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Help on Installing a wireless Adapter

I have installed CentOs 5.8 to my laptop. I now want to install a D-Link D DWA-131 wireless N Nano USB Adapter so that I can access the internet without need for a wired link. The instruction with the Nano are for Window only and warn the user to run the setup from the enclosed CD before connecting the dongle. There is no information for a Linux system. I am new to Linux.
Thank you
Don VE3HOL

Hello Don,

Have you just tried plugging it into your computer? Linux typically "just works" when it comes to hardware, please try that and if it does not work then we can go from there.

animeman

if, by chance, it doesnt work after plugging it in paste this into a terminal and post the results:

Code:

echo uname: && uname -a -m -p && echo lspci: && lspci && echo lsusb: && lsusb && echo lsmod: && lsmod && echo ifconfig: && ifconfig && echo ifconfig -a: && ifconfig -a && echo iwconfig: && iwconfig && echo resolv.conf: && cat /etc/resolv.conf && echo route: && route -n

Wireless adapter is not recognized

Quote:

Originally Posted by animeman (Post 4773238)

Hello Don,

Have you just tried plugging it into your computer? Linux typically "just works" when it comes to hardware, please try that and if it does not work then we can go from there.

animeman

I have tried plugging it in and no joy! With a Terminal window open, nothing indicates that something was plugged in. When I plug in a memory adapter, it is recognized immediately.

Wireless adapter is not recognized

Quote:

Originally Posted by schneidz (Post 4773262)

if, by chance, it doesnt work after plugging it in paste this into a terminal and post the results:

Code:

echo uname: && uname -a -m -p && echo lspci: && lspci && echo lsusb: && lsusb && echo lsmod: && lsmod && echo ifconfig: && ifconfig && echo ifconfig -a: && ifconfig -a && echo iwconfig: && iwconfig && echo resolv.conf: && cat /etc/resolv.conf && echo route: && route -n

I pasted this into the Terminal window and pages and pages came out. At the end of I see....eth0 no wireless extensions.
sit0 no wireless extensions.

Don
VE3HOL

^ um, without the output from the commands, no one will be able to predict what type of hardware/ drivers are installed inn your system (please remember that we are not there with you and cant see what you are doing, therefore you will need to paste in that diagnostic information in your post so that someone can get an understanding of how to help you).
please use [code] tags.

Wireless installing D-LINK DWA-131

Quote:

Originally Posted by schneidz (Post 4773510)

