Still can't get my wireless working...

Caldus · 02-09-2008, 02:34 PM

So I have installed ndiswrapper on my Fedora Core 8 machine. I am using GNOME desktop. I made sure that the correct driver was installed for the wireless card I have. I already used the command modprobe ndiswrapper. Typing in lsmod contains an entry for ndiswrapper and it looks like this:

Code:

ndiswrapper           221696  0

I don't know what that means but the fact that it is in there is a good thing, right? When I try iwconfig, I get this:

Code:

lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

virbr0    no wireless extensions.

OK, so does this mean I need to install wireless extensions? Because typing in rpm -q wireless-tools gives me results. Fedora Core 8 seems to come with the wireless tools package already. Otherwise, iwconfig would have not been recognized.

I tried to create a wireless network using the usual network configuration settings GUI on GNOME. When I try to do this, I have to choose what kind of card I am using and my card is not even on the list and if it is I have no idea what it would be categorized as. I tried playing with a few options but no luck. I am just completely stuck.

Thanks for any help.

Lenard · 02-09-2008, 02:44 PM

As root add a line entry to the /etc/modprobe.conf file: alias wlan0 ndiswrapper

As root create an /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-wlan0 file like;

Code:

TYPE=Wireless
DEVICE=wlan0
HWADDR=
BOOTPROTO=dhcp
DHCP_HOSTNAME=
IPADDR=
NETMASK=255.255.255.0
DOMAIN=
ONBOOT=yes
USERCTL=yes
IPV6INIT=no
PEERDNS=yes
ESSID=
CHANNEL=
MODE=
RATE=

Then restart the network service: service network restart

Uncle_Theodore · 02-09-2008, 02:54 PM

ndiswrapper is, well, a wrapper for Windows drivers. Have you installed the correct firmware for your wireless card?
Also, look at the output of the [b]dmesg[command] right after you modprobe ndiswrapper. What does it say (the last five or six lines)?

Caldus · 02-09-2008, 03:27 PM

Well this is just strange. So I typed in lsmod again (I restarted my PC ever since then) and now there is no ndiswrapper entry in there. Typing in ndiswrapper -l still gives me:

Code:

mrv8000c : driver installed
        device (11AB:1FAA) present

So the driver is still present. I tried typing in ndiswrapper -m and I get this:

Code:

module configuration contains directive install pci:v000011ABd00001FAAsv*sd*bc*sc*i* /sbin/modprobe ndiswrapper
;you should delete that at /usr/sbin/ndiswrapper line 868, <MODPROBE> line 86.
module configuration contains directive install pci:v000011ABd00001FABsv*sd*bc*sc*i* /sbin/modprobe ndiswrapper
;you should delete that at /usr/sbin/ndiswrapper line 868, <MODPROBE> line 87.
module configuration already contains alias directive

(I already typed it in once before so I think that's why I am getting those messages). Apparently it said before that it created the wlan0 alias but I don't see it under ifconfig or iwconfig. So confusing...

Caldus · 02-10-2008, 12:11 AM

Lenard, I tried what you suggested and I got this when doing service network restart:

Code:

Bringing up interface wlan0:  ndiswrapper device wlan0 does not seem to be present, delaying initialization.
                                                           [FAILED]

Lenard · 02-10-2008, 08:19 AM

Post the contents of the /etc/modprobe.conf file.

Try the following;

Stop the network service; service network stop
Remove the driver: modprobe -r ndiswrapper
Load the driver: modprobe -v ndiswrapper

Check for wireless device and any possible wireless networks: iwlist wlan0 scan

If your running a xen kernel (uname -a) reboot the system to a non-xen kernel and check again. Check if you are running a xen kernel that the matching kernel-xen-devel rpm package is installed.

Caldus · 02-10-2008, 09:15 AM

/etc/modprobe.conf:

Code:

alias eth0 forcedeth
alias scsi_hostadapter libata
alias scsi_hostadapter1 sata_nv
alias scsi_hostadapter2 pata_amd
alias scsi_hostadapter3 usb-storage
alias snd-card-0 snd-hda-intel
options snd-card-0 index=0
options snd-hda-intel index=0
alias eth1 nmclan_cs
alias wlan0 ndiswrapper

Performing the following shows the following:

Code:

[root@localhost ~]# service network stop
Shutting down interface eth0:                              [  OK  ]
Shutting down loopback interface:                          [  OK  ]
You have new mail in /var/spool/mail/root
[root@localhost ~]# modprobe -r ndiswrapper
FATAL: Module ndiswrapper not found.
[root@localhost ~]# modprobe -v ndiswrapper
FATAL: Module ndiswrapper not found.
[root@localhost ~]# iwlist wlan0 scan
wlan0     Interface doesn't support scanning.
[root@localhost ~]# uname -a
Linux localhost.localdomain 2.6.23.14-115.fc8 #1 SMP Mon Jan 21 14:22:56 EST 2008 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

How do I switch to xen kernel?

Lenard · 02-10-2008, 10:15 AM

You do not need to switch to a xen-kernel.

How did you install ndiswrapper??
Which wireless device (make/model number brand name/ manufacturer) do you have??
Is this perhaps a pcmcia card??

