[SOLVED] Belkin USB-wifi - Works in 2.6.37, Doesn't in 3.0.20

NeoMetal · 02-09-2012, 12:59 AM

So I'm running Slack 13.37 atm, and my usb wifi adapter:
Bus 001 Device 007: ID 050d:845a Belkin Components F7D2101deSH [rtl8192su]

Is working fine, as you might guess since I'm able to post. But in my first attempt to compile a kernel, its proving to be a bit of a snagging point. I compiled 3.0.20, used my current config for oldconfig. I got a bootable kernel that seems to be mostly functional, which is pretty exciting! Buuuut I can't get online.

In the new kernel, ifconfig doesn't show my wlan0 interface at all

In both, lsmod shows

r8712u 167885 0

and

r8169 37529 0

one of which I believe is the correct module. Anyone have any suggestions on things to try? Anything else I should compare between the kernels besides lsmod and lsusb to get an idea of where its going wrong?

Thanks!

ukiuki · 02-09-2012, 08:47 AM

Looks like the correct module is missing in the kernel ! To compile a kernel isn't an trivial task can take several hours and it is easy to miss things. Linux does show w/e hardware you have but doesn't mean it have the modules.
If did you like to compile the kernel why not try to tweak it now!?! Learn about your hardware 1st and then set a kernel clean of any extra drivers/modules, actually there is a lot you can remove to reduce the size, to increase the speed and performance of your kernel, the more you fiddle with it the more you will know and the better it will be.
When you face things that you don't have a clue about and you feel scared to remove that what do you do? You leave it cos you don't know? Well you can search and ready about to find out if is vital for the kernel to work, it is really a good way to learn about the kernel compiling.

Here some results about the size in one of my machines:

Code:

-rw-r--r--  1 root root  110903 Oct  3 09:07 config-2.6.32-5-486
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   64761 Oct 28 21:24 config-3.0.4-uki.02
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   61605 Oct 29 18:18 config-3.0.4-uki.03
drwxr-xr-x  3 root root    7168 Oct 29 19:01 grub
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 2184623 Oct 27 13:43 initrd.img-2.6.32-5-486
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 2193103 Oct 28 22:00 initrd.img-3.0.4-uki.02
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 2168985 Oct 29 19:00 initrd.img-3.0.4-uki.03
drwx------  2 root root   12288 Oct 27 13:30 lost+found
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 1248081 Oct  3 09:07 System.map-2.6.32-5-486
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 1034654 Oct 28 21:40 System.map-3.0.4-uki.02
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  936553 Oct 29 18:32 System.map-3.0.4-uki.03
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 2190368 Oct  3 09:06 vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-486
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 1515472 Oct 28 21:40 vmlinuz-3.0.4-uki.02
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 1244544 Oct 29 18:32 vmlinuz-3.0.4-uki.03

Here some readings i found useful:
http://swift.siphos.be/linux_sea/ch07.html#idp34363984
http://kmandla.wordpress.com/2010/07...2-6-34-kernel/
http://kernel.org/doc/makehelp.txt

Regards

NeoMetal · 02-09-2012, 11:00 AM

First of all, thanks for the links, I'm sure I'll recompile sooner or later to fix this, something else, or to try another kernel version and reading up on those is bound to be helpful.

However, before I try recompiling to address this specific issue I'd need to know what to change exactly. As far as I can tell, the current module to support the wifi card is: r8712u which is in the new kernel and appears to be loaded. What I'm curious about what specific things to look at for differences between the kernels that would impact the functioning of the module, or if its perhaps dependent on another module or daemon somewhere, then maybe someone has an idea where to look?

ukiuki · 02-09-2012, 03:41 PM

Ok i checked and the kernel module is correct for the rtl8192su, maybe something else under "Device Drivers --> Network Device Support --> Wireless Lan" is missing, also did you try ifconfig and could you post the output here between the [ code ] [ / code ] tags(without spaces) BBCodes, also the lsmod output and lets see what is going on. And if you can compare the output from both kernels that would be great.