Ok I will paste everything below
...I sure hope this is not too much information.
[root@localhost ~]# echo uname: && uname -a -m -p && echo lspci: && lspci && echo lsusb: && lsusb && echo lsmod: && lsmod && echo ifconfig: && ifconfig && echo ifconfig -a: && ifconfig -a && echo iwconfig: && iwconfig && echo resolv.conf: && cat /etc/resolv.conf && echo route: && route -n
uname:
Linux localhost.localdomain 2.6.18-308.13.1.el5 #1 SMP Tue Aug 21 17:10:06 EDT 2012 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux
lspci:
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express PCI Express Root Port (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family High Definition Audio Controller (rev 01)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family PCI Express Port 1 (rev 01)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family PCI Express Port 2 (rev 01)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family PCI Express Port 4 (rev 01)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 01)
00:1d.1 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 01)
00:1d.2 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 01)
00:1d.3 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 01)
00:1d.7 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 01)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e1)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 01)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7-M Family) SATA Controller [IDE mode] (rev 01)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family SMBus Controller (rev 01)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation G72M [GeForce Go 7400] (rev a1)
03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4401-B0 100Base-TX (rev 02)
03:01.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Ricoh Co Ltd R5C832 IEEE 1394 Controller
03:01.1 SD Host controller: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C822 SD/SDIO/MMC/MS/MSPro Host Adapter (rev 19)
03:01.2 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C843 MMC Host Controller (rev 01)
03:01.3 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C592 Memory Stick Bus Host Adapter (rev 0a)
03:01.4 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd xD-Picture Card Controller (rev 05)
0c:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection (rev 02)
lsusb:
Protocol spec without prior Class and Subclass spec at line 4297
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 413c:8126 Dell Computer Corp. Wireless 355 Bluetooth
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 046d:08c6 Logitech, Inc. QuickCam for DELL Notebooks
lsmod:
Module Size Used by
vfat 15937 0
fat 51037 1 vfat
autofs4 28741 3
hidp 22977 2
rfcomm 42457 0
l2cap 29761 10 hidp,rfcomm
lockd 63209 0
sunrpc 149245 2 lockd
ip_conntrack_netbios_ns 6977 0
ipt_REJECT 9537 1
xt_state 6209 2
ip_conntrack 53409 2 ip_conntrack_netbios_ns,xt_state
nfnetlink 10713 1 ip_conntrack
iptable_filter 7105 1
ip_tables 17029 1 iptable_filter
ip6t_REJECT 9281 1
xt_tcpudp 7105 10
ip6table_filter 6849 1
ip6_tables 18181 1 ip6table_filter
x_tables 17349 6 ipt_REJECT,xt_state,ip_tables,ip6t_REJECT,xt_tcpudp,ip6_tables
be2iscsi 59605 0
ib_iser 35609 0
rdma_cm 35705 1 ib_iser
ib_cm 39213 1 rdma_cm
iw_cm 13125 1 rdma_cm
ib_sa 39093 2 rdma_cm,ib_cm
ib_mad 37717 2 ib_cm,ib_sa
ib_core 63557 6 ib_iser,rdma_cm,ib_cm,iw_cm,ib_sa,ib_mad
ib_addr 11717 1 rdma_cm
iscsi_tcp 20041 0
bnx2i 46557 0
cnic 51029 1 bnx2i
uio 14793 1 cnic
cxgb3i 31177 0
