[SOLVED] Slackware 13 wireless drivers missing - Page 2

easuter · 10-29-2009, 02:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neofish

lsmod only has the one module, 'wl', nothing else

Wait a minute: when you enter the lsmod command into the terminal, there is nothing except the wl module all on its own?

Neofish · 10-29-2009, 02:39 AM

yes, that's all I get. I recently compiled the latest kernel, but forgot to compile the modules.

rkrishna · 10-29-2009, 02:54 AM

edit::

easuter · 10-29-2009, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neofish

yes, that's all I get. I recently compiled the latest kernel, but forgot to compile the modules.

Well, that is probably something you will want to do sooner rather than later

.
Don't forget to run depmod -a after you have installed your kernel's modules, to update their dependency information.

rkrishna · 10-29-2009, 03:12 AM

Quote:

I can load the module without any problems, and have configured it to load a boot up. lsmod gives me:
Module Size Used by
wl 1269644 0

But iwconfig doesn't give me any wireless device. Just lo, eth0 and sit0. I think that the driver might not work.

most probably you have to unload the default kernel driver for your wireless card. ( i have already mentioned this)
for my wireless to work, i have
blacklisted the default kernel module, ath5k by adding a line "blacklist ath5k" in the /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf and reboot the machine.

for a better management of the network, i suggest wicd package from the /extra of install cd.

easuter · 10-29-2009, 05:16 AM

rkrishna, he forgot to compile his ALL his kernel's modules (as in not running make modules && make modules_install in /usr/src/linux-2.6.x.x), the wl driver is the only one he has. Actually, I'm surprised he hasn't run into more problems other than just not getting the wireless working seeing as there are no modules to load on his system...

koloth · 10-29-2009, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neofish

lsmod only has the one module, 'wl', nothing else

There should be a lot more modules loaded. Something seems to be wrong with your kernel configuration,have you tried a "modprobe -l" command to see the available modules?

Neofish · 10-29-2009, 05:31 AM

the only other problem that i'm aware of is that my sd card reader doesn't work

rkrishna · 10-29-2009, 05:33 AM

easuter that was a mistake. i didnt noticed that the thread went to the second page. so i replied agian and again. sorry

now it is a different problem.

please make sure that you have a working kernel in your lilo

and also look at the simlink in /etc/rc.d/rc.modules and if needed make appropriate changes.

Neofish · 10-29-2009, 05:55 AM

I just worked out that when you run 'menuconfig' you can choose to install the things as part of the kernel or as a module. I did all of them as part of the kernel. So it's doing exactly what I told it to be doing. Still doesn't solve my problem.

easuter · 10-29-2009, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neofish

I just worked out that when you run 'menuconfig' you can choose to install the things as part of the kernel or as a module. I did all of them as part of the kernel. So it's doing exactly what I told it to be doing. Still doesn't solve my problem.

You compiled your entire kernel as one massive blob?

If this includes all device drivers, then it means that the b43 driver is built-in and you can't blacklist it (AFAIK) if you want to use the wl driver.
I cant really think of a good reason why a desktop computer should have a kernel compiled in this manner...

Neofish · 10-30-2009, 02:06 AM

I did a test and ran 'menuconfig again' this time selecting to install things as modules instead of inside the kernel. I now have about 15 modules instead of just 3. I'm now looking into ndiswrapper

easuter · 10-30-2009, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neofish

I did a test and ran 'menuconfig again' this time selecting to install things as modules instead of inside the kernel. I now have about 15 modules instead of just 3. I'm now looking into ndiswrapper

You could try using one of the kernels that ships with Slackware just to see if the b43 or wl drivers will work for you system, and then after that tailor the config for that kernel to your needs after you have everything working.

If you are already trying to use ndiswrapper, then dont forget to blacklist the b43 and wl drivers in /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf to prevent them from interfering with the ndiswrapper kernel module.