Ceran · 02-10-2008, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caldus

So I have installed ndiswrapper on my Fedora Core 8 machine. I am using GNOME desktop. I made sure that the correct driver was installed for the wireless card I have. I already used the command modprobe ndiswrapper. Typing in lsmod contains an entry for ndiswrapper and it looks like this:

I hate to sound the pessimist, but I'd give up all hope for getting wireless working in Fedora. I spent several months trying to get my RT2500 card working back in Fedora 5, and retry with every new release. I tried the native Linux driver, ndiswrapper, posted for help on forums, posted for help in the native driver mailing list, even submitted a bug report to Redhat. Two years later, still nothing. Either I have bad hardware (which no one has been able to determine), or wireless support in Linux simple isn't mature enough.

Caldus · 02-11-2008, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lenard

You do not need to switch to a xen-kernel.

How did you install ndiswrapper??
Which wireless device (make/model number brand name/ manufacturer) do you have??
Is this perhaps a pcmcia card??

Used the instructions here: http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/j...,installation/

It's the 4th entry on this page:
http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/j...3/id,list_m-n/

which is:
#
Card: Marvell 88W8335 - Libertas 802.11b/g Wireless (rev 03)

*
Chipset: Marvell 88W8335
*
pciid: 11ab:1faa (rev 03)
*
Driver: http://www.encore-usa.com/download/d...ME-2000-XP.zip. Used WinXP driver.
*
Other: http://www.encore-usa.com/product_it...&pgid=4&pid=15 (product profile)
*
Other: Ndiswrapper 1.34, Recompiled kernel 2.6.18.3, without smp, with kernel debug and without 4kstacks. Debian Testing “Etch”. WPA not tested.

And yes, this is PCMCIA card.

Someone else has gotten this exact model to work, so there must be a way.

Lenard · 02-11-2008, 07:00 PM

Then remove the /etc/modprobe.conf line entry: alias eth1 nmclan_cs
But before you do what does the typed command iwlist eth1 scan show???

Ndiswrapper will not work if another module is claiming the device.
Remove the module; modprobe -r nmclan_cs
Load ndiswrapper: modprobe ndiswapper

Why did you not use one of the third party repo and install (for example) the freshrpms.net dkms-ndiswrapper rpm package??

http://werewolf.freshrpms.net/
http://werewolf.freshrpms.net/rpm.html?id=5
rpm -ivh http://ftp.freshrpms.net/pub/freshrp....fc.noarch.rpm

yum install dkms-ndiswrapper

.

Caldus · 02-12-2008, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lenard

Then remove the /etc/modprobe.conf line entry: alias eth1 nmclan_cs
But before you do what does the typed command iwlist eth1 scan show???

Ndiswrapper will not work if another module is claiming the device.
Remove the module; modprobe -r nmclan_cs
Load ndiswrapper: modprobe ndiswapper

Why did you not use one of the third party repo and install (for example) the freshrpms.net dkms-ndiswrapper rpm package??

http://werewolf.freshrpms.net/
http://werewolf.freshrpms.net/rpm.html?id=5
rpm -ivh http://ftp.freshrpms.net/pub/freshrp....fc.noarch.rpm

yum install dkms-ndiswrapper

.

Code:

[root@localhost ~]# iwlist eth1 scan
eth1      Interface doesn't support scanning.

[root@localhost ~]# modprobe -r nmclan_cs
[root@localhost ~]# modprobe ndiswrapper
FATAL: Module ndiswrapper not found.

I installed the 3rd party package, but now what?

Caldus · 02-12-2008, 05:21 PM

This time when I type in iwconfig I get this:

Code:

[root@localhost ~]# iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

virbr0    no wireless extensions.

sit0      no wireless extensions.

Lenard · 02-12-2008, 06:32 PM

Checks;

rpm -qa dkms-ndiswrapper
locate ndiswrapper.ko

Example outputs;

Code:

$ rpm -qa dkms-ndiswrapper
dkms-ndiswrapper-1.51-1.el5_1.x86_64

$ locate ndiswrapper.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.18-53.1.6.el5/extra/ndiswrapper.ko
/lib/modules/2.6.24.2/extra/ndiswrapper.ko
/var/lib/dkms/ndiswrapper/1.51-1.el5_1/2.6.18-53.1.6.el5/x86_64/module/ndiswrapper.ko
/var/lib/dkms/ndiswrapper/1.51-1.el5_1/2.6.24.2/x86_64/module/ndiswrapper.ko

If you get a positive response from both commands then also check for /var/lib/dkms/ndiswrapper directory. Inside you should see some sub-directories. One is the ndiswrapper version number directory and at least one symbolic 'kernel-version_number' directory. (See the output for the locate command in the example above)

Also attempt loading the ndiswrapper module by using the full path and name, example;

modprobe /lib/modules/2.6.24.2/extra/ndiswrapper.ko

Caveat, you must be running the exact kernel by version number (2.6.24.2) for this to work. Use the typed command uname -r to verify.

If you get nothing back from either or both the rpm and locate commands in the example above then something is not right. You have everything you need to make this work, review and check all the files using this thread as a guide and reference.

With the wireless pcmcia card inserted please post the output from the typed commands /sbin/lspci -v
and cat /proc/modules | grep ndis.

Lenard · 02-12-2008, 06:40 PM

Another possible solution is to use the nmclan_cs driver (some reediting/restoring of files is required) and download/install the firmware file for the RT2500 wireless interface to the /lib/firmware directory location. This might be the better way to go.

http://www.opendrivers.com/freedownl...-download.html