Regards

NeoMetal · 02-09-2012, 09:08 PM

lsmod from the 2.6.37 where its working:

Code:

Module                  Size  Used by
snd_seq_dummy           1479  0 
snd_seq_oss            30116  0 
snd_seq_midi_event      5708  1 snd_seq_oss
snd_seq                52486  5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_pcm_oss            40089  0 
snd_mixer_oss          17282  1 snd_pcm_oss
ipv6                  275315  20 
lp                      9781  0 
fuse                   66651  7 
snd_hda_codec_hdmi     22985  1 
joydev                 10279  0 
snd_hda_codec_realtek   293594  1 
r8712u                295175  0 
snd_hda_intel          21915  0 
snd_hda_codec          71748  3 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel
fglrx                3063471  0 
processor              25982  0 
snd_usb_us122l         14278  0 
snd_usbmidi_lib        19060  1 snd_usb_us122l
snd_rawmidi            19983  1 snd_usbmidi_lib
usbhid                 36859  0 
i2c_piix4               8176  0 
ppdev                   6021  0 
thermal_sys            13862  1 processor
snd_seq_device          5473  4 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_rawmidi
snd_pcm                73762  4 snd_pcm_oss,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec
snd_hwdep               6254  2 snd_hda_codec,snd_usb_us122l
snd_timer              19671  2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
snd                    58334  15 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_usb_us122l,snd_usbmidi_lib,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_device,snd_pcm,snd_hwdep,snd_timer
snd_page_alloc          7297  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
firewire_ohci          27301  0 
rtc_cmos                9374  0 
rtc_core               14471  1 rtc_cmos
parport_pc             21214  1 
r8169                  37529  0 
mii                     3906  1 r8169
firewire_core          51107  1 firewire_ohci
rtc_lib                 1978  1 rtc_core
hid                    77723  1 usbhid
agpgart                28874  1 fglrx
parport                30087  3 lp,ppdev,parport_pc
i2c_core               19769  1 i2c_piix4
k10temp                 2835  0 
sg                     26495  0 
psmouse                47222  0 
serio_raw               4534  0 
wmi                     8349  0 
hwmon                   1473  2 thermal_sys,k10temp
button                  5013  1 fglrx
shpchp                 26821  0 
soundcore               5681  1 snd
evdev                   9813  5

and from the new kernel where its not:

Code:

Module                  Size  Used by
snd_seq_dummy           1455  0 
snd_seq_oss            29316  0 
snd_seq_midi_event      5588  1 snd_seq_oss
snd_seq                51526  5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_seq_device          5257  3 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq
snd_pcm_oss            39193  0 
snd_mixer_oss          15305  1 snd_pcm_oss
ipv6                  280063  22 
agpgart                27312  0 
lp                      9653  0 
joydev                 10023  0 
fuse                   66927  5 
usbhid                 35885  0 
hid                    81439  1 usbhid
r8712u                167885  0 
snd_hda_codec_hdmi     22271  1 
snd_hda_codec_realtek   289977  1 
snd_hda_intel          21915  2 
snd_hda_codec          73267  3 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel
snd_hwdep               6134  1 snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm                73105  4 snd_pcm_oss,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec
snd_timer              18969  2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
snd                    57062  16 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm,snd_timer
soundcore               5553  1 snd
snd_page_alloc          7081  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
ppdev                   5933  0 
r8169                  42911  0 
evdev                   9950  11 
parport_pc             20926  1 
parport                28911  3 lp,ppdev,parport_pc
i2c_piix4               8152  0 
processor              24322  0 
firewire_ohci          29764  0 
thermal_sys            14205  1 processor
mii                     3923  1 r8169
firewire_core          50152  1 firewire_ohci
k10temp                 2843  0 
button                  4490  0 
i2c_core               19874  1 i2c_piix4
psmouse                47931  0 
serio_raw               4286  0 
rtc_cmos                8674  0 
hwmon                   1441  2 thermal_sys,k10temp
wmi                     8627  0 
sg                     25663  0

NeoMetal · 02-09-2012, 09:13 PM

working ifconfig in 2.6 kernel:

Code:

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: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)

wlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 94:44:52:17:16:e8  
          inet addr:192.168.1.15  Bcast:192.168.1.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          inet6 addr: fe80::9644:52ff:fe17:16e8/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:325 errors:0 dropped:33 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:54 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:92848 (90.6 KiB)  TX bytes:179367 (175.1 KiB)