libcxgbi 54477 1 cxgb3i
cxgb3 167705 1 cxgb3i
8021q 25929 1 cxgb3
libiscsi_tcp 22213 3 iscsi_tcp,cxgb3i,libcxgbi
libiscsi2 42693 7 be2iscsi,ib_iser,iscsi_tcp,bnx2i,cxgb3i,libcxgbi,libiscsi_tcp
scsi_transport_iscsi2 37709 8 be2iscsi,ib_iser,iscsi_tcp,bnx2i,libcxgbi,libiscsi2
scsi_transport_iscsi 6085 1 scsi_transport_iscsi2
cpufreq_ondemand 12493 1
acpi_cpufreq 13641 1
mperf 6337 1 acpi_cpufreq
dm_multipath 27213 0
scsi_dh 12481 1 dm_multipath
video 21193 0
backlight 10049 1 video
sbs 18533 0
power_meter 16461 0
hwmon 7365 1 power_meter
i2c_ec 9025 1 sbs
dell_wmi 8401 0
wmi 12137 1 dell_wmi
button 10705 0
battery 13637 0
asus_acpi 19289 0
ac 9157 0
ipv6 272545 18 ip6t_REJECT,cnic
xfrm_nalgo 13381 1 ipv6
parport_pc 29669 0
lp 15849 0
parport 37513 2 parport_pc,lp
snd_usb_audio 77761 0
snd_hda_intel 562661 1
snd_seq_dummy 7877 0
snd_seq_oss 32577 0
snd_seq_midi_event 11073 1 snd_seq_oss
snd_seq 49585 5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
testmgr_cipher 6849 0
testmgr 54001 1 testmgr_cipher
snd_pcm_oss 42817 0
aead 11841 1 testmgr
snd_mixer_oss 19009 1 snd_pcm_oss
crypto_blkcipher 17473 1 testmgr
snd_pcm 72133 3 snd_usb_audio,snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss
crypto_algapi 22721 3 testmgr,aead,crypto_blkcipher
snd_usb_lib 19009 1 snd_usb_audio
uvcvideo 53833 0
snd_rawmidi 26561 1 snd_usb_lib
snd_timer 24517 2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
compat_ioctl32 5569 1 uvcvideo
joydev 13185 0
crypto_api 12609 5 xfrm_nalgo,testmgr,aead,crypto_blkcipher,crypto_algapi
snd_seq_device 11725 4 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_rawmidi
sdhci 22233 0
arc4 6209 2
hci_usb 20317 2
mmc_core 27457 1 sdhci
videodev 25793 1 uvcvideo
snd_page_alloc 14281 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
iwl3945 78145 0
v4l1_compat 16069 2 uvcvideo,videodev
i2c_i801 12609 0
snd_hwdep 12869 2 snd_usb_audio,snd_hda_intel
iwlcore 112069 1 iwl3945
tpm_tis 16713 0
v4l2_common 24385 2 uvcvideo,videodev
i2c_core 24897 2 i2c_ec,i2c_i801
mac80211 138688 2 iwl3945,iwlcore
sg 36717 0
bluetooth 53797 8 hidp,rfcomm,l2cap,hci_usb
ide_cd 40161 0
snd 55877 13 snd_usb_audio,snd_hda_intel,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_rawmidi,snd_ti mer,snd_seq_device,snd_hwdep
cfg80211 141065 3 iwl3945,iwlcore,mac80211
b44 28749 0
tpm 19041 1 tpm_tis
rfkill 19669 1 cfg80211
mii 9409 1 b44
tpm_bios 11073 1 tpm
serio_raw 10693 0
wireless_compat 5825 2 cfg80211,rfkill
cdrom 36577 1 ide_cd
soundcore 11553 1 snd
pcspkr 7105 0
dm_raid45 67273 0
dm_message 6977 1 dm_raid45
dm_region_hash 15681 1 dm_raid45
dm_mem_cache 9537 1 dm_raid45
dm_snapshot 23653 0
dm_zero 6209 0
dm_mirror 24393 0
dm_log 14785 3 dm_raid45,dm_region_hash,dm_mirror
dm_mod 63993 11 dm_multipath,dm_raid45,dm_snapshot,dm_zero,dm_mirror,dm_log
usb_storage 80545 0
ata_piix 24261 2
libata 156933 1 ata_piix
sd_mod 25409 3
scsi_mod 144277 12 be2iscsi,ib_iser,iscsi_tcp,bnx2i,libcxgbi,libiscsi2,scsi_transport_iscsi2,scsi_dh,sg,usb_storage,lib ata,sd_mod
ext3 125769 2
jbd 57705 1 ext3
uhci_hcd 25421 0
ohci_hcd 24937 0
ehci_hcd 34509 0
ifconfig:
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:15:C5:3E:BA:0D
inet addr:192.168.1.102 Bcast:192.168.1.255 Mask:255.255.255.0
inet6 addr: fe80::215:c5ff:fe3e:ba0d/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:12246 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:8832 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:11172092 (10.6 MiB) TX bytes:1342863 (1.2 MiB)
Interrupt:177

