3Com X-Jack Wireless PCMCIA Card
 

I have tried installing a 3Com X-jack in a Dell laptop with SuSE 8.0. I am using Kernel 2.4.18 and have installed the poldhu-0.2.12 driver as is recommended on some websites. I have also installed the wireless-tools version 23-31. However after this I am stumped, I have tried every wireless tool and script but to no avail. Any ideas ?????

Yeah dozens... weird, I've never heard of that card or that driver set offhand, got links for either of them?

Cheers,

Finegan

Hi,

It is here....

http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Jean_...rs.html#Poldhu


regards,

Diarmuid

I will answer my own question as I have figured it out.

Here is a technote on getting the 3Com X-Jack Wireless card (3CRWE62092A) to work with Linux.



The 3Com AirConnect Wireless LAN Card and the 3Com X-Jack Wireless LAN cards are completely different hardware. The Airconnect is a rebadged device from a company called Symbol and support for it is included in the standard Linux "Wireless Tools" package included with the SuSE Distribution. The 3Com X-Jack (3CRWE62092A) is a clone of the NWN 1148. The main difference between the 3Com and NWN card is the removal of AirLock encryption (WEP is still available), the addition of Ad-Hoc mode, and of course the famous pop-up antenna. This chipset is supported with the poldhu_cs module which maybe added to the SuSE Distro.

How does a PCMCIA card work anyhow?

Well the OS identifies the PCMCIA card by a name string in the card. This name string can be seen with the command

eolas:/ # cardctl ident

Socket 0:
No product info available

Socket 1:
product info : "3Com", "3CRWE62092A Wireless LAN PC Card"
manfid : 0x0101, 0x2892
function : 6 (network)

With this information the OS parses the file /etc/pcmcia/config looking for a match with the product info text. This will then define the kernel module to which the card should have a "bind" to. Unfortunately the 3Com X-Jack is not defined in this file. You may also notice at this stage a line at the end of this file.

source ./*.conf

This in effect means that any file in the current directory /etc/pcmcia which ends in ".conf" will be added to this file. This will be important later.

How do I install the poldhu driver

1. Determine the Kernel you are using

less /proc/version
Linux Version 2.4.18-4GB #1 Wed Mar 27 13:57:05 UTC 2002

2. Check in your /usr/src directory to see if you have installed the source as well as the compiled binary for the above example a directory should exist called 2.4.18-4GB

3. If not then install the kernel source for the working. This maybe found in the Package set "ZP" as kernel-source_spm

4. Install the package "Wireless Tools" from the Distribution.

5. Copy the file poldhu.tar.gz to the /usr/src directory and uncompress and untar.

eolas:/usr/src/ # gunzip poldhu.tar.gz
eolas:/usr/src/ # tar -xvf poldhu.tar

6. Change directory to the /usr/src/poldhu directory.

eolas:/usr/src/poldhu/ # make config

Linux Source Directory [/usr/src/linux]: \c
The Kernel source tree is 2.4.18.
Alternate target install Directory []: \c
PCMCIA Configuration Directory [/etc/pcmcia]: \c
Module install Directory [/lib/modules/2.4.18] /lib/modules/2/4/18-4GB
C compiler name [gcc] \c
Linker name [ld] \c
Compiler flags for Debugging [] \c

eolas:/usr/src/poldhu/ # make all
eolas:/usr/src/poldhu/ # make install

Note after the install the following files that have been added

/lib/modules/2.4.18-4GB/pcmcia/poldhu_cs.o
/etc/pcmcia/poldhu.conf

The /etc/pcmcia/poldhu.conf is an extension of the /etc/pcmcia/config file as I explained above. This file contains the bind between

"3Com", "3CRWE62092A Wireless LAN PC Card"

and "poldhu_cs"

7. Rerun the /etc/rc.d/pcmcia reload

8. Add the Wireless interface with the Wireless network name (essid)

eolas: / # iwconfig eth0 essid <network name>

9. Now using YaST add The IP address to the eth0 interface or setup DHCP.

10. Bring up the eth0 interface

eolas: / # ifconfig eth0 up

11. You can check the Wireless piece with the ifstatus eth0 command.

12. Now reload /etc/rc.d/network reload eth0

HI,

Looks like you've been very busy with this, I been searchin for this info for ages. Thanks

Do you have, or do you know where I can Get an RPM install of Poldhu drivers. I'm very new to Linux

// mo

RedHat8.0
 

Hi there.. I try to install the driver, and the make config works out well.. but when I try to "make all" it says that it can't find the /urs/src/linux/.config file ..
And it's not there at all..


Do I need to "make depends" or something in my kernel source directory..

Langly,
If you just need to have a /usr/src/linux/.config file that exists, type this as root:

cp /boot/config /usr/src/linux/.config

But I think the reason it's looking for that file is because whatever instructions you are following assume or ask you to compile a kernel and you have not done that.

Thanks Darin,

the problem was the .config, once i complied my kernal the install went ok .

this sounds even easier cp /boot/config /usr/src/linux/.config

good tip.

Thanks

Additional info for RedHat users
 

I though I would add something for RedHat users.
This page really had the best info on how to get this card working.
However, RedHat users will want to change step 6 of the detailed installation process given by dobriain to:

6. Change directory to the /usr/src/poldhu directory.

eolas:/usr/src/poldhu/ # make config
eolas:/usr/src/poldhu/ # make all
eolas:/usr/src/poldhu/ # make install

Once this is done, restart the service:
eolas:/usr/src/poldhu/ # service pcmcia restart

Check that the card driver was correctly loaded:

eolas:/usr/src/poldhu/ # tail /var/log/messages

If that doesn't work, check that the poldhu_cs.o driver is properly located in /lib/modules/2.4.18/kernel/drivers/net/

The easiest to configure the card is then to go into X and run the system tools->network applet.
It works very well!

nka

I am running RedHat updated to 2.4.20-19.9.athlon, but when I use:

make config

an error occurs:

make: Nothing to be done for `config'.

what could be wrong ??

best regards, Eric

Hi just wondering about Step 7
----
7. Rerun the /etc/rc.d/pcmcia reload
----

What exactly is this and do you need a pcmcia folder within the rc.d?
The article was very useful, thank you very much.
Matthew

3Com 3CRWE62092A Xjack in Fedora Core 2
 

Hi there:
Did anyone ever successfully install this poldhu_cs driver in Fedora Core 2? I've tried for so many days, but still no luck. This thing drives me nuts. Please help me. I gunzip and un-tar the poldhu-3XXX.tar.gz in /usr/src , and then try to make config, but it shows me nothing to be done for 'config'. I've recompiled my kernel and tried to make config again, it sitll complains that message. Is the kernel's problem or the driver's problem? Please help. Thank you very much.

Moved: This thread is more suitable in Wireless Networking and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

gregsheu,

are you certain you have a poldhu based card? This is an older card correct?

Cheers,

Finegan

it does use that driver.
 

http://www.xs4all.nl/~bvermeul/swallow/
It does. According to the author of this driver.