Have to boot back into the other kernel to get ifconfig there but it didn't show the wlan interface at all

NeoMetal · 02-09-2012, 10:15 PM

Hmm.
After booting into the 3.0.20 kernel, ifconfig initially shows only the localhost interface.
If I do ifconfig eth0 up, the ethernet interface will from there show up in ifconfig. If I do "ifconfig wlan0" the interface info is outputted. If I do "ifconfig wlan0 up" however, I get a permission denied.

ukiuki · 02-10-2012, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeoMetal

Hmm.
After booting into the 3.0.20 kernel, ifconfig initially shows only the localhost interface.
If I do ifconfig eth0 up, the ethernet interface will from there show up in ifconfig. If I do "ifconfig wlan0" the interface info is outputted. If I do "ifconfig wlan0 up" however, I get a permission denied.

Do as root, and if with ifconfig you can see the wlan0 then:

Code:

iwlist wlan0 scanning

Now if you get output that shows routers that is a good thing. Lets see.

Regards

NeoMetal · 02-10-2012, 03:29 PM

ifconfig wlan0 up as root yields:

SIOCSIFFFLAGS: Operation not permitted

in the 3.0 kernel

ukiuki · 02-11-2012, 12:59 AM

Are you sure? Because as normal user i get same here. But then as root just as should be.

Code:

uki@ubox:~$ ifconfig wlan0 up
SIOCSIFFLAGS: Permission denied

uki@ubox:~$ sudo ifconfig wlan0 up
[sudo] password for uki:

uki@ubox:~$ ifconfig 
eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 08:00:27:a0:1f:dd  
          inet addr:192.168.1.115  Bcast:192.168.1.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          inet6 addr: fe80::a00:27ff:fea0:1fdd/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:30096 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:25411 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:16426117 (16.4 MB)  TX bytes:3344028 (3.3 MB)

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:428 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:428 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:56672 (56.6 KB)  TX bytes:56672 (56.6 KB)

wlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:25:86:e6:25:12  
          UP 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)

Regards

NeoMetal · 02-11-2012, 01:27 AM

Thats what I would have thought, I'm not sure quite what to make of it :s

ukiuki · 02-11-2012, 03:00 AM

Well to log as root in Slackware you type(i don't know if you have sudo installed and set):

Code:

su root

then type the password

Regards

NeoMetal · 02-11-2012, 05:41 AM

I know how to switch to root

I mean I was indeed root when I got the operation not permitted message I posted, thats whats strange

NeoMetal · 02-11-2012, 01:28 PM

syslog has been enlightening:

Code:

Feb 11 14:17:57 MightyComputron kernel: [  251.778073] libfcoe_device_notification: NETDEV_UNREGISTER wlan0
Feb 11 14:18:27 MightyComputron kernel: [  281.841737] r8712u: module is from the staging directory, the quality is unknown, you have been warned.
Feb 11 14:18:27 MightyComputron kernel: [  282.283975] r8712u: Unable to load firmware
Feb 11 14:18:27 MightyComputron kernel: [  282.283977] r8712u: Install latest linux-firmware
Feb 11 14:18:30 MightyComputron dhcpcd[2398]: wlan0: up_interface: Operation not permitted
Feb 11 14:18:30 MightyComputron kernel: [  285.352041] r8712u: Unable to load firmware
Feb 11 14:18:30 MightyComputron kernel: [  285.352043] r8712u: Install latest linux-firmware
Feb 11 14:18:39 MightyComputron kernel: [  294.518054] r8712u: Unable to load firmware
Feb 11 14:18:39 MightyComputron kernel: [  294.518056] r8712u: Install latest linux-firmware
Feb 11 14:18:40 MightyComputron dhcpcd[2398]: timed out

But I'm not too sure why the new kernel (or the newer version of the module) has trouble loading the firmware, or how to address it. I tried recompiling the kernel with firmware blobs built into the binary but that didn't change anything

NeoMetal · 02-11-2012, 01:45 PM

Solved!!

Downloaded and placed firmware in /lib/ as per the last post here: http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t...3-start-0.html

I suppose the slackware generic kernel they somehow built in that firmware though I couldn't get it to