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:19238 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:19238 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:5836139 (5.5 MiB) TX bytes:5836139 (5.5 MiB)

ifconfig -a:
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:15:C5:3E:BA:0D
inet addr:192.168.1.102 Bcast:192.168.1.255 Mask:255.255.255.0
inet6 addr: fe80::215:c5ff:fe3e:ba0d/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:12246 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:8832 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:11172092 (10.6 MiB) TX bytes:1342863 (1.2 MiB)
Interrupt:177

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:19238 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:19238 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:5836139 (5.5 MiB) TX bytes:5836139 (5.5 MiB)

sit0 Link encap:IPv6-in-IPv4
NOARP MTU:1480 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 00:13:02:D5:B7:B4
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)

iwconfig:
lo no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

wlan0 IEEE 802.11abg ESSID:off/any
Mode:Managed Access Point: Not-Associated Tx-Power=0 dBm
RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:off

sit0 no wireless extensions.

resolv.conf:
; generated by /sbin/dhclient-script
search eastlintk.ca
nameserver 216.104.98.222
R 216.104.96.22
route:
Kernel IP routing table
Destination Gateway Genmask Flags Metric Ref Use Iface
192.168.1.0 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.0 U 0 0 0 eth0
169.254.0.0 0.0.0.0 255.255.0.0 U 0 0 0 eth0
0.0.0.0 192.168.1.1 0.0.0.0 UG 0 0 0 eth0
[root@localhost ~]#
[root@localhost ~]#

Thank you
Don
VE3HOL

not sure why it doesnt come on automatically but try:

Code:

sudo ifconfig wlan0 up

it should show up in your network manager applet; if not show us the output of:

Code:

sudo iwlist wlan0 scan

sudo iwconfig wlan0 essid your-router-name

sudo dhclient # assuming your router uses dhcp

[root@localhost ~]# sudo iwlist wlan0 scan
wlan0 Interface doesn't support scanning : Network is down

This does produce anything
root@localhost ~]# sudo iwconfig wlan0 essid mshome

[root@localhost ~]# sudo dhclient
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/

SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory
SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory
Listening on LPF/wlan0/00:13:02:d5:b7:b4
Sending on LPF/wlan0/00:13:02:d5:b7:b4
Listening on LPF/eth0/00:15:c5:3e:ba:0d
Sending on LPF/eth0/00:15:c5:3e:ba:0d
Sending on Socket/fallback
DHCPDISCOVER on wlan0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 3 (xid=0x46fa50e9)
send_packet: Network is down
DHCPDISCOVER on eth0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 interval 7 (xid=0x32397d44)
DHCPOFFER from 192.168.1.1
DHCPREQUEST on eth0 to 255.255.255.255 port 67 (xid=0x32397d44)
DHCPACK from 192.168.1.1 (xid=0x32397d44)
bound to 192.168.1.102 -- renewal in 40525 seconds.
[root@localhost ~]#

Don

did you run

Code:

sudo ifconfig wlan0 up

did it produce an error ?
then can you repost the output of:

Code:

ifconfig

[root@localhost ~]# sudo ifconfig wlan0 up
SIOCSIFFLAGS: No such file or directory
[root@localhost ~]# ifconfig
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:15:C5:3E:BA:0D
inet addr:192.168.1.102 Bcast:192.168.1.255 Mask:255.255.255.0
inet6 addr: fe80::215:c5ff:fe3e:ba0d/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:28058 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:16158 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:24082327 (22.9 MiB) TX bytes:2258107 (2.1 MiB)
Interrupt:177

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:19238 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:19238 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:5836139 (5.5 MiB) TX bytes:5836139 (5.5 MiB)

[root@localhost ~]#

Don
ve3hol

^ not sure what the issue is (maybe the wrong driver loaded ?).

i see this

Code:

rfkill unblock all

on this page:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1588808

edit:
fyi, according to your output in post #7 you have an internal intel wifi adapter (not an external d-link wifi adapter mentioned in you original post).
is there a hardware switch for it ?
some more diagnostic info:

Code:

dmesg | grep 3945

rfkill -l

i think the problem is that the driver is open-source but the firmware is not so centos doesnt include it.
http://www.33dots.com/index.php/linu...-centos-5.html

Hello horwoodabitibi

Not sure if you are still around, but a few thoughts.

Firstly, in your early posts you refer to "plugging in" a USB wireless card.

Is there a reason for that and for not using the Intel card that is built into the laptop?

Your "lspci" output shows a:

Quote:

0c:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection (rev 02)

which is surely internal.

I've just installed CentOS 6.3 on this old Dell netbook which has exactly the same card in it and that worked directly off the LiveCD and once installed.

Actually, Intel cards are usually the easiest to get working in Red Hat based distributions because the firmware is free from restriction and therefore distributed with them.

I remember installing CentOS 5.5 on a similar machine with similar results.

There have been occasions when the "wmi" module has conflicted with wireless switching in the past. It messes up some of the keyboard controls, but if you are still in the game it might be worth trying:

Code:

blacklist dell_wmi

Where you add that for CentOS 5.8 I'm not sure. In this install it would be added to the file:

Code:

/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf