Hi everyone,

I'm trying to install the wg311v3 netgear wireless card in CentOS release 5.5 (Final)X86_64 on kernel 2.6.18-194.el5xen and it's driving me nuts.

I followed instructions on http://ja.meswilson.com/blog/2007/03...64-bit-driver/ and didn't encounter any problems:

***************************************************
[root@localhost WG311v3-x64]# ndiswrapper -i WG311v3.INF
installing wg311v3 ...
*****************************************************
[root@localhost WG311v3-x64]# ndiswrapper -l
wg311v3 : driver installed
device (11AB:1FAA) present
*****************************************************
[root@localhost WG311v3-x64]# ndiswrapper -m
module configuration already contains alias directive
****************************************************
[root@localhost WG311v3-x64]# iwlist wlan0 scan
wlan0 Scan completed :
Cell 01 - Address: 00:1D:92:17:95:C8
ESSID:"mhepo"
Protocol:IEEE 802.11g
Mode:Managed
Frequency:2.412 GHz (Channel 1)
Quality:90/100 Signal level:-38 dBm Noise level:-96 dBm
Encryption keyn
Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s
9 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s
48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
Extra:bcn_int=100
Extra:atim=0
IE: IEEE 802.11i/WPA2 Version 1
Group Cipher : CCMP
Pairwise Ciphers (1) : CCMP
Authentication Suites (1) : PSK
Cell 02 - Address: 00:22:3F:0C:FA:BA
ESSID:"NETGEAR"
Protocol:IEEE 802.11g
Mode:Managed
Frequency:2.412 GHz (Channel 1)
Quality:7/100 Signal level:-91 dBm Noise level:-96 dBm
Encryption keyff
Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 11 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s
9 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s
48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
Extra:bcn_int=100
Extra:atim=0
*********************************************************************

However, ifconfig doesn't show the wlan0 or any other wireless device:

ifconfig
lo Link encap:Local Loopback
inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0
inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1
RX packets:3073 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:3073 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:3487129 (3.3 MiB) TX bytes:3487129 (3.3 MiB)

virbr0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:00:00:00:00:00
inet addr:192.168.122.1 Bcast:192.168.122.255 Mask:255.255.255.0
inet6 addr: fe80::200:ff:fe00:0/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:42 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:0 (0.0 b) TX bytes:8543 (8.3 KiB)

xenbr0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:00:00:00:00:00
UP BROADCAST RUNNING NOARP 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:0
RX bytes:0 (0.0 b) TX bytes:0 (0.0 b)

*********************************************************************

I read around and checked a few other things:

**********************************************************************
[root@localhost WG311v3-x64]# lsmod | grep ndi
ndiswrapper 258656 0
***********************************************************************
[root@localhost WG311v3-x64]# dmesg | grep ndi
ndiswrapper version 1.54 loaded (smp=yes, preempt=no)
ndiswrapper (link_pe_images:575): fixing KI_USER_SHARED_DATA address in the driver
ndiswrapper: driver wg311v3 (NETGEAR,02/22/2005,3.1.1.7) loaded
ndiswrapper: using IRQ 18
usbcore: registered new driver ndiswrapper
[root@localhost WG311v3-x64]#

********************************************************

Tried to connect anyhow:

[root@localhost WG311v3-x64]# iwconfig wlan0 channel 11
[root@localhost WG311v3-x64]# iwconfig wlan0 essid netgear
[root@localhost WG311v3-x64]# dhclient wlan0
Internet Systems Consortium DHCP Client V3.0.5-RedHat
Copyright 2004-2006 Internet Systems Consortium.
All rights reserved.
For info, please visit http://www.isc.org/sw/dhcp/

/sbin/dhclient-script: configuration for wlan0 not found. Continuing with defaults.
/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/network-functions: line 78: wlan0: No such file or directory
Listening on LPF/wlan0/00:0f:b5:85:8e:8a
Sending on LPF/wlan0/00:0f:b5:85:8e:8a
Sending on Socket/fallback
DHCPDISCOVER on wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 4
DHCPDISCOVER on wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 11

