I've looked heavily through both linuxquestions.org and forums.opensuse.org; so far, -no luck!! -So I have registered, and am writing my first thread, -hoping for some good help...

1) Intro:
-I just inherited a very cool Linux HP box from a friend. It hasn't been on since 2012,and was dead when I got it. I redid all of the hardware connections, then replaced the CMOS battery (it came alive), and with a bit of fear, redid the clock, etc. in the BIOS (F9 I think). -It's up and running! It's been a while since I've been able to use Unix, and that was RedHat for work, so I'm very stoked! My friend had loaded on some impressive scientific software to play with, which I do want to start working with, as soon as I can get things working properly...
-It is running SUSE 11.4, has decent RAM, an OK sized hard drive, has a logitec keyboard; functionally, the "terminal", interactive GUIs are good, including additions FIREFOX and something called YAST2, and likely connecting by cable via ethernet might connect it to the internet, but the wifi router is wayyy too far to be able to wire up to.

-->And... inside the cable bundle bag was a PCI D-Link DWL-G510 card (the original owner bought it and now remembers he couldn't get it working, back then).

-Aside: Because of all the "extra" software packages on this device, I really can't do any upgrading of the OS (11.4) !! -Especially as an IT Linux tyro who can't connect it to the internet!!!
2) So, anyway:
I plugged the Dlink card into a slot, turned the computer back on, and... -nothing, really... (although the card's LED lights up green in the back). -No plugNplay...
-I need help!!!
--Did a massive amount of googling, found out about YAST, and then began rooting around the -weirdly, on the other hand, from googling, I see on a SUSE forum that the DWLG510 expects:
D-Link DWL-G510 rev C(2) PCI Ralink RT2501
?? should it therefore be "ralink-firmware", -not ath5k driver, perhaps????? (can't find either ath5k nor any "ral..." anywhere in my "RPM" info, btw?)

Although the card is showing up under the Hardware Settings under YAST, -the Network Settings doesn't show it,
- I ONLY see the Ethernet card from NetXtremes, which says: Device Name eth0, started manually, IP address...DHCP.
-The Dlink device isn't listed there...



3) More googling and, some more info for here (always running commands as a SU, btw):

hwinfo --wlan gives me nothing at all!

--> So, it seems to me that my wlan hardware isn't really registering as wlan, right??? -I guess this is what happened to my friend in 2011, but I do hope to fix the problem!


-I am flummoxed here!! Besides being an IT tyro, I am also rusty a bit on UNIX, and am a complete newbie on SUSE. -And, of course, all hardware and software really predate 2012...


Can anyone help me see where I've gone wrong on this PCI Dlink card? I really do need internet to go forward w this very cool old workstation!! The card needs to start talking (to a WPA-secured router), but it's just not there. -Have no clue as to what to do!

Thanks!!!

-Hoping for some help!!

tmmm,

Welcome to LQ forums.

Try openSUSE 15.1 Leap instead:
https://software.opensuse.org/distributions/leap.

11.4 is outdated.

The OP states s?he is unable to upgrade.
Looking at that output, the card appears to be functional - the driver has loaded ok. What have you tried to active the link ?.

1 members found this post helpful.

syg00,

Er, missed that!

Hi syg00,
Thanks very much for your response! -Yes, I really can't upgrade, as you've noticed.
-I'm also a bit suspicious that the wifi card - being the same (old) age as the OS might just not run on a newer distro???

you wrote:
The OP states s?he is unable to upgrade.
Looking at that output, the card appears to be functional - the driver has loaded ok. What have you tried to active the link ?.
__________________
I always presume you have a verified B-A-C-K-U-P before taking any advice given.



-In fact, I myself have no idea as to what gui/etc. should pop up for that DLINK wifi card??


I have done a bit more looking around what's on my system as my rusty linux commands started showing up. What I got:

ps auxwww|grep -i net>network_processes.w

root 15 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< Jan15 0:00 [netns]
root 1589 0.0 0.0 8256 860 ? S Jan15 0:07 /sbin/dhcpcd -p --netconfig -L -E -HHH -c /etc/sysconfig/network/scripts/dhcpcd-hook -t 0 -h linux-10kv eth0

(So, now I know where the running scripts are ;-)---

grep ath5 /etc/sysconfig/network/scripts/*>>network_processes.w

/etc/sysconfig/network/scripts/ifdown-wireless: ath5k|ath9k)
/etc/sysconfig/network/scripts/ifstatus-wireless: ath5k|ath9k)
/etc/sysconfig/network/scripts/ifup-wireless: ath5k|ath9k)

ls -lart /etc/sysconfig/network/scripts/ifstatus-wireless>> network_processes.w

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 13 Mar 2 2011 /etc/sysconfig/network/scripts/ifstatus-wireless -> ifup-wireless

-I looked at that via less, but no brainstorm for me?? -looks a bit dangerous to touch - it does mention the "old way" called "Netcontrol" (apparently non-Gui)...

printenv >printedENV.w -nothing about networks/wireless/wlan there???


