RT2860 WiFi installation.

MTK358 · 10-05-2009, 07:13 PM

I have just installed Debian (Command Line only, no DE, then installed X and FVWM), and I would like to set it up to use my RT2860-based Encore ENLWI-N WiFi card, so that I don't need this big cable hooked to my router.

I remember that in Fedora, I typed "yum install rt2860" and it installed, but apt-get didn't seem to have that.

I also installed nm-applet, but when I start it, it keeps repeating this message:

Code:

** (nm-applet:23191): WARNING **: <WARN> nma_bus_init(): could not acquire its service. dbus_acquire_service() says: 'Connection ":1.34" is not allowed to own the service "org.freedesktop.NetworkManagerInfo" due to security policies in the configuration file'

Maybe there is a better alternative to nm-applet, I just don't know of it.

colorpurple21859 · 10-06-2009, 12:29 PM

try: apt-get rt2860 non-free
the rt2860 source is in the nonfree section, will probably have to compile after downloading.

MTK358 · 10-06-2009, 01:03 PM

"apt-get install rt2860 non-free" didn't find anything.

I also wonder what is that open source rt2x00 stuff?

colorpurple21859 · 10-06-2009, 05:11 PM

it's located in testing non-free or unstable non-free at debian.org

MTK358 · 10-06-2009, 05:23 PM

for some reason it comes in ".dsc", I don't know what that is.

colorpurple21859 · 10-06-2009, 06:17 PM

add a line to /etc/apt/sources.list pointing to testing and apt-get install rt2860 should work

MTK358 · 10-06-2009, 07:05 PM

I don't really understand.

colorpurple21859 · 10-06-2009, 08:58 PM

open synaptic package manager, go to settings, repositories/third-party software and make sure debian testing is selected. then go to edit and select reload package information. then while still in synaptic do a search for rt2860.

MTK358 · 10-07-2009, 06:27 AM

I didn't have synaptic, but I installed it, and there is no such thing there.

I wonder if there is a way to do it with apt-get?

MTK358 · 10-07-2009, 07:05 AM

I downloaded this:

http://packages.debian.org/squeeze/a...ource/download

and ran this:

Code:

dpkg -i rt2860*.deb

I looked like it did something, but still no wireless (according to nm-applet, which gives a fatal error when not run as root, unlike in Fedora)

colorpurple21859 · 10-07-2009, 12:45 PM

this should help, look toward the bottom of the first post where it says update. http://forums.remote-exploit.org/bt4...-psk-dhcp.html

MTK358 · 10-07-2009, 07:49 PM

I didn't really figure anything out there.

colorpurple21859 · 10-08-2009, 12:41 PM

open up a root terminal and do this:

Code:

cd /usr/src/modules/rt2860
make & make install
modprobe rt2860sta

that should install the rt2860 driver. then maybe can finsh setting up using the network manager.

MTK358 · 10-09-2009, 07:15 AM

Didn't work. After doing all this, I'm not really sure if I want to keep Debian. Mostly because RPM and YUM install software so easily and painlessly, from the internet instead of CD, don't filter software into categories, and only install what's required. So I think that's it for this thread.

AB9IL · 10-14-2009, 04:37 AM

Hello MKT358,

It seems your package manager approach doesn't work too well...How about getting the source straight from Ralink and building your driver? I'm using a RT2860 card in this computer and it is indeed a fine chipset. To install and configure it from source code, have a look at this tutorial page - I think it will help get you up and running:

http://www.ab9il.net/linuxwireless/rt2860.html

The more recent kernels have the rt2860 driver included, but you can always use a driver compiled from source if you prefer.