EDIT: btw, this is what my lsmod looks like:

Code:

Module                  Size  Used by                                 
ipv6                  291008  10                                      
i915                  193928  1                                       
drm                   173952  2 i915                                  
i2c_algo_bit            6468  1 i915                                  
snd_seq_dummy           3236  0                                       
snd_seq_oss            31872  0                                       
snd_seq_midi_event      7424  1 snd_seq_oss                           
snd_seq                57312  5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_seq_device          7348  3 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq           
snd_pcm_oss            44064  0                                             
snd_mixer_oss          18432  1 snd_pcm_oss                                 
cpufreq_ondemand        8600  2                                             
acpi_cpufreq            9072  0                                             
freq_table              4192  2 cpufreq_ondemand,acpi_cpufreq               
lp                     12452  0                                             
ppdev                   8776  0                                             
parport_pc             28680  0                                             
parport                37872  3 lp,ppdev,parport_pc                         
fuse                   60832  3                                             
usbhid                 41664  0                                             
hid                    50304  1 usbhid                                      
uvcvideo               64652  0                                             
ath9k                 345844  0                                             
snd_hda_codec_intelhdmi    13920  1                                         
snd_hda_codec_realtek   261796  1                                           
videodev               39392  1 uvcvideo                                    
snd_hda_intel          27976  2                                             
joydev                 12352  0                                             
mac80211              183024  1 ath9k                                       
pcmcia                 37656  0                                             
snd_hda_codec          64320  3 snd_hda_codec_intelhdmi,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel
v4l1_compat            16292  2 uvcvideo,videodev                                          
v4l2_compat_ioctl32    11008  1 videodev                                                   
snd_hwdep               8744  1 snd_hda_codec                                              
snd_pcm                81736  3 snd_pcm_oss,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec                    
yenta_socket           26828  1                                                            
snd_timer              22832  2 snd_seq,snd_pcm                                            
snd                    67304  16 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_hda_codec_intelhdmi,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm,snd_timer                                                       
cfg80211               72664  2 ath9k,mac80211                                                                               
tg3                   119492  0                                                                                              
soundcore               7328  1 snd                                                                                          
video                  22172  1 i915                                                                                         
i2c_i801               11136  0                                                                                              
rtc_cmos               12024  0
acer_wmi               18056  0
rsrc_nonstatic         11584  1 yenta_socket
rtc_core               19716  1 rtc_cmos
processor              38784  3 acpi_cpufreq
libphy                 21600  1 tg3
thermal                16000  0
thermal_sys            17280  3 video,processor,thermal
rfkill                 11572  4 ath9k,acer_wmi
uhci_hcd               25184  0
rtc_lib                 2912  1 rtc_core
pcmcia_core            37476  3 pcmcia,yenta_socket,rsrc_nonstatic
output                  3328  1 video
psmouse                47772  0
intel_agp              31536  1
led_class               4680  2 ath9k,acer_wmi
i2c_core               24288  4 i915,drm,i2c_algo_bit,i2c_i801
ehci_hcd               39468  0
hwmon                   2760  1 thermal_sys
sg                     30816  0
snd_page_alloc          9808  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
battery                12712  0
ac                      5128  0
button                  6560  0
wmi                     7328  1 acer_wmi
serio_raw               6436  0
evdev                  11712  10

Neofish · 10-30-2009, 08:34 AM

Hi eauster. I booted up into a FaunOS live cd. I noticed that the wireless didn't work.(usually doesn't) So I hacked into the root account, and tried to get the b43 kernel module to work. It didn't. So I then used ndiswrapper with some driver file I found floating around the internet. I then reloaded the ndiswrapper module and my wireless led started flashing. I had my wireless back. I'm now typing this post from faunos through my wireless card.

I now will recompile the default kernel on the slackware dvd. then use ndiswrapper. I've been looking around at other forums, and not many people have the b43 or wl modules working. Ndiswrapper is much more successful. And as a bonus, the led flashes to indicate activity on the network, it was just static before.

Please note that this is working in a FaunOS live cd, not slackware.

And FaunOS has about as many modules as you do.

easuter · 10-30-2009, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neofish

Hi eauster. I booted up into a FaunOS live cd. I noticed that the wireless didn't work.(usually doesn't) So I hacked into the root account, and tried to get the b43 kernel module to work. It didn't. So I then used ndiswrapper with some driver file I found floating around the internet. I then reloaded the ndiswrapper module and my wireless led started flashing. I had my wireless back. I'm now typing this post from faunos through my wireless card.

I now will recompile the default kernel on the slackware dvd. then use ndiswrapper. I've been looking around at other forums, and not many people have the b43 or wl modules working. Ndiswrapper is much more successful. And as a bonus, the led flashes to indicate activity on the network, it was just static before.

Please note that this is working in a FaunOS live cd, not slackware.

And FaunOS has about as many modules as you do.

Well, whatever works for you

And I'm pretty sure that if you have it running OK on another distro with ndiswrapper then it will also work with Slackware.

A few years back when I did have a card with a broadcom chip, ndiswrapper was the only way to get it working.
I just assumed that "they" would have worked out the problems with the native driver by now