And lastly, looking through the GUI's -- "System Settings": under "NetworkManager", there is an item Enable/disable wifi, which pops up a field on the right (with no working explanations/help) called "implicit authorizations" w 3 buttons [ 1 ANY (set to NO), 2 Inactive console (NO), and 3 Active Console (set to YES). -Assuming these are the defaults, but help brings up nothing on them...


-If anyone can lend a hand as to what uses that ath5k driver back then?? -Or as to why the card isn't listed in the network?


I am hoping!!


--Also, tried something from another post: ran another line command
iwconfig says that both l0 and eth0: "no wireless extensions"

With kernel 2.6.37, you're seriously out of date, so any upgrade will end in tears.

The ath5k has a module, I gather. I presume he had firmware. I don't in 4.19.59. Try this search If you find a listing naming a file, check that file exists.

Other than that, it's probably configuration. Is networkmanager being used?

1 members found this post helpful.

Hi business_kid,
-Thanks for your reply also!!!

Anyway:

grep -ir ath5k /lib/firmware/* gave me nothing. So, no firmware to check on?????

doing more grepping under /lib I do get a lot of references to ath5k, like
/lib/modules/2.6.37.1-1.2-xen/build/.config:CONFIG_ATH5K=m
/lib/modules/2.6.37.1-1.2-xen/build/Module.supported:ath5k
/lib/modules/2.6.37.1-1.2-xen/source/drivers/net/wireless/ath/Kconfig:source "drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath5k/Kconfig"
/lib/modules/2.6.37.1-1.2-xen/source/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath5k/eeprom.h:enum ath5k_eeprom_freq_bands{
/lib/modules/2.6.37.1-1.2-xen/source/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath5k/eeprom.h: struct ath5k_chan_pcal_info ee_pwr_cal_b[AR5K_EEPROM_N_2GHZ_CHAN_MAX];
/lib/modules/2.6.37.1-1.2-xen/source/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath5k/debug.h: ATH5K_DEBUG_DUMP_RX = 0x00000100,
etc. etc.
[I]-Have a file of that if it's useful????[/I]


Also, an extraction from /etc/sysconfig/network/config shows 'NetworkManager' is there (I had already clicked on it in YAST, but it also just shows the basic ethernet card and no active wlan...)
-I do see that (in the config file) that it says NETWORKMANAGER="no" -- does that mean it's off?????

#
# Instead of the usual network setup (now called 'NetControl') you may also
# use 'NetworkManager' to control your interfaces. This option is used by
# the /etc/init.d/network(-remotefs) script to control, which network stack
# has to be used: NetControl alias ifup or NetworkManager.
#
# NetControl is what you were used to in SUSE Linux up to now. It has a wide
# range of configurations means for setting up any number of different virtual
# and real interfaces. It should be used if you:
# - want a static network setup
# - have many interfaces
# - need VLAN, bonding, bridging, multiple IP addresses
# - must restrict network control to root
# It may also switch interfaces automatically, but does not provide a GUI.
# When you want a GUI, try out 'kinternet' using NetControl as backend.
#
# NetworkManager lets the user control interfaces and switches automatically if
# network interfaces lose/gain physical connection. It should be used if you:
# - move between networks frequently
# - want a GUI for network control
# Especially on mobile computers that use mainly one wired and one wireless
# interface NetworkManager may please you.
#
# If you are useing SCPM, then you might probably stay with NetControl. But at
# least try NetworkManager, because it can replace SCPM in some usage scenarios.
#
# Note: NetworkManager is not using any sysconfig settings but its own
# configuration files only.
#
NETWORKMANAGER="no"

## Type: int


that's all from me... any other suggestions/ideas/etc???

Thanks!!!

Hi,

dmesg gives me this about ath5k on that linux box:

[ 6.181239] ath5k 0000:05:09.0: enabling device (0104 -> 0106)
[ 6.181251] ath5k 0000:05:09.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 18 (level, low) -> IRQ 18
[ 6.181320] ath5k 0000:05:09.0: registered as 'phy0'
[ 6.183689] ath5k phy0: POST Failed !!!
[ 6.183718] ath5k 0000:05:09.0: PCI INT A disabled
[ 6.183725] ath5k: probe of 0000:05:09.0 failed with error -11


-can't find any info on error -11, but googling POST means the start up power on self test...

