Not detecting pcmcia card

I installed ver 12.2 on a Toshiba Satellite 2545XCDT, 300MHz AMD with 128MB RAM. Prior to Slackware 12.2 I had Windows 98SE and the PCMCIA wireless adapter worked without any problems. The adapter is a SMCWCBT-G which has the Atheros 5212 chipset.

The problem is the card is not detected during boot. I have set the settings in the /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf file and in the /etc/rc.d/wireless.conf but my card so far is not detected during boot. I ran wicd but with no positive results.

In the documentation, I see that, during boot, if UDEV does not detect one's card then you can create a file, /etc/rc.d/rc.netdevice and add modprobe commands to it which will then load your driver. An example of the line to add to this file is /sbin//modprobe 3c59x. I assume the 3c59x is an example that refers to the needed driver. If I create this file does anybody know what the line should be for my card?

I'm new to Linux so I'm asking elementary questions but for me there is a very steep learning curve. My question is do I need to create this file and, if so, how can I find a reference to the needed driver. Also, assuming no hardware problem, if a card is not detected during boot, is it always a driver issue? Hope I'm being clear, appreciate any tips you can give.

I also tried a Buffalo card with a Broadcom chipset but with the same results.

PH

Elementary question, but do you have the PCMCIA service running? Issue:

less /etc/rc.d/rc.M | grep pcmcia

and optionally

ls -l /etc/rc.d/rc.pcmcia

Bruce,

Thanks for responding, yes, the PCMCIA services are running. Tips on how to proceed?

PH

P.S. In the previous post I was expecting you to provide the output of those two commands.

First, is your cardbus adpater detected by the kernel? Please post the output of:

/sbin/lspci | grep -i cardbus

If so, then reboot the computer without the PCMCIA wireless adapter plugged in. Then
open a terminal and su to root and issue:

tail -f /var/log/messages

Next, plug in the PCMCIA wireless adapter, and watch the messages that are output to
that terminal. After about 30 seconds, or after the messages stop, copy and paste
them here as output. We are looking for some output such as this:

Jun  4 15:51:46 jeremiah kernel: pcmcia_socket pcmcia_socket0: pccard: CardBus card inserted into slot 0
Jun  4 15:51:46 jeremiah kernel: pci 0000:16:00.0: PME# supported from D1 D2 D3hot
Jun  4 15:51:46 jeremiah kernel: pci 0000:16:00.0: PME# disabled
Jun  4 15:51:46 jeremiah kernel: 8139too Fast Ethernet driver 0.9.28
Jun  4 15:51:46 jeremiah kernel: 8139too 0000:16:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0003)
Jun  4 15:51:46 jeremiah kernel: 8139too 0000:16:00.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 16 (level, low) -> IRQ 16
Jun  4 15:51:46 jeremiah kernel: eth1: RealTek RTL8139 at 0x8000, 00:40:b8:00:c9:6f, IRQ 16

Post that information and we'll proceed from there.

If your wireless adapter is detected, you should also have a new entry for it in lspci.

A couple of things to tell you from your original post...

You can edit /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf, but should not need to edit /etc/rc.d/rc.wireless.conf
(I assume that /etc/rc.d/wireless.conf was a typo in your previous post).

If you use wicd, then you must not edit /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf -- wicd will only work with
a /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf file without custom settings.

The Atheros 5212 will use madwifi drivers. That package does not come with Slackware,
but you can get it from Alien Bob's repository. Download it and then install and then
issue in a terminal "/sbin/modprobe ath_pci" and you should have all it's modules loaded.
NB: If you are not using the 2.6.27.7-smp kernel, then you will have to build a package
to match your kernel version. If so, that's not difficult if you can use a terminal.

Another useful command for checking the status of pcmcia devices is 'lspcmcia -v'.

Bruce,

Output for /sbin/lspci | grep -i cardbus
00:13.0 Cardbus bridge: Toshiba America Info Systems ToPIC97 (rev07)
00:13.1 Cardbus bridge: Toshiba America Info Systems ToPIC97 (rev07)

These are the messages in response to tail -f /var/log/messages
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy logger: /etc/rc.inet1: /sbin/ifconfig/ lo 127.0.0.1
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy logger: /etc/rc.inet1: /sbin route add -net 127.0.0.0 netmask 255.0.0.0 lo
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy logger: /etc/rc.inet1: /sbin route add default gw 192.168.1.1 metric 1
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy logger: SIOCADDRT: no such process
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy kernal: NET: Registered protocol family 10
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy kernal: lo: Disabled Privacy Extensions
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy sshd[2278]: Server listening on :: port 22
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy sshd[2278]: Server listening on 0.0.0.0 port 22.
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy /usr/sbin/gpm/[2371]: *** info [startup.c(95)]:
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy /usr/sbin/gpm/[2371]: Started gpm successfully. Entered daemon mode.

I really appreciate your time and advice.

PH

AllenD,
In response to lspcmcia -v this is the output:

Socket 0 Bridge: [yenta_cardbus] (bus ID: 0000:00:13:0)
Configuration: state: on ready: no

Socket 1 Bridge: [yenta_cardbus] (bus ID: 0000:00:13:1)
Configuration: state: on ready: no

Voltage: 5.0 Vcc: 5.0V Vpp: 5.0V

Thanks,

PH

Bruce,
I downloaded the Madwifi drivers from the link you supplied. I installed them using PkgTool but when I type /sbin/modprobe ath_pci I get the message "Module ath_pce not found."

Package Manager shows the madwife drivers to be installed but the /sbin/modprobe ath_pci is not finding the module.

