian

alan99 · 09-10-2010, 12:42 AM

Quote:

ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
ap_scan=2
update_config=1

network = {
ssid="my_ssid"
scan_ssid=1
psk="encrypted password here"
proto=WPA
key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
pairwise=TKIP
group=TKIP
}

Are you using "my_ssid" for a ap name or did you just list a 'bogus' name for security reasons? Unless you have changed the router name to my_ssid it would typically be a default name (usually the model name of the router or something like that)
If you could connect to the router via a ethernet cable you usually log on to a setup page and see/change the ssid.

And also passphrase is going to be a hexadecimal number generated by wpa_passphrase using your ssid and preshared key. If you ssid is not correct, it will not generate the correct wpa_passphrase.

alan99 · 09-10-2010, 12:56 AM

Quote:

iwconfig displays the following:

wlan0 IEEE 802.11g ESSIDoff/any
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.462 Ghz Access Point: Not-Associated
Bit Rate:2 Mb/s Tx-Power:32dBm
RTS thr:2347 B Fragment thr:2346 B
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

I think that your ssid is hidden (ESSIDoff/any) so you I guess you won't be able to scan the ap without knowing the ssid.

alan99 · 09-10-2010, 01:12 AM

Also, I think maybe you might try using ndiswrapper instead of wext for the driver in the wpa_supplicant startup command.

alan99 · 09-10-2010, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7trek

Just noticed a possible problem.

Code:

iwconfig displays the following:

wlan0	IEEE 802.11g ESSID:off/any
	Mode:Managed Frequency:2.462 Ghz Access Point: Not-Associated
	Bit Rate:2 Mb/s Tx-Power:32dBm
	RTS thr:2347 B Fragment thr:2346 B
	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

I went into my router's configuration page and noticed that it's currently using the following setting:

Channel: 9 (2452 MHz)

However, iwconfig lists the Frequency as 2.462. Shouldn't it be 2.452 and how can I change that setting? Also, is there a way to manually set the Access Point in iwconfig to my router's mac address?

Also, from the weak signal and the 'wrong' freq and that fact that is says 'no encryption key' I guess you are looking at the router of somebody else.

alan99 · 09-10-2010, 01:43 AM

disregard all, I guess I'm talking to my self. I just noticed the age of this thread LOL.