[root@localhost WG311v3-x64]#
*********************************************************

/var/log/messages shows:
Jun 8 11:58:25 localhost dhclient: Internet Systems Consortium DHCP Client V3.0.5-RedHat
Jun 8 11:58:25 localhost dhclient: Copyright 2004-2006 Internet Systems Consortium.
Jun 8 11:58:25 localhost dhclient: All rights reserved.
Jun 8 11:58:25 localhost dhclient: For info, please visit http://www.isc.org/sw/dhcp/
Jun 8 11:58:25 localhost dhclient:
Jun 8 11:58:25 localhost kernel: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready
Jun 8 11:58:25 localhost dhclient: Listening on LPF/wlan0/00:0f:b5:85:8e:8a
Jun 8 11:58:25 localhost dhclient: Sending on LPF/wlan0/00:0f:b5:85:8e:8a
Jun 8 11:58:25 localhost dhclient: Sending on Socket/fallback
Jun 8 11:58:25 localhost dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 4
Jun 8 11:58:29 localhost dhclient: DHCPDISCOVER on wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 11
[root@localhost WG311v3-x64]#


These are the only two error messages I can find from above; /sbin/dhclient-script: configuration for wlan0 not found. Continuing with defaults.
/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/network-functions: line 78: wlan0: No such file or directory

I also tried to follow leonard's advice from http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...5/#post2330574 and manually create the wlan0-cfg and /etc/modules.conf entries but when I restarted the box or network service - the loopback device fails to come up. I dunno if centOs uses those config files.

Please can someone suggest possible fixes to this problem as I can't really afford a new card right now. Also, I don't thing the card is at fault as it works on a windows os installed on the same machine, however, it was also a pain to installs under windows 7 (64-bit) and I'm having to use an "unsigned driver"

cheers for reading!

This card is now working - posting my solution for anyone in a similar situation.

a) I tried numerous changes to ifcfg-wlan0, wpa_supplicant.conf etc with no success.

b) backed up ifcfg-wlan0 and wpa_supplicant and deleted them.
-backed up and deleted /etc/modprobe.d/ndiswrapper
-uninstall driver #ndiswrapper -e wg311v3
-stop NetworkManager #/etc/init.d/NetworkManager stop
-uninstall ndiswrapper from package manager.
*basically rolled back everything I'd done.

c)downloaded a different driver from Marvell (chip manufacturers) as opposed to netgear. (card manufacturer)

http://www.skd.de/e_en/support/drive...reiber&system=

download SK-54C1 Windows XP and 2000 x64 driver. (3rd in the list at time of writting)

d) install ndiswrapper (version 1.54 in my case)

e)install marvell driver, #ndiswrapper -i mrv8335x64.inf , followed by #modprobe ndiswrapper

f)check funtionality #iwlist wlan0 scanning , if this shows the currently available wireless networks then the driver is working.

g)this is specific to CentOs5.5 - start networkManager #NetworkManager ,
I've disabled security on my network so as soon the networkManager icon appeared in the top right hand screen corner it acquired an IP address and connected.

This worked fine until the WPA2 was turned back on and the machine crashed whenever I tried to get an ip address. I installed wpa_gui (also on centos cd/dvd's) and followed instructions on:
http://blog.namran.net/2009/07/14/ho...45d-wifi-card/

This initially didn't work until I realised that SELINUX was blocking dhclient's access to wlan0. So I turned off selinux and it works fine with WPA (TKIP) But not wpa2 as the machine keeps crashing.

At this pt I was connected to the router but had no dns, i.e couldn't ping or connect to web pages without the ip address. disconnected again, fired up NetworkManager , #/etc/init.d/NetworkManager start , and this time it connected no probs with full connectivity.

I'll try find a workaround for both activating SELINUX and WPA2 later.