PH

Originally Posted by pighunter Bruce, Output for /sbin/lspci | grep -i cardbus 00:13.0 Cardbus bridge: Toshiba America Info Systems ToPIC97 (rev07) 00:13.1 Cardbus bridge: Toshiba America Info Systems ToPIC97 (rev07) These are the messages in response to tail -f /var/log/messages Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy logger: /etc/rc.inet1: /sbin/ifconfig/ lo 127.0.0.1 Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy logger: /etc/rc.inet1: /sbin route add -net 127.0.0.0 netmask 255.0.0.0 lo Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy logger: /etc/rc.inet1: /sbin route add default gw 192.168.1.1 metric 1 Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy logger: SIOCADDRT: no such process Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy kernal: NET: Registered protocol family 10 Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy kernal: lo: Disabled Privacy Extensions Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy sshd[2278]: Server listening on :: port 22 Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy sshd[2278]: Server listening on 0.0.0.0 port 22. Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy /usr/sbin/gpm/[2371]: *** info [startup.c(95)]: Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy /usr/sbin/gpm/[2371]: Started gpm successfully. Entered daemon mode. I really appreciate your time and advice. PH

From my research, that is indeed the correct cardbus for that model laptop.
So the problem is that it's not detecting your PCMCIA wireless adapter.

In the above /var/log/messages output, was there nothing after inserting the
PCMCIA card? If you booted with the card already inserted, then you missed
the output. Also, did you try both cards?

If you inserted the card(s) AFTER issuing "tail -f /var/log/messages" then the
kernel did not detect either card.

One thing to try. When you boot the computer, press and hold down the Esc key,
follow the instructions, then press the F1 key when it tells you to do so. Next
check to be sure PCMCIA Bridge is in CardBus mode. If not, change that and then
start the previous sequence again. (If you do not use the internal WinModem, you
might as well disable it while you're in the BIOS.)

Did you issue "/sbin/modprobe ath_pci" as a normal user or root? You must be root.
If they still don't modprobe, which kernel version are you running? "uname -a" will
tell you that, and you can post it here.

Bruce,
I booted without the card in place, I typed the command, inserted the card, and then entered the command.

I followed the same procedure with the Buffalo card and obtained this output:
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy kernal: EXT3 FS on hda2, internal journal
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy kernal: EXT3-fs: mounted filesystem with ordered data mode.
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy logger: /etc/rc.inet1: /sbin route add -net 127.0.0.1
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy logger: /etc/rc.inet1: /sbin route add -net 127.0.0.0 netmask 255.0.0.0 lo

Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy kernal: NET: Registered protocol family 10
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy kernal: lo: Disabled Privacy Extensions
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy sshd[2275]: Server listening on :: port 22
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy sshd[2275]: Server listening on 0.0.0.0 port 22.
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy /usr/sbin/gpm/[2368]: *** info [startup.c(95)]:
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy /usr/sbin/gpm/[2368]: Started gpm successfully. Entered daemon mode.

I changed the bios setting for the PC card from "auto" to "Cardbus/16bit" and then ran the tail -f /var/log/messages command and it now shows my card.

This is the output after enabling the Cardbus in bios:
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy kernal: NET: Registered protocol family 10
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy kernal: lo: Disabled Privacy Extensions
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy sshd[2364]: Server listening on :: port 22
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy sshd[2364]: Server listening on 0.0.0.0 port 22.
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy /usr/sbin/gpm/[2368]: *** info [startup.c(95)]:
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy /usr/sbin/gpm/[2368]: Started gpm successfully.

Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy kernal: pccard: Cardbus card inserted into slot 0
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy kernal: ath5k_pc1 0000:01:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy kernal: ath5k_pc1 0000:01:00.0: registered as 'phy0'
Jun4 13:50:33 Lucy kernal: ath5k phy0: Atheros AR2414 chip found (MAC: 0x79, Phy: 0x45)

This has to be good.

Also, I was root when I issued the /sbin/modprobe ath_pci command. On this machine, there is only one user which is root.

PH

PH

Yah, the BIOS setting was the culprit. Now you just need the correct module
for that card. You stated earlier:

The adapter is a SMCWCBT-G which has the Atheros 5212 chipset.

however, the kernel says it has the Atheros AR2414. It also looks like it's
using the ath5k module, again, from your kernel. What is the output of:

lsmod | grep ath*

You need the modules for ath5k_pci (that is not a 1 as in your ath5k_pc1).

The output for lsmod | grep ath* is:

ath5k 96768 0
mac80211 150680 1 ath5k
led_class 3716 1 ath5k
cfg80211 23048 2 ath5k,mac80211
rsrc_nonstatic 10496 1 yenta_socket
pcmcia_core 31376 3 pcmcia,yenta_socket,rsrc_nonstatic

I have the documentation, in my hand, that says the chipset for this card is the 5212; now we know.

PH

It appears that you're ready to configure your wireless adapter.

Now, you have the choice of using /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf or of
using wicd. If you want a recommendation, please state whether
you will use this box on that one router, or if you will be
taking it to other locations using other routers.

If just at home, I'd configure /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf; but if
you will be traveling to more than one other location, perhaps
wicd would be a good choice.

You need to remove that /etc/rc.d/rc.netdevice file you setup.

Kernal is 2.6.27.2

99% of the time I will be using this computer at home, accessing the web via a Linksys router.

Never got around to making that /etc/rc.d/rc.netdevice file .

PH

Have you read any docs about setting up wireless in Slackware?

You need to know the IP of your router, your netmask, your DNS
servers (for /etc/resolv.conf), your WPA information, etc. If
you can't determine that from Alien Bob's information, post back.

And again, you need not touch /etc/rc.d/rc.wireless.conf --
just set it all up in /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1.conf, or leave
that file alone and use wicd.