-have restarted the box, but same error message, different "times"...

hmmm, what does that look like??

Thanks!

POST is as you say, power on self test. The hardware's dead. It isn't even requesting firmware.
If it's on a separate board, take it out. POST on a peripheral is usually pretty elementary.

If you can't connect your nic, buy a separate wifi. I'd recommend a card over a usb wifi, as your usb won't be above usb-2.0, which limits speed.

EDIT: Error 11 in linux is EAGAIN = Try Again, but it is probably a POST error related to the ATH5K firmware and only interpretable by Atheros. Either way, you lose, and it matters little what the hardware failure is.
In the 80s/90s POST cards were popular for diagnosing PCs. You would fit one, and it would would show the tests the bios was running as numbers. It would stop on the failing test, and you could look up the errors of your particular BIOS in the manual.

1 members found this post helpful.

Hi business_kid,
-Already pulled the card (that I had put in just before the start above). Had remounted, w identical results, but this time I put it into the only other available slot right up against the ethernet card (didn't want to, but...).
Now, it's registering!!

-I think I am close!!

hwinfo -- wlan gives me all this (previously, it was blank):
18: PCI 504.0: 0282 WLAN controller
[Created at pci.318]
Unique ID: y9sn.KFyqOkmLci3
Parent ID: 6NW+.N8JFdhnGYg3
SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1e.0/0000:05:04.0
SysFS BusID: 0000:05:04.0
Hardware Class: network
Model: "D-Link AirPlus G DWL-G510 Wireless PCI Adapter(rev.B)"
Vendor: pci 0x168c "Atheros Communications Inc."
Device: pci 0x001a "AR2413 802.11bg NIC"
SubVendor: pci 0x1186 "D-Link System Inc"
SubDevice: pci 0x3a16 "D-Link AirPlus G DWL-G510 Wireless PCI Adapter(rev.B)"
Revision: 0x01
Driver: "ath5k"
Driver Modules: "ath5k"
Device File: wlan0
Features: WLAN
Memory Range: 0xe0500000-0xe050ffff (rw,non-prefetchable)
IRQ: 16 (no events)
HW Address: 00:13:46:8c:27:33
Link detected: yes
WLAN channels: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
WLAN frequencies: 2.412 2.417 2.422 2.427 2.432 2.437 2.442 2.447 2.452 2.457 2.462 2.467 2.472
WLAN encryption modes: WEP40 WEP104 TKIP CCMP
WLAN authentication modes: open sharedkey wpa-psk wpa-eap
Module Alias: "pci:v0000168Cd0000001Asv00001186sd00003A16bc02sc00i00"
Driver Info #0:
Driver Status: ath5k is active
Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe ath5k"
Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
Attached to: #12 (PCI bridge)

If I go into GUIs "Network Settings" and "Network Devices" -- it says I've got the card, but I need to configure it through EDIT.
-Am at all not sure what to do.

I screen captured this and how the Ethernet card is configured. I figure at least that I shouldn't go for a "Static Name",
-but that's it as far as my knowledge goes ;-)

-My goal is to connect to my rather distant WPA wireless router so that I can get my normal, rather slow but typical Aussie NBN connection.

-Any help??

Attached Thumbnails

       

Ah! Leave it where it is. Either sockets or card are ropey. Try sudo iwconfig and see what you have.

Hi, -can't say that this tells me how things are,
but iwconfig gives:
wlan0 IEEE 802.11bg ESSIDff/any
Mode:Managed Access Point: Not-Associated Tx-Power=0 dBm
Retry long limit:7 RTS thrff Fragment thrff
Encryption keyff
Power Managementff

-Does this look "normal"??

Thanks!

This is normal Where you had "Not-Associated " I have "Access Point" so i'm online. Have you a wifi router going? How is the network started? Is there networkmanager installed?

1 members found this post helpful.

Where you had "Not-Associated " I have "Access Point" so i'm online. Have you a wifi router going? How is the network started? Is there networkmanager installed?

Thanks. I would guess that your device was connected to a router when you did the iwconfig, right?

Mine can't, as of yet...
There are probably 20 wifi networks within range (including mine, which is a WPA2 PSK modem/router that I'm using now on a windows machine).

I can see networkmanager in YAST, and the earlier pictures above show that the wifi card isn't configured yet. -Am not sure what to put there, -everything I've been using does plug-and-play, so it's a bit unclear. Looking at what my droid phone says under "modify network config" and "show advanced options" clues me that I should choose DHCP, and it does have an IP address listed (which I think changes all the time).

Any ideas??

By the way, business_kid, -what would you iwconfig values look like when you aren't connected to any network??
Thanks!